Aerinite Mineral Data

Aerinite Mineral Data +

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General Aerinite Information

Chemical Formula:

(Ca,Na)6FeAl(Fe++,Mg)2(Al,Mg)6[Si12O36(OH)12H][(H2O)12(CO3)]

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 1,944.10 gm

Sodium 0.59 % Na 0.80 % Na₂O

Calcium 10.51 % Ca 14.71 % CaO

Magnesium 1.25 % Mg 2.07 % MgO

Aluminum 8.47 % Al 16.00 % Al₂O₃

Iron 6.89 % Fe 5.17 % FeO / 4.11 % Fe₂O₃

Silicon 17.34 % Si 37.09 % SiO₂

Hydrogen 1.87 % H 16.68 % H₂O

Carbon 0.74 % C 2.72 % CO₂

Oxygen 52.34 % O

______ ______

100.00 % 99.34 % = TOTAL OXIDE

Empirical Formula:

Ca_5.1Na_0.5Fe³⁺AlFe²⁺_1.4Mg_0.3Al_5.1Mg_0.7Si₁₂O₃₆(OH)₁₂(H₂O)₁₂(CO₃)_1.2

Environment:

Alteration product in basalts and andesites. Hydrothermal zeolite.

IMA Status:

Valid Species (Pre-IMA) 1876

Locality:

Spain, Caserras, Aragon and St. Pandelon, Landes, France. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

Named from the Greek root "aer-", alluding to atmosphere or sky and hence the color, sky blue.

Aerinite Image

Images:

Aerinite

Comments: Pale blue massive aerinite.
Location: Cripple Creek, Teller County, Colorado, USA. Scale: See Photo.
© Jeff Weissman / Photographic Guide to Mineral Species

Aerinite Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:c = 1:0.30972

Cell Dimensions:

a = 16.872, c = 5.2256, Z = 1; V = 1,288.25 Den(Calc)= 2.51

Crystal System:

Trigonal - Ditrigonal PyramidalH-M Symbol (3m) Space Group: P 3c1

$Help on X Ray Diffraction:$ X Ray Diffraction:

By Intensity(I/I_o): 14.65(1), 4.05(0.8), 2.721(0.75),

Crystal Structure:

Mouse
drag1 - LMB Manipulate Structure
drag2 - RMB Resize/Rotate
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Rius J , Elkaim E , Torrelles X , European Journal of Mineralogy , 16 (2004) p.127-134, Structure determination of the blue mineral pigment aerinite from, synchrotron powder diffraction data: The solution of an old riddle, Locality: Camporrells-Estopanya area, Huesca, Spain

Physical Properties of Aerinite

Color:

Blue, Blue green, Sky blue.

Density:

2.48

Diaphaniety:

Translucent

Habit:

Fibrous - Crystals made up of fibers.

Hardness:

3 - Calcite

Luster:

Vitreous (Glassy)

Streak:

bluish white

Optical Properties of Aerinite

Gladstone-Dale:

CI meas= 0.002 (Superior) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC)
CI calc= 0.014 (Superior) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.2191,KPDmeas= 0.2218,KC= 0.2222

Optical Data:

Biaxial (-), a=1.51, b=1.56, g=1.58, bire=0.0700, 2V(Calc)=62, 2V(Meas)=63.

Pleochroism (x):

bright blue.

Pleochroism (y):

pale beige.

Pleochroism (z):

pale beige.

Calculated Properties of Aerinite

Electron Density:

r_electron=2.50 gm/cc
note: r_Aerinite=2.48 gm/cc.

Fermion Index

Fermion Index = 0.01128
Boson Index = 0.98872

Photoelectric:

PE_Aerinite= 4.27 barns/electron
U=PE_Aerinite x r_electron= 10.69 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

GRapi = 0 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)

Aerinite is Not Radioactive

Aerinite Classification

Dana Class:

68.1.3.1 (68)Inosilicate Structures with Chains of More Than One Width

(68.1)Dana Type

(68.1.3)Dana Group

68.1.3.1 Aerinite (Ca,Na)6FeAl(Fe,Mg)2(Al,Mg)6[Si12O36(OH)12H][(H2O)12(CO3)] P 3c1 3m

Strunz Class:

VIII/F.32-20 VIII - Silicates

VIII/F - Inosilicates (chain and band) Twelve chains[Si12O36]24-

VIII/F.32 - Alamosite series

VIII/F.32-10 Alamosite PbSiO3 Pn m

VIII/F.32-20 Aerinite (Ca,Na)6FeAl(Fe,Mg)2(Al,Mg)6[Si12O36(OH)12H][(H2O)12(CO3)] P 3c1 3m

Other Aerinite Information

References:

NAME( Dana8) PHYS. PROP.(AmMin 84:1467, 89:1833) OPTIC PROP.(Dana8)

See Also:

Links to other databases for Aerinite :
1 - Am. Min. Crystal Structure Database
2 - Athena
3 - EUROmin Project
4 - Ecole des Mines de Paris
5 - Google Images
6 - Google Scholar
7 - Handbook of Mineralogy (MinSocAm)
8 - Handbook of Mineralogy (UofA)
9 - MinDAT
10 - MinMax(Deutsch)
11 - MinMax(English)
12 - Mineralienatlas (Deutsch)
13 - QUT Mineral Atlas
14 - Ruff.Info

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Print or Cut-and-Paste your Aerinite Specimen Label here :

Aerinite

(Ca,Na)6FeAl(Fe++,Mg)2(Al,Mg)6[Si12O36(OH)12H][(H2O)12(CO3)]
Dana No: 68.1.3.1 Strunz No: VIII/F.32-20
Locality:

Notes: