Alforsite Mineral Data

Alforsite Mineral Data +

General Alforsite Information

Chemical Formula:

Ba5(PO4)3Cl

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 1,007.00 gm

Barium 68.19 % Ba 76.13 % BaO

Phosphorus 9.23 % P 21.14 % P₂O₅

Chlorine 3.52 % Cl 3.52 % Cl

- % Cl -0.79 % -O=Cl₂

Oxygen 19.07 % O

______ ______

100.00 % 100.00 % = TOTAL OXIDE

Empirical Formula:

Ba₅(PO₄)₃Cl

Environment:

In lenses and bands of barium silicate metasediments developed under hornblende-pyroxene hornfels facies near the contact with granite or granodiorite.

IMA Status:

Approved IMA 1981

Locality:

From Big Creek and Rush Creek, Fresno Co., and on Trumbull Peak, near Incline, Marisopa Co., California, USA. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

To honor Dr. John T. Alfors (1930- ), geologist, California Division of Mines, for his work on the type locality.

Synonym:

ICSD 8191

PDF 35-691

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Alforsite Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:c = 1:0.74536

Cell Dimensions:

a = 10.25, c = 7.64, Z = 2; V = 695.14 Den(Calc)= 4.81

Crystal System:

Hexagonal - DipyramidalH-M Symbol (6/m) Space Group: P 6₃/m

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

By Intensity(I/I_o): 3.06(1), 2.13(0.3), 2.95(0.3),

Crystal Structure:

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Hata M , Marumo F , Iwai S , Aoki H , Acta Crystallographica, Section B , 35 (1979) p.2382-2384, Structure of barium chlorapatite

Physical Properties of Alforsite

Color:

Colorless.

Density:

4.73

Diaphaniety:

Transparent

Hardness:

5 - Apatite

Luster:

Vitreous (Glassy)

Streak:

white

Optical Properties of Alforsite

Gladstone-Dale:

CI meas= -0.005 (Superior) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC)
CI calc= 0.012 (Superior) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.1455,KPDmeas= 0.148,KC= 0.1473

Optical Data:

Uniaxial (-), e=1.7, w=1.7, bire=0.0000.

Calculated Properties of Alforsite

Electron Density:

r_electron=4.11 gm/cc
note: r_Alforsite=4.73 gm/cc.

Fermion Index

Fermion Index = 0.12161
Boson Index = 0.87839

Photoelectric:

PE_Alforsite= 314.92 barns/electron
U=PE_Alforsite x r_electron=1,295.80 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

GRapi = 0 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)

Alforsite is Not Radioactive

Alforsite Classification

Dana Class:

41.8.5.2 (41)Anhydrous Phosphates, etc. Containing Hydroxyl or Halogen

(41.8)where (A)5 (XO4)3 Zq

(41.8.5)Dana Group

41.8.5.1 Morelandite (Ba,Ca,Pb)5(AsO4,PO4)3Cl P 6₃/m,P 6₃ Hex

41.8.5.2 Alforsite Ba5(PO4)3Cl P 6₃/m 6/m

Strunz Class:

VII/B.39-120 VII - Phosphates, Arsenates and Vanadates

VII/B - Waterfree phosphates with unfamiliar anions F, Cl, O, OH. cations of medium and big size: Mg, Cu, Zn, and Ca, Na, K, Ba, Pb

VII/B.39 - Apatite - Pyromorphite group

VII/B.39-10 Fluorapatite Ca5(PO4)3F P 6₃/m 6/m

VII/B.39-20 Chlorapatite Ca5(PO4)3Cl P 6₃/m 6/m

VII/B.39-30 Hydroxylapatite Ca5(PO4)3(OH) P 6₃/m 6/m

VII/B.39-40 Carbonate-hydroxylapatite Ca5(PO4,CO3)3(OH) P 6₃/m 6/m

VII/B.39-50 Carbonate-fluorapatite Ca5(PO4,CO3)3F P 6₃/m 6/m

VII/B.39-60 Svabite Ca5(AsO4)3F P 6₃/m 6/m

VII/B.39-70 Turneaureite Ca5[(As,P)O4]3Cl P 6₃/m 6/m

VII/B.39-80 Johnbaumite Ca5(AsO4)3(OH) P 6₃/m,P 6₃ Hex

VII/B.39-90 Fermorite (Ca,Sr)5(AsO4,PO4)3(OH) P 6₃/m 6/m

VII/B.39-95 Fluorcaphite! (Ca,Sr,Ce,Na)5(PO4)3F P 6₃ 6

VII/B.39-100 Strontium-apatite (Sr,Ca)5(PO4)3(F,OH) P 6₃/m 6/m

VII/B.39-110 Belovite-(Ce) (Sr,Ce,Na,Ca)5(PO4)3(OH) P 3 3

VII/B.39-115 Belovite-(La)! (Sr,La,Ce,Ca)5(PO4)3(F,OH) P 3 3

VII/B.39-117 Kuannersuite-(Ce)! Ba6Na2REE2(PO4)6FCl P 3 3

VII/B.39-120 Alforsite Ba5(PO4)3Cl P 6₃/m 6/m

VII/B.39-130 Morelandite (Ba,Ca,Pb)5(AsO4,PO4)3Cl P 6₃/m,P 6₃ Hex

VII/B.39-140 Hedyphane Ca2Pb3(AsO4)3Cl P 6₃/m 6/m

VII/B.39-150 Pyromorphite Pb5(PO4)3Cl P 6₃/m 6/m

VII/B.39-160 Mimetite Pb5(AsO4)3Cl P 6₃/m 6/m

VII/B.39-165 Clinomimetite Pb5(AsO4)3Cl P 2₁/b 2/m

VII/B.39-170 Vanadinite Pb5(VO4)3Cl P 6₃/m 6/m

Other Alforsite Information

References:

NAME( AntBidBlaNic4) PHYS. PROP.(Enc. of Minerals,2nd ed.,1990) OPTIC PROP.(Enc. of Minerals,2nd ed.,1990)

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Alforsite

Ba5(PO4)3Cl
Dana No: 41.8.5.2 Strunz No: VII/B.39-120
Locality:

Notes: