Lotharmeyerite, Ca(Zn,Mn)2(AsO4)2(H2O,OH)2

Lotharmeyerite, calcium bis(zinc/manganese) bis(arsenate) bis(hydroxide/hydrate), Ca(Zn,Mn3+)(2)(AsO4)(2)(H2O,OH)(2), is a member of the natrochalcite group of minerals, which are characterized by the general formula AM(2)(XO4)(2)(H2O,OH)(2), where A may be occupied by Pb2+, Ca2+, Na+, and Bi3+, M by Fe3+, Mn3+, Cu2+, Zn2+, Co2+, Ni2+, Al3+, and Mg2+, and X by P-V, As-V, V-V, and S-VI. The minerals in the group display either monoclinic or triclinic symmetry, depending on the ordering of chemical components in the M site. Based on single-crystal X-ray diffraction data of a sample from the type locality, Mapimi, Durango, Mexico, this study presents the first structure determination of lotharmeyerite. Lotharmeyerite is isostructural with natrochalcite and tsumcorite. The structure is composed of rutile-type chains of edge-shared MO6 octahedra (site symmetry (1) over bar) extending along [010], which are interconnected by XO4 tetrahedra (site symmetry 2) and hydrogen bonds to form [M-2(XO4)(2)(OH,H2O)(2)] sheets parallel to (001). These sheets are linked by the larger A cations (site symmetry 2/m), as well as by hydrogen bonds. Bond-valence sums for the M cation, calculated with the parameters for Mn3+ and Mn2+ are 2.72 and 2.94 v.u., respectively, consistent with the occupation of the M site by Mn3+. Two distinct hydrogen bonds are present, one with O center dot center dot center dot O = 2.610 (4) angstrom and the other O center dot center dot center dot O = 2.595 (3) angstrom. One of the H-atom positions is disordered over two sites with 50% occupancy, in agreement with observations for other natrochalcite-type minerals, such as natrochalcite and tsumcorite.