Mineralogical note : betpakdalite from the Pine Mountain mine, Brungle, New South Wales

Betpakdalite, [Mg(H2O)6]Ca2(H2O013[Mo8As2Fe3O36(OH)](H2O)4, a rare, secondary heteropolymolybdate mineral formed under acid conditions, has been reported from Elsmore and Kingsgate, New South Wales (Rankin et al., 2001, 2002; Sharpe et al., 2004). Some ten other localities are known (mindat.org) but it is apparent that other deposits that have the appropriate geochemical setting might also host the species. With this in mind, we have searched the literature for such conditions and the Pine Mountain mine at Brungle, New South Wales was singled out because of its reported mineralogy (Ashley, 1969; Weber et al., 1978).