Arcanite Mineral Data

Arcanite Mineral Data +

General Arcanite Information

Chemical Formula:

K2SO4

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 174.26 gm

Potassium 44.87 % K 54.05 % K₂O

Sulfur 18.40 % S 45.95 % SO₃

Oxygen 36.73 % O

______ ______

100.00 % 100.00 % = TOTAL OXIDE

Empirical Formula:

K₂(SO₄)

IMA Status:

Valid Species (Pre-IMA) Prehistoric

Locality:

Santa Ana mine, Trabaco Canyon, Orange County, California. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Synonym:

Ammonian arcanite

ICSD 2827

PDF 5-613

Taylorite

Arcanite Image

Images:

Arcanite

Comments: Opaque olive-green mottled-colored arcanite.
Location: Tunnel #1, Santa Ana Tin Mine, Orange County, California, USA. Scale: See Photo.
© Jeff Weissman / Photographic Guide to Mineral Species

Arcanite Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:b:c =0.5731:1:0.7422

Cell Dimensions:

a = 5.76, b = 10.05, c = 7.46, Z = 4; V = 431.84 Den(Calc)= 2.68

Crystal System:

Orthorhombic - DipyramidalH-M Symbol (2/m 2/m 2/m) Space Group: Pmcn

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

By Intensity(I/I_o): 2.903(1), 3.001(0.71), 2.886(0.53),

Crystal Structure:

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drag1 - LMB Manipulate Structure
drag2 - RMB Resize/Rotate
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H - Help Screen
I - Data Info
A - Atoms On/Off
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McGinnety J A , Acta Crystallographica, Section B , 28 (1972) p.2845-2852, Redetermination of the structures of potassium sulphate and potassium chromate:, the effect of electrostatic crystal forces upon observed bond length

Physical Properties of Arcanite

Cleavage:

[010] Good, [001] Good

Color:

Colorless, Yellow, White.

Density:

2.663

Diaphaniety:

Transparent

Hardness:

2 - Gypsum

Luster:

Vitreous (Glassy)

Streak:

white

Optical Properties of Arcanite

Gladstone-Dale:

CI meas= 0.007 (Superior) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC)
CI calc= 0.013 (Superior) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.1848,KPDmeas= 0.1859,KC= 0.1873

Optical Data:

Biaxial (+), a=1.4935, b=1.4947, g=1.4973, bire=0.0038, 2V(Calc)=70, 2V(Meas)=67.

Calculated Properties of Arcanite

Electron Density:

r_electron=2.63 gm/cc
note: r_Arcanite=2.66 gm/cc.

Fermion Index

Fermion Index = 0.00161
Boson Index = 0.99839

Photoelectric:

PE_Arcanite= 5.60 barns/electron
U=PE_Arcanite x r_electron= 14.73 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

GRapi = 639.08 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)

**Estimated Radioactivity from Arcanite** - mild
Specimen Size Weight/Volume (Sphere) *	Calculated Activity Bequerols (Bq)	Calculated Activity Curies (Ci)	Estimated Activity GR(api)	Estimated Exposure (mRem**)/hr If Held in Hand For One Hour
1000 gm / 8.95 cm	13,597	3.67E-07	639.08	0.21
100 gm / 4.15 cm	1,360	3.67E-08	63.91	0.02
10 gm / 1.93 cm	136	3.67E-09	6.39	0.00
1 gm / 8.95 mm	14	3.67E-10	0.64	0.00
0.1 gm / 4.15 mm	1	3.67E-11	0.06	0.00
0.01 gm / 1.93 mm	0	3.67E-12	0.01	0.00
0.001 gm / 0.90 mm	0	3.67E-13	0.00	0.00

Weight of pure Arcanite in grams (gm) and Calculated Diameter of a Sphere with a Density of 2.66 gm/cc.*
Goverment Estimate of Average Annual Exposure ( 360 mRem) **
Note: 10 microsieverts/hr = 1 mRem/hr **
Max Permissable Adult Dose 50,000 mRem/yr (hands), 15,000 mRem/yr (eyes)
Lethal Dose LD(50) Exposure 400,000 to 500,000 mRem

Arcanite Classification

Dana Class:

28.2.1.2 (28)Anhydrous Acid and Sulfates

(28.2)(A+)2 XO4

(28.2.1)Dana Group

28.2.1.1 Mascagnite (NH4)2SO4 P nma 2/m 2/m 2/m

28.2.1.2 Arcanite K2SO4 Pmcn 2/m 2/m 2/m

Strunz Class:

VI/A.07-20 VI - Sulfates,Chromates,Molybdates and Tungstates

VI/A - Waterfree sulfates [SO4]2- without unfamiliar anions. cations of very big size

VI/A.07 - Thenardite - Mascagnite series

VI/A.07-10 Thenardite Na2SO4 F ddd 2/m 2/m 2/m

VI/A.07-20 Arcanite K2SO4 Pmcn 2/m 2/m 2/m

VI/A.07-30 Mascagnite (NH4)2SO4 P nma 2/m 2/m 2/m

Other Arcanite Information

References:

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

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

Arcanite

K2SO4
Dana No: 28.2.1.2 Strunz No: VI/A.07-20
Locality:

Notes: