Psilomelane

Pyrolusite is a black, opaque mineral with a metallic luster and is frequendy soft enough to soil the fingers. Most varieties contain several percent water. Pyrolusite is usually a secondary mineral formed by the oxidation of other manganese minerals. Romanechite, a newer name for what was once known as psilomelane [12322-95-1] (now a group name) (7), is an oxide of variable composition, usually containing several percent water. It is a hard, black amorphous material with a dull luster and commonly found ia the massive form. When free of other oxide minerals, romanechite can be identified readily by its superior hardness and lack of crystallinity. 

Fig. 3. Crystal structure of manganese dioxides where ( ) represent Mn and (° ), and the lines define the octahedra hoUandite (6), psilomelane (7),...

Figure 7. Crystal structures of (a) hollandite, (b) romanechite (psilomelane), and (c) todorokite. The structures arc shown as three-dimensional arrangements of the MnO() octahedra (the tunnel-tilling cations and water molecules, respectively, are not shown in these plots) and as projections along the short axis. Small, medium, and large circles represenl the manganese atoms, oxygen atoms, and the foreign cations or water molecules, respectively. Open circles, height z. = 0 fdled circles, height z = Vi.

Manganese Mn, at wt 54.94, brittle, silvery metal, mp 1245°, bp 2097°, d 7,44g/cc, Mohs hardness 5 decomps in w, readily dissolved in dil mineral acids. Usually associated with Fe ores in sub-marginal concns. Important ores of Mn are pyrolusite, manganite, psilomelane rhodochrosite. Prepd by reduction of the oxide with Al or C. Pure Mn is obtained electrolyti-cally from sulfate or chloride sain. It is used, in powd form, in the manuf of delay powds and in some pyrotechnic mixts. The requirements of the USA Armed Forces are covered by... 

Cryptomelane Psilomelane Romanechite Ki-2Mri80-i6 XH2O (Ba,K,Mn,Co)3(0,OH)6MnsOi6 ... 

About 90% of manganese ore is used in steel smelting. Although there are more than 300 manganiferous minerals, the common ore minerals are largely mixtures of manganese oxides and hydrated oxides. The usual field terms are psilomelane for a hard massive mixture of oxide minerals, pyrolusite for a soft black earthy mixture, and wad for impure, brown earthy oxides and hydrated oxides. LIBS sorting may be effective in this case (Fig. 8.11). 

Psilomelane is One of the most generally diffused Ores of manganese. It is compact ami fibrous specific gravity 4 to 4-328 rather hard. It has a dark steel-grey color, and euhmetallio lustre it generally occurs in botryoidal masses,... 

During the synthesis of OMS-1 and OL-1, several other phases can be produced. In particular, psilomelane, pyrolusite and ramsdellite can be formed. Pyrolusite has a composition of Mn02 which has a simple tetragonal rutile structure... 

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