Vibrational spectroscopy of the basic copper phosphate minerals: pseudomalachite, ludjibaite and reichenbachite

The vibrational spectra of pseudomalachite, reichenbachite and ludjibaite have been obtained at 298 K using a combination of FTIR and Raman microscopy. The vibrational spectra of the minerals are different, in line with differences in crystal structure and composition. Some similarity in the Raman spectra of the three polymorphs pseudomalachite, reichenbachite and ludjibaite exists, particularly in the OH stretching region, but characteristic differences in the OH deformation regions are observed. Differences are also observed in the phosphate stretching and deformation regions.