Santabarbaraite
Santabarbaraite
Phosphate mineral
Santabarbaraite is an amorphous ferric hydroxy phosphate mineral hydrate that was discovered in Tuscany, Italy during 2000.[4] It also can be found in Victoria, Australia and Lake Baikal, Siberia.[5]
This phosphate mineral has a simplified formula Fe3+3(PO4)2(OH)3·5H2O,[4] which is the same formula of another non-amorphous phosphate mineral called allanpringite.[6] Santabarbaraite occurs as pseudomorphic masses after vivianite (Fe2+3(PO4)2·8H2O). In the process, monoclinic vivianite oxidizes to form the amorphous santabarbaraite.[4] Pseudomorphism may be seen in Victoria, Australia, in Wannon Falls (originally a well-known locality for vivianite). It also may be seen at Lake Baikal, Siberia where the oxidized santabarbaraite may be seen as a rim surrounding vivianite due to exposure to air.[5]