A vibrational spectroscopic study of the arsenate mineral bayldonite (Cu,Zn)3Pb(AsO3OH)2(OH)2 – A comparison with other basic arsenates

We have studied the vibrational spectra of the mineral bayldonite, a hydroxy arsenate of copper and lead of formula Cu3Pb(AsO3OH)2(OH)2 from the type locality, the Penberthy Croft Mine, St Hilary, Mount’s Bay District, Cornwall, England and relate the spectra to the mineral structure. Raman bands at 896 and 838 cm−1 are assigned to the ( AsO 4 ) 3 - ν1 symmetric stretching mode and the second to the ( AsO 4 ) 3 - ν3 antisymmetric stretching mode. It is noted that the position of the symmetric stretching mode is at a higher position than the antisymmetric stretching mode. It is proposed that the Raman bands at 889 and 845 cm−1 are symmetric and antisymmetric stretching modes of the (HOAsO3)2− units. Raman bands of bayldonite at 490 and 500 cm−1 are assigned to the ( AsO 4 ) 3 - ν4 bending modes. Raman bands for bayldonite are noted at 396, 408 and 429 cm−1 and are assigned to the ( AsO 4 ) 3 - ν2 bending modes. A comparison is made with spectra of the other basic copper arsenate minerals, namely cornubite, olivenite, cornwallite.