Hausmannite is a complex
oxide of
manganese containing both di- and tri-valent manganese. The formula can be represented as Mn
2+Mn
3+2O
4. It belongs to the
spinel group and forms
tetragonal crystals. Hausmannite is a brown to black metallic mineral with
Mohs hardness of 5.5 and a
specific gravity of 4.8.
The type locality is Oehrenstock (Öhrenstock), Ilmenau, Thuringian Forest,
Thuringia, Germany. Locations include
Batesville, Arkansas, USA; Ilfeld,
Germany;
Langban,
Sweden; and the
Ural Mountains,
Russia. The best samples have been found in
South Africa and
Namibia where it is associated with other manganese oxides,
pyrolusite and
psilomelane and the iron-manganese mineral
bixbyite.
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