Arcanite from fumarole exhalations of the Tolbachik Volcano (Kamchatka, Russia) and its crystal structure

Abstract

The crystal structure (R = 0.0194) of arcanite β-K2SO4 was studied on a single crystal from exhalations of the Arsenatnaya fumarole, Tolbachik Volcano (Kamchatka, Russia). The mineral crystallizes at a temperature of ≥350–430°C and associates with langbeinite, aphthitalite, hematite, tenorite, johillerite, and others. Arcanite is orthorhombic, Pnma, a = 7.4763(2) Å, b = 5.77262(16) Å, c = 10.0630(3) Å, V = 434.30(2) Å3, Z = 4. Its structure contains isolated SO4 tetrahedra, whereas K cations center ten- and nine-fold polyhedra.