Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 July 2018
Brianyoungite, which is chemically and structurally related to hydrozincite, occurs as white rosettes (<100 μm) with gypsum on rubbly limestone within the oxidised zone at Brownley Hill Mine, Nenthead, Cumbria. The mineral contains (wt.%) 71.47 ZnO, 9.90 CO2, 6.62 SO3 and 10.70 H2O+. Based on 29 oxygen atoms, the empirical formula is Zn11.73[(CO3)3.00,(SO4)1.10]4.10(OH)15.88 or ideally Zn3(CO3,SO4)(OH)4. Brianyoungite is either orthorhombic or monoclinic with β very close to 90° Cell parameters determined by electron diffraction and refined from X-ray powder diffraction data are a = 15.724, b = 6.256 and c = 5.427 Å. Density is > 3.93, < 4.09 g/cm3 (meas.) and 4.11 g/cm3 (calc.); Z = 4. Thermogravimetric analysis, IR and XRD powder data (23 lines) are presented.