Borax Mineral Data

Borax Mineral Data
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General Borax Information

Help on Chemical Formula: Chemical Formula: Na2B4O5(OH)4•8(H2O)
Help on Composition: Composition: Molecular Weight = 381.37 gm
   Sodium    12.06 %  Na   16.25 % Na2O
   Boron     11.34 %  B    36.51 % B2O3
   Hydrogen   5.29 %  H    47.24 % H2O
   Oxygen    71.32 %  O
            ______        ______ 
            100.00 %      100.00 % = TOTAL OXIDE
Help on Empirical Formula: Empirical Formula: Na2(B4O5)(OH)4•8(H2O)
Help on IMA Status: IMA Status: Valid Species (Pre-IMA) 1753
Help on Locality: Locality: Link to MinDat.org Location Data.
Help on Name Origin: Name Origin: From the Arabic buraq, for "white."
Help on Name Pronunciation: Name Pronunciation: Borax Say BORAX
Help on Synonym: Synonym: ICSD 30506
  PDF 33-1215
  Tincal
 

Borax Image

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Borax

Comments: Translucent crystal of borax preserved in oil to prevent dehydration to tincalconite.
Location: Searles Lake, San Bernardino County, California, USA. Scale: See Photo.
© Jeff Weissman / Photographic Guide to Mineral Species

Borax Crystallography
Help on Axial Ratios: Axial Ratios: a:b:c =1.1109:1:1.1873
Help on Cell Dimensions: Cell Dimensions: a = 11.858, b = 10.674, c = 12.674, Z = 4; beta = 106.583° V = 1,537.46 Den(Calc)= 1.65
Help on Crystal System: Crystal System: Monoclinic - PrismaticH-M Symbol (2/m) Space Group: A2/a
Help on X Ray Diffraction: X Ray Diffraction: By Intensity(I/Io): 4.82(1), 5.68(0.9), 2.56(0.65),
Help on Forms: Forms:

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Forms: ( 1 1 1) ( 1 1 2) ( 0 1 0) ( 1 0 0) ( 1 1 0) ( 0 0 1)

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Levy H A , Lisensky G C , Acta Crystallographica, Section B , 34 (1978) p.3502-3510, Crystal structures of sodium sulfate decahydrate (Glauber s salt) and sodium, tetraborate decahydrate (borax). Redetermination by neutron diffraction, Locality: synthetic, Note: anisoU s from ICSD

 

Physical Properties of Borax

Help on Cleavage: Cleavage: {100} Perfect, {110} Perfect
Help on Color: Color: Blue, Colorless, Green, Gray, Gray white.
Help on Density: Density: 1.7 - 1.72, Average = 1.71
Help on Diaphaneity: Diaphaneity: Translucent to opaque
Help on Fracture: Fracture: Brittle - Conchoidal - Very brittle fracture producing small, conchoidal fragments.
Help on Habit: Habit: Massive - Uniformly indistinguishable crystals forming large masses.
Help on Habit: Habit: Prismatic - Crystals Shaped like Slender Prisms (e.g. tourmaline).
Help on Habit: Habit: Tabular - Form dimensions are thin in one direction.
Help on Hardness: Hardness: 2-2.5 - Gypsum-Finger Nail
Help on Luminescence: Luminescence: Non-fluorescent.
Help on Luster: Luster: Greasy (Oily)
Help on Streak: Streak: white
 

Optical Properties of Borax

Help on Gladstone-Dale: Gladstone-Dale: CI meas= -0.003 (Superior) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC)
CI calc= -0.039 (Excellent) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.2805,KPDmeas= 0.2707,KC= 0.27
Ncalc = 1.45 - 1.46
Help on Optical Data: Optical Data: Biaxial (-), a=1.447, b=1.469-1.47, g=1.472, bire=0.0250, 2V(Calc)=32-40, 2V(Meas)=39-40. Dispersion r > v distinct.
Help on Pleochroism (x): Pleochroism (x): colorless.
Help on Pleochroism (y): Pleochroism (y): colorless.
Help on Pleochroism (z): Pleochroism (z): colorless.
 

Calculated Properties of Borax

Help on Electron Density: Electron Density: Bulk Density (Electron Density)=1.78 gm/cc
note: Specific Gravity of Borax =1.71 gm/cc.
Help on Fermion Index: Fermion Index: Fermion Index = 0.02
Boson Index = 0.98
Help on Photoelectric: Photoelectric: PEBorax = 0.47 barns/electron
U=PEBorax x rElectron Density= 0.84 barns/cc.
Help on Radioactivity: Radioactivity: GRapi = 0 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)
Borax is Not Radioactive
 

Borax Classification
Help on Dana Class: Dana Class: 26.04.01.01 (26)Hydrated Borates Containing Hydroxyl or Halogen
  (26.04)Dana Type
  (26.04.01)Dana Group
 
26.04.01.01 Borax Na2B4O5(OH)4•8(H2O) A2/a 2/m
Help on Strunz Class: Strunz Class: 06.DA.10 06 - BORATES
  06.D - Tetraborates
  06.DA -Neso-tetraborates
 
06.DA.10 Borax Na2B4O5(OH)4•8(H2O) A2/a 2/m
 

Other Borax Information
Help on See Also: See Also: Links to other databases for Borax :
1 - Am. Min. Crystal Structure Database
2 - Amethyst Galleries' Mineral Gallery
3 - Athena
4 - EUROmin Project
5 - Ecole des Mines de Paris
6 - Google Images
7 - Google Scholar
8 - Handbook of Mineralogy (MinSocAm)
9 - Handbook of Mineralogy (UofA)
10 - MinDAT
11 - MinMax(Deutsch)
12 - MinMax(English)
13 - Mineral and Gemstone Kingdom
14 - Mineralienatlas (Deutsch)
15 - QUT Mineral Atlas
16 - Ruff.Info
17 - WWW-MINCRYST

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Borax

Na2B4O5(OH)4•8(H2O)
Dana No: 26.04.01.01 Strunz No: 06.DA.10
Locality:

 

Notes: