ROUBAULTITE Meaning and
Definition
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Roubaultite is a mineral that belongs to the carbonate group, specifically the hydrotalcite supergroup. It is an extremely rare mineral and is typically found in oxidized zinc ore deposits and in hydrothermal veins associated with zinc and manganese minerals. The mineral was named after N. W. Roubault, a French engineer.
Chemically, roubaultite is composed of hydrated zinc and manganese carbonates. Its chemical formula can be represented as (Zn,Mn)(CO3)(OH)2•(H2O), indicating the presence of zinc, manganese, carbonate, hydroxide, and water molecules. Roubaultite usually appears as short prismatic crystals, often occurring as aggregates or encrustations. It commonly exhibits light pink to colorless or white colors, with a vitreous to pearly luster.
In terms of its physical properties, roubaultite is relatively soft with a hardness of around 2.5 on the Mohs scale. It has a brittle tenacity and a perfect cleavage parallel to the basal plane. The mineral has a uniaxial negative optical character, meaning it shows a single refractive index while light passes through it.
Due to its extreme rarity and limited occurrence, roubaultite holds little industrial or commercial significance. Instead, it is mainly appreciated by mineral collectors and researchers who study mineral formations and properties. Its unique crystal structure and composition contribute to the scientific understanding of carbonate minerals and their formation processes in geological environments.
Etymology of ROUBAULTITE
The word "roubaultite" is named after Léon Roubault, a French mineralogist. It is a mineral species that was discovered and described by Roubault himself. The suffix "-ite" in mineralogy is commonly used to indicate a mineral species.
