hypokloriittia

Hypokloriittia is a proposed mineral species within the broader chlorite group of hydrous aluminosilicates, described in speculative accounts as a chlorine-bearing counterpart to common chlorites. The name combines the prefix hypo-, meaning low or beneath, with chlor-, referring to chlorine, to reflect its suggested substitution of chlorine into the structural layers.

Status and classification: As of now, hypokloriittia is not recognized by the International Mineralogical Association (IMA). Reported specimens have remained tentative and have not withstood independent verification, and the taxonomic status remains unresolved. Some descriptions propose a monoclinic or possibly triclinic crystal system, with formation in hydrothermal environments, but no peer‑reviewed, reproducible characterization has been published.

Occurrence and formation: Hypokloriittia is said to occur in hydrothermal veins within altered ultramafic or mafic rocks, typically in the presence of serpentine, talc, and calcite. Paragenetic sequences are described as early-stage hydrothermal alteration, with chlorine-bearing fluids supplying Cl− to substitute for hydroxide in brucite-like layers of the chlorite framework.

Physical and chemical properties: Reported properties place hypokloriittia as a relatively soft mineral (Mohs hardness around 3–5), with a green to olive color and a vitreous to pearly luster. Crystal habit is described as platy to prismatic; cleavage is commonly observed on {001}. The inferred chemical formula is hypothetical and varies in accounts, with chlorine partially substituting for hydroxide.

Uses and significance: Because the mineral is unconfirmed, there are no established industrial uses or provenance data. It remains a topic in discussions of mineralogical taxonomy and the chemistry of halogen-bearing aluminosilicates.