Asbecasite Mineral Data

Asbecasite Mineral Data +

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General Asbecasite Information

Chemical Formula:

Ca3(Ti,Sn)As+++6Si2Be2O20

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 1,057.85 gm

Calcium 10.23 % Ca 14.31 % CaO

Titanium 3.17 % Ti 5.29 % TiO₂

Beryllium 1.70 % Be 4.73 % BeO

Aluminum 0.77 % Al 1.45 % Al₂O₃

Silicon 5.31 % Si 11.36 % SiO₂

Tin 1.12 % Sn 1.42 % SnO₂

Arsenic 47.45 % As 62.65 % As₂O₃

Oxygen 30.25 % O

______ ______

100.00 % 101.21 % = TOTAL OXIDE

Empirical Formula:

Ca_2.7Ti_0.7Sn_0.1As_6.7Si₂Al_0.3Be₂O₂₀

Environment:

On cleft faces in orthogneiss.

IMA Status:

Approved IMA 1966

Locality:

East flank of Pizzo Cervandone, Alpe Devero, Val d'Aosta, Italy. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

The name origin for Asbecasite is the main elements: As,Be,Ca,Si.

Synonym:

ICSD 74290

PDF 19-87

Asbecasite Image

Images:

Asbecasite

Comments: Brownish yellow asbecasite prismatic crystal.
Location: Cervandone, Val d'Ossola, Lombardy, Italy. Scale: Size Not Given.
© Lou Perloff / Photo Atlas of Minerals

Asbecasite Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:c = 1:1.83014

Cell Dimensions:

a = 8.36, c = 15.3, Z = 2; V = 926.05 Den(Calc)= 3.79

Crystal System:

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

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

By Intensity(I/I_o): 3.23(1), 1.153(0.7), 1.57(0.7),

Crystal Structure:

Mouse
drag1 - LMB Manipulate Structure
drag2 - RMB Resize/Rotate
Keyboard
S - Stereo Pair on/off
H - Help Screen
I - Data Info
A - Atoms On/Off
P - Polyhedra On/Off
B - Bonds On/Off
Help on Above

Sacerdoti M , Parodi G C , Mottana A , Maras A , Ventura G D , Mineralogical Magazine , 57 (1993) p.315-322, Asbecasite: crystal structure refinement and crystal chemistry

Physical Properties of Asbecasite

Cleavage:

[1010] Good, [1010] Good, [1010] Good

Color:

Lemon, Brownish.

Density:

3.7

Diaphaniety:

Transparent

Habit:

Rhombohedral Crystals - Occurs as well-formed crystals showing rhobohedral crystals.

Hardness:

6.5-7 - Pyrite-Quartz

Luster:

Vitreous (Glassy)

Optical Properties of Asbecasite

Gladstone-Dale:

CI meas= 0.041 (Good) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC)
CI calc= 0.063 (Fair) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.223,KPDmeas= 0.2284,KC= 0.2381

Optical Data:

Uniaxial (-), e=1.83, w=1.86, bire=0.0300.

Calculated Properties of Asbecasite

Electron Density:

r_electron=3.47 gm/cc
note: r_Asbecasite=3.70 gm/cc.

Fermion Index

Fermion Index = 0.02576
Boson Index = 0.97424

Photoelectric:

PE_Asbecasite= 38.17 barns/electron
U=PE_Asbecasite x r_electron= 132.28 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

GRapi = 0 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)

Asbecasite is Not Radioactive

Asbecasite Classification

Dana Class:

45.1.3.1 (45)Acid and normal Antimonites, Arsenites and Phosphites

(45.1)with miscellaneous formulae

(45.1.3)Dana Group

45.1.3.1 Asbecasite Ca3(Ti,Sn)As6Si2Be2O20 P 3c 3m

Strunz Class:

VIII/B.11-40 VIII - Silicates

VIII/B - Nesosubsilicates, with anions unfamiliar to tetraheders, cations of octahedral and tetrahedral orientation [4/6]

VIII/B.11 - Dixenite - Kraisslite series

VIII/B.11-10 Dixenite CuMn14Fe(AsO3)5(SiO4)2(AsO4)(OH)6 R 3 3

VIII/B.11-15 Turtmannite! (Mn,Mg)25.5[(V,As)O4]3(SiO4)3[AsO3]xO5-5x(OH)20x R 3c 3 2/m

VIII/B.11-20 Mcgovernite Mn9Mg4Zn2As2Si2O17(OH)14 R 3c 3 2/m

VIII/B.11-30 Kraisslite (Mn,Mg)24Zn3Fe(AsO3)2(AsO4)3(SiO4)6(OH)18 P 6₃22 6 2 2

VIII/B.11-40 Asbecasite Ca3(Ti,Sn)As6Si2Be2O20 P 3c 3m

Other Asbecasite Information

References:

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

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Asbecasite

Ca3(Ti,Sn)As+++6Si2Be2O20
Dana No: 45.1.3.1 Strunz No: VIII/B.11-40
Locality:

Notes: