Borax Mineral Data + Say BORAX


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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 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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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 Diaphaniety: Diaphaniety: 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: None.
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
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:

relectron=1.78 gm/cc
note: rBorax =1.71 gm/cc.

Help on Fermion Index Fermion Index Fermion Index = 0.02291
Boson Index = 0.97709
Help on Photoelectric: Photoelectric:

PEBorax = 0.47 barns/electron
U=PEBorax x relectron= 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: 26.4.1.1 (26)Hydrated Borates Containing Hydroxyl or Halogen
  (26.4)Dana Type
  (26.4.1)Dana Group
 
26.4.1.1 Borax Na2B4O5(OH)4·8(H2O) A2/a 2/m
Help on  Strunz Class: Strunz Class: V/H.10-30 V - Nitrates, Carbonates and Borates
  V/H - Group borates. Planary and tetrahedral groups [B3O5]1- to [B6O10]2-
  V/H.10 - Diomignite - Borax series
 
V/H.10-10 Diomignite Li2B4O7 I 41cd 4mm
 
V/H.10-20 Tincalconite Na6[B4O5(OH)4]3·8(H2O) R 32 3 2
 
V/H.10-30 Borax Na2B4O5(OH)4·8(H2O) A2/a 2/m
 

Other Borax Information

Help on References: References: NAME( Sinkankas66) PHYS. PROP.(Enc. of Minerals,2nd ed.,1990) OPTIC PROP.(Heinrich65)
Help on See Also: See Also: Links to other databases for Borax :
1 -Am. Min. Crystal Structure Database 2 - Amethyst Galleries' Mineral Gallery 3 - Applied Mineralogy 4 -Athena 5 - EUROmin Project 6 -Google Images 7 -Google Scholar 8 -Handbook of Mineralogy (UofA) 9 -MinDAT 10 -MinMax(Deutsch) 11 -MinMax(English) 12 - Mineral and Gemstone Kingdom 13 -Mineralienatlas (Deutsch) 14 -QUT Mineral Atlas 15 - WWW-MINCRYST 16 -École des Mines de Paris

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

Borax

Na2B4O5(OH)4·8(H2O)
Dana No: 26.4.1.1 Strunz No: V/H.10-30
Locality:

 

Notes:

 

 
   
 
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