Alarsite
A valid IMA mineral species
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About Alarsite
Formula:
AlAsO4
Colour:
Colorless, with pale tints of yellow, green, blue due to inclusions
Lustre:
Vitreous
Hardness:
5 - 5½
Specific Gravity:
3.32 (Calculated)
Crystal System:
Trigonal
Name:
Named by Tatyana Fedorovna Semenova, Lidiya Pavlovna Vergasova, Stanislav Konstantinovich Filatov, and Vasiliy Viktorovich Ananev in 1994 from its composition, containing ALuminium and ARSenic.
This page provides mineralogical data about Alarsite.
Unique Identifiers
IMA Classification of Alarsite
Approved
IMA Formula:
Al(AsO4)
Approval year:
1993
Classification of Alarsite
8.AA.05
8 : PHOSPHATES, ARSENATES, VANADATES
A : Phosphates, etc. without additional anions, without H2O
A : With small cations (some also with larger ones)
8 : PHOSPHATES, ARSENATES, VANADATES
A : Phosphates, etc. without additional anions, without H2O
A : With small cations (some also with larger ones)
Mineral Symbols
As of 2021 there are now IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols (abbreviations) for each mineral species, useful for tables and diagrams.
Symbol | Source | Reference |
---|---|---|
Ars | IMA–CNMNC | Warr, L.N. (2021). IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols. Mineralogical Magazine, 85(3), 291-320. doi:10.1180/mgm.2021.43 |
Physical Properties of Alarsite
Vitreous
Transparency:
Transparent, Translucent
Colour:
Colorless, with pale tints of yellow, green, blue due to inclusions
Comment:
Colorless in transmitted light
Streak:
White
Hardness:
5 - 5½ on Mohs scale
Tenacity:
Brittle
Cleavage:
None Observed
Density:
3.32 g/cm3 (Calculated)
Optical Data of Alarsite
Type:
Uniaxial (+)
RI values:
nω = 1.596 nε = 1.608
Birefringence:
0.012
Max Birefringence:
δ = 0.012

Image shows birefringence interference colour range (at 30µm thickness)
and does not take into account mineral colouration.
and does not take into account mineral colouration.
Surface Relief:
Moderate
Optical Extinction:
Parallel.
Pleochroism:
Non-pleochroic
Chemistry of Alarsite
Mindat Formula:
AlAsO4
Elements listed:
Crystallography of Alarsite
Crystal System:
Trigonal
Class (H-M):
3 2 - Trapezohedral
Space Group:
P31 2 1
Cell Parameters:
a = 5.031(1) Å, c = 11.226(6) Å
Ratio:
a:c = 1 : 2.231
Unit Cell V:
246.07 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:
3
Morphology:
Subhedral grains, to 0.3 mm, in aggregates.
Comment:
Possibly P3221
Crystal Structure
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2x2x2 | 3x3x3 | 4x4x4
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Data courtesy of the American Mineralogist Crystal Structure Database. Click on an AMCSD ID to view structure
ID | Species | Reference | Link | Year | Locality | Pressure (GPa) | Temp (K) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
0010554 | Alarsite | Machatschki F (1936) Die kristallstruktur von tiefquarz SiO2 und aluminiumorthoarsenat AlAsO4 Zeitschrift fur Kristallographie 94 222-230 | ![]() | 1936 | 0 | 293 | |
0011000 | Alarsite | Sowa H (1991) The crystal structure of AlAsO4 at high pressure Zeitschrift fur Kristallographie 194 291-304 | ![]() | 1991 | synthetic | 0 | 293 |
0011001 | Alarsite | Sowa H (1991) The crystal structure of AlAsO4 at high pressure Zeitschrift fur Kristallographie 194 291-304 | ![]() | 1991 | synthetic | 0 | 293 |
0011002 | Alarsite | Sowa H (1991) The crystal structure of AlAsO4 at high pressure Zeitschrift fur Kristallographie 194 291-304 | ![]() | 1991 | synthetic | 1.81 | 293 |
0011003 | Alarsite | Sowa H (1991) The crystal structure of AlAsO4 at high pressure Zeitschrift fur Kristallographie 194 291-304 | ![]() | 1991 | synthetic | 2.99 | 293 |
0011004 | Alarsite | Sowa H (1991) The crystal structure of AlAsO4 at high pressure Zeitschrift fur Kristallographie 194 291-304 | ![]() | 1991 | synthetic | 4.87 | 293 |
CIF Raw Data - click here to close
X-Ray Powder Diffraction
Powder Diffraction Data:
d-spacing | Intensity |
---|---|
4.36 Å | (20) |
4.06 Å | (31) |
3.442 Å | (100) |
2.514 Å | (80) |
2.359 Å | (15) |
1.873 Å | (16) |
1.4202 Å | (11) |
Geological Environment
Paragenetic Mode(s):
Paragenetic Mode | Earliest Age (Ga) |
---|---|
Stage 7: Great Oxidation Event | <2.4 |
45a : [Sulfates, arsenates, selenates, antimonates] |
Type Occurrence of Alarsite
Place of Conservation of Type Material:
Mining Institute, St. Petersburg, Russia.
Geological Setting of Type Material:
Fumarolic exhalations
Associated Minerals at Type Locality:
Reference:
Semenova, T.F., Vergasova, L.P., Filatov, S.K., and Ananev, V.V. (1994) Alarsite AlAsO4: A new mineral from volcanic exhalations. Doklady Akademii Nauk: 338(4): 501-505.
Synonyms of Alarsite
Other Language Names for Alarsite
Common Associates
Associated Minerals Based on Photo Data:
Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat Grouping
8.AA.05 | Berlinite | AlPO4 |
8.AA.10 | Beryllonite | NaBePO4 |
8.AA.15 | Hurlbutite | CaBe2(PO4)2 |
8.AA.20 | Lithiophosphate | Li3PO4 |
8.AA.25 | Nalipoite | NaLi2PO4 |
8.AA.30 | Olympite | Na5Li(PO4)2 |
Fluorescence of Alarsite
Not fluorescent
Other Information
Health Risks:
No information on health risks for this material has been entered into the database. You should always treat mineral specimens with care.
Internet Links for Alarsite
mindat.org URL:
https://www.mindat.org/min-94.html
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References for Alarsite
Reference List:
Machatschki, F. (1935) Die Kristallstruktur des Aluminiumarsenates AlAsO4. Ein weiterer Beitrag zur Frage der Isomorphie von Kristallarten des Siliciums und fünfwertigen Arsens. Zeitschrift für Kristallographie, 90 (1). 314-321 doi:10.1524/zkri.1935.90.1.314
Localities for Alarsite
Locality List




All localities listed without proper references should be considered as questionable.
Russia (TL) | |
| [DAN (1994) +3 other references |
| Pekov et al. (2014) |
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Northern Breakthrough, Great Fissure eruption, Tolbachik Volcanic field, Milkovsky District, Kamchatka Krai, Russia