THE STRUNZ CHEMICAL-STRUCTURAL MINERAL CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM
The Strunz mineral classification system was developed by Professor Hugo Strunz over a period of about 60 years, starting with the first edition of Mineralogische Tabellen published in 1941. This book has gone through a number of editions in the German language, and was recently published as an entirely new English-language 9th edition (2001), Strunz Mineralogical Tables by H. Strunz and E. H. Nickel (E. Schweizerbart’sche Verlagsbuchhandlung (Nägele u. Obermiller), Stuttgart http://www.schweizerbart.de ). The outline of the classification system used in this book is briefly summarized here.
In this System, minerals are apportioned to ten Classes, based on broad chemical groupings. Each Class is further broken down into Divisions based on more narrowly defined chemical criteria, and the Divisions are further subdivided into Subdivisions (or Families), and ultimately into Groups, based on crystal structure and chemical composition. An alphanumeric coding system reflects the position of a mineral within the classification system: The first numeric digit(s) give the Class; the following two alphabetic characters give the Division and Subdivision, and the final numeric characters (not shown in this Summary) give the Group to which the mineral has been assigned. The following Summary gives the Classes, Divisions and Subdivisions comprising the system.
1. ELEMENTS (Metals and intermetallic alloys; metalloids and nonmetals; carbides, silicides, nitrides, phosphides)
1.A: Metals and Intermetallic Alloys
1.AA. Copper-cupalite family
1.AB. Zinc-brass family
1.AC. Indium-tin family
1.AD. Mercury-amalgam family
1.AE. Iron-chromium family
1.AF. Platinum group elements
1.AG. PGE-metal alloys
1.B: Metallic Carbides, Silicides, Nitrides and Phosphides
1.BA. Carbides
1.BB. Silicides
1.BC. Nitrides
1.BD. Phosphides
1.C: Metalloids and Nonmetals
1.CA. Arsenic group elements
1.CB. Carbon-silicon family
1.CC. Sulfur-selenium-iodine
1.D: Nonmetallic Carbides and Nitrides
1.DA. Nonmetallic carbides
1.DB. Nonmetallic nitrides
2. SULFIDES and SULFOSALTS (sulfides, selenides, tellurides; arsenides, antimonides, bismuthides; sulfarsenites, sulfantimonites, sulfbismuthites, etc.)
Sulfides, etc.
2.A: Metal/metalloid alloys
2.AA. Alloys of metalloids with Cu, Ag, Au
2.AB. Ni-metalloid alloys
2.AC. Alloys of metalloids with PGE
2.B: Metal Sulfides, M:S > 1 : 1 (mainly 2 : 1)
2.BA. With Cu, Ag, Au
2.BB. With Ni
2.BE. With Pb (Bi)
2.C: Metal Sulfides, M:S = 1:1 (and similar)
2.CA. With Cu
2.CB. With Zn, Fe, Cu, Ag, etc.
2.CC. With Ni, Fe, Co, etc.
2.CD. With Sn, Pb, Hg, etc.
2.D: Metal Sulfides, M:S = 3:4 and 2:3
2.DA. M:S = 3:4
2.DB. M:S = 2:3
2.DC. Variable M:S
2.E: Metal Sulfides, M:S £ 1:2
2.EA. M:S = 1:2, with Cu, Ag, Au; Ni, Sn, PGE; Mo, W
2.EB. M:S = 1:2, with Fe, Co, Ni, PGE, etc.
2.EC. M:S = 1:>2
2.F: Sulfides of arsenic, alkalies; sulfides with halide, oxide, hydroxide, H2O.
2.FA. With As, (Sb), S
2.FB. With alkalies (without Cl, etc.)
2.FC. With Cl, Br, I (halide-sulfides)
2.FD. With O, OH, H2O
Sulfosalts
2G: Sulfarsenites, sulfantimonites, sulfbismuthites
2.GA. Neso-sulfarsenites, etc. without additional S
2.GB. Neso-sulfarsenites, etc. with additional S
2.GC. Poly-sulfarsenites
2.GD. Unclassified sulfosalts
2.H: Sulfosalts of SnS archetype
2.HA. With Cu, Ag, Fe (without Pb)
2.HB. With Cu, Ag, Fe, Sn and Pb
2.HC. With only Pb
2.HD. With Tl
2.HE. With alkalies, H2O
2.HF. With SnS and PbS archetype structure units
2.J: Sulfosalts of PbS archetype
2.JA. Chains, combined into sheets
2.JB. Galena derivatives, with Pb
2.JC. Galena derivatives, with Tl
2.K: Sulfarsenates
3. HALIDES
3.A: Simple halides, without H2O
3.AA. M:X = 1:1 and 2:3
3.AB. M:X = 1:2
3.AC. M:X = 1:3
3.B: Simple halides, with H2O
3.BA. M:X = 1:1 and 2:3
3.BB. M:X = 1:2
3.BC. M:X = 1:3
3.BD. Simple halides with H2O and additional OH
3.C: Complex halides
3.CA. Borofluorides
3.CB. Neso-aluminofluorides
3.CC. Soro-aluminofluorides
3.CD. Ino-aluminofluorides
3.CE. Phyllo-aluminofluorides
3.CF. Tekto-aluminofluorides
3.CG. Aluminofluorides with CO3, SO4, PO4
3.CH. Silicofluorides
3.CJ. With MX6 complexes; M = Fe, Mn, Cu
3.D: Oxyhalides, hydroxyhalides and related double halides
3.DA. With Cu, etc., without Pb
3.DB. With Pb, Cu, etc.
3.DC. With Pb (As,Sb,Bi), without Cu
3.DD. With Hg
4. OXIDES (Hydroxides, V[5,6] vanadates, arsenites, antimonites, bismuthites, sulfites, selenites, tellurites, iodates)
4.A: Metal:Oxygen = 2.1 and 1:1
4.AA. Cation:Anion (M:O) = 2:1 (and 1.8:1)
4.AB. M:O = 1:1 (and up to 1:1.25); with small to medium-sized cations only
4.AC. M:O = 1:1 (and up to 1:1.25); with large cations (± smaller ones)
4.B: Metal:Oxygen = 3:4 and similar
4.BA.With small and medium-sized cations
4.BB. With only medium-sized cations
4.BC. With medium-sized and large cations
4.BD. With only large cations
4.C: Metal:Oxygen = 2:3, 3:5, and similar
4.CA. With small cations
4.CB. With medium-sized cations
4.CC. With large and medium-sized cations
4.D: Metal:Oxygen = 1:2 and similar
4.DA. With small cations: Silica family
4.DB. With medium-sized cations; chains of edge-sharing octahedra
4.DC. With medium-sized cations; sheets of edge-sharing octahedra
4.DD. With medium-sized cations; frameworks of edge-sharing octahedra
4.DE. With medium-sized cations; with various polyhedra
4.DF. With large (± medium-sized) cations; dimers and trimers of edge-sharing octahedra
4.DG. With large (± medium-sized) cations; chains of edge-sharing octahedra
4.DH. With large (± medium-sized) cations; sheets of edge-sharing octahedra
4.DJ. With large (± medium-sized) cations; polyhedral frameworks
4.DK. With large (± medium-sized) cations; tunnel structures
4.DL. With large (± medium-sized) cations; fluorite-type structures
4.DM. With large (± medium-sized) cations; unclassified
4.E: Metal:Oxygen = < 1:2
4.F: Hydroxides (without V or U)
4.FA. Hydroxides with OH, without H2O; corner-sharing tetrahedra
4.FB. Hydroxides with OH, without H2O; insular octahedra
4.FC. Hydroxides with OH, without H2O; corner-sharing octahedra
4.FD. Hydroxides with OH, without H2O; chains of edge-sharing octahedra
4.FE. Hydroxides with OH, without H2O; sheets of edge-sharing octahedra
4.FF. Hydroxides with OH, without H2O; various polyhedra
4.FG. Hydroxides with OH, without H2O; unclassified
4.FH. Hydroxides with H2O ± (OH); insular octahedra
4.FJ. Hydroxides with H2O ± (OH); corner-sharing octahedra
4.FK. Hydroxides with H2O ± (OH); chains of edge-sharing octahedra
4.FL. Hydroxides with H2O ± (OH); sheets of edge-sharing octahedra
4.FM. Hydroxides with H2O ± (OH); unclassified
4.G: Uranyl Hydroxides
4.GA. Without additional cations
4.GB. With additional cations (K, Ca, Ba, Pb, etc.); with mainly UO2(O,OH)5 pentagonal polyhedra
4.GC. With additional cations; with mainly UO2(O,OH)6 hexagonal polyhedra
4.H: V[5,6] Vanadates
4.HA. Nesovanadates
4.HB. Uranyl Sorovanodates
4.HC. [6]-Sorovanadates
4.HD. Inovanadates
4.HE. Phyllovanadates
4.HF. Tektovanadates
4.HG. Unclassified V oxides
4.J: Arsenites, antimonites, bismuthites, sulfites, selenites, tellurites; iodates.
4.JA: Arsenites, antimonites, bismuthites; without additional anions, without H2O
4.JB. Arsenites, antimonites, bismuthites; with additional anions, without H2O
4.JC. Arsenites, antimonites, bismuthites; without additional anions, with H2O
4.JD. Arsenites, antimonites, bismuthites; with additional anions, with H2O
4.JE. Sulfites
4.JF. Selenites without additional anions, without H2O
4.JG. Selenites with additional anions, without H2O
4.JH. Selenites without additional anions, with H2O
4.JJ. Selenites with additional anions, with H2O
4.JK. Tellurites without additional anions, without H2O
4.JL. Tellurites with additional anions, without H2O
4.JM. Tellurites without additional anions, with H2O
4.JN. Tellurites with additional anions, with H2O
4.K: Iodates
4.KA. Iodates without additional anions, without H2O
4.KB. Iodates with additional anions, without H2O
4.KC. Iodates without additional anions, with H2O
4.KD. Iodates with additional anions, with H2O
5. CARBONATES (+ NITRATES)
5.A: Carbonates without additional anions, without H2O
5.AA. Alkali carbonates
5.AB. Alkali-earth (and other M2+) carbonates
5.AC. Alkali and alkali-earth carbonates
5.AD. With rare-earth elements (REE)
5.B: Carbonates with additional anions, without H2O
5.BA. With Cu, Co, Ni, Zn, Mg, Mn
5.BB. With alkalies, etc.
5.BC. With alkali-earth cations
5.BD. With rare earth elements (REE)
5.BE. With Pb, Bi
5.BF. With (Cl), SO4, PO4
5.C: Carbonates without additional anions, with H2O
5.CA. With medium-sized cations
5.CB. With large cations (alkali and alkali-earth carbonates)
5.CC. With rare earth elements (REE)
5.D: Carbonates with additional anions, with H2O
5.DA. With medium-sized cations
5.DB. With large and medium-sized cations
5.DC. With large cations
5.E: Uranyl Carbonates
5.EA. UO2:CO3 = 1:1
5.EB. UO2:CO3 = <1:1 to 1:2
5.EC. UO2:CO3 = 1:3
5.ED. UO2:CO3 = 1:4
5.EE. UO2:CO3 = 1:5
5.EF. UO2:CO3 > 1:1
5.EG. With SO4 or SiO4
5.N: NITRATES
5.NA. Without OH or H2O
5.NB. With OH
5.NC. With H2O
5.ND. With OH (etc.) and H2O
6. BORATES
6.A: Monoborates
6.AA. BO3, without additional anions; 1(D).
6.AB. BO3, with additional anions; 1(D) + OH, etc.
6.AC. B(O,OH)4, without and with additional anions; 1(T), 1(T)+OH, etc
6.B: Diborates
6.BA. Neso-diborates with double triangles B2(O,OH)5; 2(2D); 2(2D) + OH, etc.
6.BB. Neso‑diborates with double tetrahedra B2O(OH)6; 2(2T)
6.BC. Ino‑diborates with triangles and/or tetrahedra
6.C: Triborates
6.CA. Neso‑triborates
6.CB. Ino-triborates
6.CC. Phyllo-triborates
6.D: Tetraborates
6.DA. Neso-tetraborates
6.DB. Ino-tetraborates
6.DC. Phyllo-tetraborates
6.DD. Tekto-tetraborates
6.E: Pentaborates
6.EA. Neso-pentaborates
6.EB. Ino-pentaborates
6.EC. Phyllo-pentaborates
6.ED. Tekto-pentaborates
6.F: Hexaborates
6.FA. Neso-hexaborates
6.FB. Ino-hexaborates
6.FC. Phyllo-hexaborates
6.G: Heptaborates and other megaborates
6.H: Unclassified borates
7. SULFATES (selenates, tellurates, chromates, molybdates, wolframates)
7.A: Sulfates (selenates, etc.) without additional anions, without H2O
7.AA. With small cations
7.AB. With medium-sized cations
7.AC. With medium-sized and large cations
7.AD. With only large cations
7.B: Sulfates (selenates, etc.) with additional anions, without H2O
7.BA. With small cations
7.BB. With medium-sized cations
7.BC. With medium-sized and large cations
7.BD. With only large cations
7.C: Sulfates (selenates, etc.) without additional anions, with H2O
7.CA. With small cations
7.CB. With only medium-sized cations
7.CC. With medium-sized and large cations
7.CD. With only large cations
7.D: Sulfates (selenates, etc.) with additional anions, with H2O
7.DA. With small cations
7.DB. With only medium-sized cations; insular octahedra and finite units
7.DC. With only medium-sized cations; chains of edge-sharing octahedra
7.DD. With only medium-sized cations; sheets of edge-sharing octahedra
7.DE. With only medium-sized cations; unclassified
7.DF. With large and medium-sized cations
7.DG. With large and medium-sized cations; with NO3, CO3, B(OH)4, SiO4 or IO3
7.E: Uranyl sulfates
7.EA. Without cations
7.EB. With medium-sized cations
7.EC. With medium-sized and large cations
7.F: Chromates
7.FA. Without additional anions
7.FB. With additional O,V, S, Cl
7.FC. With PO4, AsO4, SiO4
7.FD. Dichromates
7.G: Molybdates and wolframates
7.GA. Without additional anions or H2O
7.GB. With additional anions and/or H2O
7.H: Uranium and uranyl molybdates and wolframates
7.HA. With U4+
7.HB. With U6+
8. PHOSPHATES, ARSENATES, VANADATES
8.A. Phosphates, etc. without additional anions, without H2O
8.AA. With small cations (some also with larger ones)
8.AB. With medium-sized cations
8.AC. With medium-sized and large cations
8.AD. With only large cations
8.B: Phosphates, etc., with additional anions, without H2O
8.BA. With small and medium-sized cations
8.BB. With only medium-sized cations, (OH, etc.):RO4 £ 1:1
8.BC. With only medium-sized cations, (OH, etc.):RO4 > 1:1 and < 2:1
8.BD. With only medium-sized cations, (OH, etc.):RO4 = 2:1
8.BE. With only medium-sized cations, (OH, etc.):RO4 > 2:1
8.BF. With medium-sized and large cations, (OH, etc.):RO4 < 0.5:1
8.BG. With medium-sized and large cations, (OH, etc.):RO4 = 0.5:1
8.BH. With medium-sized and large cations, (OH,etc.):RO4 = 1:1
8.BJ. With medium-sized and large cations, (OH, etc.):RO4 = 1:5:1
8.BK. With medium-sized and large cations, (OH, etc.):RO4 = 2:1, 2.5:1
8.BL. With medium-sized and large cations, (OH, etc.):RO4 = 3:1
8.BM. With medium-sized and large cations, (OH, etc.):RO4 = 4:1
8.BN. With only large cations, (OH, etc.):RO4 = 0.33:1
8.BO. With only large cations, (OH, etc.):RO4 ³ 1:1
8.C: Phosphates without additional anions, with H2O
8.CA. With small and large/medium cations
8.CB. With only medium-sized cations, RO4:H2O = 1:1
8.CC. With only medium-sized cations, RO4:H2O = 1:1.5
8.CD. With only medium-sized cations, RO4:H2O = 1:2
8.CE. With only medium-sized cations, RO4:H2O £ 1:2.5
8.CF. With large and medium-sized cations, RO4:H2O > 1:1
8.CG. With large and medium-sized cations, RO4:H2O = 1:1
8.CH. With large and medium-sized cations, RO4:H2O < 1:1
8.CJ. With only large cations
8.D: Phosphates, etc. with additional anions, with H2O
8.DA. With small (and occasionally larger) cations
8.DB. With only medium-sized cations, (OH, etc.):RO4 < 1:1
8.DC. With only medium-sized cations, (OH, etc.):RO4 = 1:1 and < 2:1
8.DD. With only medium-sized cations, (OH, etc.):RO4 = 2:1
8.DE. With only medium-sized cations, (OH, etc.):RO4 = 3:1
8.DF. With only medium-sized cations, (OH,etc.):RO4 > 3:1
8.DG. With large and medium-sized cations, (OH, etc.):RO4 < 0.5:1
8.DH. With large and medium-sized cations, (OH, etc.):RO4 < 1:1
8.DJ. With large and medium-sized cations, (OH, etc.):RO4 = 1:l
8.DK. With large and medium-sized cations, (OH, etc.):RO4 > 1:1 and < 2:1
8.DL. With large and medium-sized cations, (OH, etc.):RO4 = 2:1
8.DM. With large and medium-sized cations, (OH, etc.):RO4 > 2:1
8.DN. With only large cations
8.DO. With CO3, SO4, SiO4
8.E: Uranyl phosphates and arsenates
8.EA. UO2:RO4 = 1:2
8.EB. UO2:RO4 = 1:1
8.EC. UO2:RO4 = 3:2
8.ED. Unclassified
8.F: Polyphosphates, Polyarsenates, [4]-Polyvanadates
8.FA. Diphosphates, etc., without OH and H2O; dimers of corner-sharing RO4 tetrahedra.
8.FB. Diphosphates, etc., with OH only
8.FC. Diphosphates, etc., with H2O only
8.FD. Diphosphates, etc, with OH and H2O
8.FE. Ino-[4]-vanadates
9. SILICATES (Germanates)
9.A: Nesosilicates
9.AA. Nesosilicates without additional anions; cations in tetrahedral [4] coordination
9.AB. Nesosilicates without additional anions; cations in [4] and greater coordination
9.AC. Nesosilicates without additional anions; cations in octahedral [6] coordination
9.AD. Nesosilicates without additional anions; cations in [6] and/or greater coordination
9.AE. Nesosilicates with additional anions (O,OH,F,H2O); cations in tetrahedral [4] coordination
9.AF. Nesosilicates with additional anions; cations in [4], [5] and/or only [6] coordination
9.AG. Nesosilicates with additional anions; cations in > [6] ± [6] coordination
9.AH. Nesosilicates with CO3, SO4, PO4, etc.
9.AJ. Nesosilicates with BO3 triangles and/or B[4], Be[4] tetrahedra, corner-sharing with SiO4
9.AK. Uranyl neso- and polysilicates
9.B: Sorosilicates
9.BA. Si2O7 groups, without non-tetrahedral anions; cations in tetrahedral [4] coordination
9.BB. Si2O7 groups, without non-tetrahedral anions; cations in tetrahedral [4] and greater coordination
9.BC. Si2O7 groups, without non-tetrahedral anions; cations in octahedral [6] and greater coordination
9.BD. Si2O7 groups, with additional anions; cations in tetrahedral [4] and greater coordination
9.BE. Si2O7 groups, with additional anions; cations in octahedral [6] and greater coordination
9.BF. Sorosilicates with mixed SiO4 and Si2O7 groups; cations in tetrahedral [4] and greater coordination
9.BG. Sorosilicates with mixed SiO4 and Si2O7 groups; cations in octahedral [6] and greater coordination
9.BH. Sorosilicates with Si3O10, Si4O11, etc. anions; cations in tetrahedral [4] and greater coordination
9.BJ. Sorosilicates with Si3O10, Si4O11, etc. anions; cations in octahedral [6] and greater coordination
9.BK. Unclassified sorosilicates
9.C: Cyclosilicates
9.CA. [Si3O9]6- 3-membered single rings (dreier-Einfachringe), without insular complex anions
9.CB. [Si3O9]6- 3-membered single rings, with insular complex anions
9.CC. [Si3O9]6- branched 3-membered single rings
9.CD. [Si3O9]6- 3-membered double rings
9.CE. [Si4O12]8- 4-membered single rings (vierer-Einfachringe), without insular complex anions
9.CF. [Si4O12]8- 4-membered single rings, with insular complex anions
9.CG. [Si4O12]8- branched 4-membered single rings
9.CH. [Si4O12]8- 4-membered double rings
9.CJ. [Si6O18] 12- 6-membered single rings (sechser-Einfachringe), without insular complex anions
9.CK. [Si6O18]12- 6-membered single rings, with insular complex anions
9.CL. [Si6O18]12- branched 6-membered single rings
9.CM. [Si6O18]12- 6-membered double rings (sechser-Doppelringe)
9.CN. [Si8O24]16- 8-membered rings
9.CO. [Si9O27]18- 9-membered rings
9.CP. 12-membered and larger rings
9.D: Inosilicates.
9.DA. Inosilicates with 2-periodic single chains, Si2O6; pyroxene family
9.DB. Inosilicates with 2-periodic single chains, Si2O6; Pyroxene-related minerals
9.DC. Inosilicates with branched 2-periodic single chains
9.DD.- 9.DE. Inosilicates with 2-periodic double chains; amphibole family
9.DD. Orthoamphiboles
9.DE. Clinoamphiboles
9.DF. Inosilicates with 2-periodic multiple chains
9.DG. Inosilicates with 3-periodic single and multiple chains
9.DH. Inosilicates with 4-periodic single chains
9.DJ. Inosilicates with 4-periodic double and triple chains
9.DK. Inosilicates with 5-periodic single chains
9.DL. Inosilicates with 5-periodic double chains
9.DM. Inosilicates with 6-periodic single chains
9.DN. Inosilicates with 6-periodic double chains
9.DO. Inosilicates with 7-, 8-, 10-, 12- and 14-periodic chains
9.DP. Transitional ino-phyllosilicate structures
9.DQ. Unclassified inosilicates
9.E: Phyllosilicates
9.EA. Single nets of tetrahedra with 4-, 5-, (6-), and 8-membered rings
9.EB. Double nets with 4- and 6-membered rings
9.EC. Phyllosilicates with mica sheets, composed of tetrahedral and octahedral nets
9.ED. Phyllosilicates with kaolinite layers composed of tetrahedral and octahedral nets
9.EE. Single tetrahedral nets of 6-membered rings connected by octahedral nets or octahedral bands
9.EF. Single nets with 6-membered rings, connected by M[4], M[8], etc.
9.EG. Double nets with 6-membered rings
9.EH. Transitional structures between phyllosilicate and other silicate units
9.F: Tektosilicates without zeolitic H2O
9.FA. Tektosilicates without additional non-tetrahedral anions
9.FB. Tektosilicates with additional anions
9.G: Tektosilicates with zeolitic H2O; zeolite family
9.GA. Zeolites with chains of 4-membered rings connected by a fifth Si
9.GB. Chains of single connected 4-membered rings
9.GC. Chains of doubly-connected 4-membered rings
9.GD. Chains of 5-membered rings
9.GE. Sheets with 4-4-1-1 structural units
9.GF. Leucite-type frameworks
9.GG. Cages and double cages of 4-, 6-, and 8-membered rings
9.GH. Unclassified zeolites
9.H: Unclassified silicates
9.HA. With Alkali and Alkali-earth Elements
9.HB. With Ti, V, Cr
9.HC. With Mn, Fe
9.HD. With Co, Ni
9.HE. With Cu, Zn
9.HF. With Nb, Ta, Zr
9.HG. With REE, Th
9.HH. With Pb
9.J: Germanates
10. ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
10.A: Salts of organic acids
10.AA. Acetates
10.AB. Oxalates
10.AC. Benzine Salts
10.AD. Cyanates
10.B: Hydrocarbons
10.C: Miscellaneous Organic Minerals