Walfordite is a very rare tellurite mineral that was discovered in Chile in 1999.[4] The mineral is described as orange with orange-yellow streak, and is determined to have a chemical formula of Fe3+,Te6+Te4+3O8[1] with minor titanium and magnesium substitution resulting in an approximate empirical formula of (Fe3+,Te6+,Ti4+,Mg)(Te4+)3O8.[4]
Occurrence
The only reported occurrence[2] is in the Wendy open pit, El Indio-Tambo mining district of the Coquimbo Region, northern Chile where it occurs in oxidized breccia associated with a tellurium-bearing gold deposit. Associated minerals include: alunite, rodalquilarite, native gold, emmonsite, jarosite and pyrite. The mineral was named for mine geologist Phillip Walford (1945— ) who first noted the mineral.
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