New arsenate minerals from the Arsenatnaya fumarole, Tolbachik volcano, Kamchatka, Russia. III. Popovite, Cu5O2(AsO4)2

Researchers have discovered popovite, a novel arsenate mineral with the formula Cu5O2(AsO4)2, in the sublimates of the Arsenatnaya fumarole at Tolbachik volcano, Kamchatka. This mineral occurs as prismatic or tabular crystals and crusts, exhibiting an olive green to dark olive-green color with a vitreous to greasy luster. Popovite is characterized by its triclinic crystal structure, featuring (010) layers of Cu(1)O6 octahedra and isolated AsO4 tetrahedra, which contribute to its unique framework. The discovery was made through electron-microprobe analysis and single-crystal X-ray diffraction, revealing a novel structure type not previously documented in mineralogy. Popovite is named after Russian mineralogists Vladimir and Valentina Popov, honoring their significant contributions to the field.

Pekov, I. V., Zubkova, N. V., Yapaskurt, V. O., Belakovskiy, D. I., Vigasina, M. F., Sidorov, E. G., & Pushcharovsky, D. Yu. (2015). New arsenate minerals from the Arsenatnaya fumarole, Tolbachik volcano, Kamchatka, Russia. III. Popovite, Cu₅O₂(AsO₄)₂. Mineralogical Magazine, 79(1), 133–143. https://doi.org/10.1180/minmag.2015.079.1.11