Goslarite

Description

A transparent to translucent, naturally occurring mineral composed of heptahydrated Zinc sulfate. Goslarite was first described in 1847 for an occurrence in Rammelsberg mine near Goslar, Harz Mountains, Germany. Goslanite is often found in damp locations, such as mine shafts, where it has been precipitated from mineral rich water. The crystals are unstable and dehydrate on exposure to air.

Synonyms and Related Terms

hydrous zinc sulfate; white copperas; zinc vitriol; goslarie (Ned.)

Physical and Chemical Properties

• Color = colorless, yellow, green, blue or brown.
• Crystals = acicular or massive 

Composition	ZnSO4·7H2O
Mohs Hardness	2.0-2.5
Density	2 g/ml

Resources and Citations

• Thomas Gregory, The Condensed Chemical Dictionary, Reinhold Publishing, New York, 3rd ed., 1942

• Susan E. Schur, Conservation Terminology: A review of Past & Current Nomenclature of Materials, Technology and Conservation, Spring (p.34-39); Summer (p.35-38); Fall (p.25-36), 1985

• Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goslarite (Accessed Sept. 7, 2005)