Mineralogy and crystal structure of bouazzerite from Bou Azzer, Anti-Atlas, Morocco: Bi-As-Fe nanoclusters containing Fe3+ in trigonal prismatic coordination

Abstract

Bouazzerite, Bi6(Mg,Co)11Fe14[AsO4]18O12(OH)4(H2O)86, is a new mineral occurring in “Filon 7” at the Bou Azzer mine, Anti-Atlas, Morocco. Bouazzerite is associated with quartz, chalcopyrite, native gold, erythrite, talmessite/roselite-beta, Cr-bearing yukonite, alumopharmacosiderite, powellite, and a blue-green earthy copper arsenate related to geminite. The mineral results from the weathering of a Variscan hydrothermal As-Co-Ni-Ag-Au vein. The Bou Azzer mine and the similarly named district have produced many outstanding mineral specimens, including the world’s best erythrite and roselite.