Raman spectroscopy of the sampleite group of minerals

Raman and infrared spectroscopy enabled insights into the molecular structure of the sampleite group of minerals. These minerals are based upon the incorporation of either phosphate or arsenate with chloride anion into the structure, and as a consequence the spectra reflect the bands attributable to these anions, namely, phosphate or arsenate with chloride. The sampleite vibrational spectrum reflects the spectrum of the phosphate anion and consists of nu(1) at 964 cm(-1), nu(2) at 451 cm(-1), nu(3) at 1016 and 1088 cm(-1) and nu(4) at 643, 604, 591 and 557 cm(-1). The lavendulan spectrum consists of nu(1) at 854 cm(-1), nu(2) at 345 cm(-1), nu(3) at 878 cm(-1) and nu(4) at 545 cm(-1). The Raman spectrum of lemanskiite is different from that of lavendulan consistent with a different structure. Low wavenumber bands at 227 and 210 cm(-1) may be assigned to CuCl transverse/longitudinal (TO/LO) optic vibrations. Raman spectroscopy identified the substitution of arsenate by phosphate in zdenekite and lavendulan. Copyright (C) 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.