Chalconatronite Mineral Data

Chalconatronite Mineral Data

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General Chalconatronite Information

Chemical Formula:

Na2Cu(CO3)2·3(H2O)

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 283.59 gm

Sodium 16.21 % Na 21.86 % Na₂O

Copper 22.41 % Cu 28.05 % CuO

Hydrogen 2.13 % H 19.06 % H₂O

Carbon 8.47 % C 31.04 % CO₂

Oxygen 50.78 % O

______ ______

100.00 % 100.00 % = TOTAL OXIDE

Empirical Formula:

Na₂Cu(CO₃)₂·3(H₂O)

Environment:

Encrustation on bronze objects buried for centuries with their owner's natron-mummified bodies.

IMA Status:

Valid Species (Pre-IMA) 1955

Locality:

Egyptian bronze objects buried in tombs. Also at Grube Gluckrad, near Oberschulenberg, Hartz Mountains, Germany. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

Named after the composition, copper and natron (soda).

Synonym:

ICSD 200410

PDF 22-1458

Chalconatronite Image

Images:

Chalconatronite

Comments: Crystalline crusts of blue chalconatronite on sandstone.
Location: Slick Rock, Egnar Area, San Miguel County, Colorado, USA. Scale: See Photo.
© Jeff Weissman / Photographic Guide to Mineral Species

Images:

Chalconatronite IMA2006-009 Sanromanite Juangodoyite

Comments: Yellowish, long balded sanromanite crystals in vug with platy, blue juangodoyite replacing green chalconatronite.
Location: Santa Rosa mine, Iquique Province, Tarapaca, Chile. Scale: Picture size 3 mm.
© Tom Loomis / Dakota Matrix

Chalconatronite Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:b:c =2.2418:1:1.5849

Cell Dimensions:

a = 13.72, b = 6.12, c = 9.7, Z = 4; beta = 91.3° V = 814.26 Den(Calc)= 2.31

Crystal System:

Monoclinic - PrismaticH-M Symbol (2/m) Space Group: P 2₁/n

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

By Intensity(I/I_o): 6.92(1), 4.15(0.8), 3.68(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

Mosset A , Bonnet J J , Galy J , Zeitschrift fur Kristallographie , 148 (1978) p.165-177, Structure cristalline de la chalconatronite synthetique: Na2Cu(CO3)2*3H2O, Locality: synthetic

Physical Properties of Chalconatronite

Color:

Greenish blue.

Density:

2.27

Habit:

Encrustations - Forms crust-like aggregates on matrix.

Habit:

Lath - Shaped like a small, thin plaster lath, tabular (rectangular) in shape.

Habit:

Platy - Sheet forms (e.g. micas).

Hardness:

1-2 - Between Talc and Gypsum

Streak:

pale greenish blue

Optical Properties of Chalconatronite

Gladstone-Dale:

CI meas= -0.063 (Fair) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC)
CI calc= -0.045 (Good) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.2293,KPDmeas= 0.2333,KC= 0.2195

Optical Data:

Biaxial (+), a=1.483, b=1.53, g=1.576, bire=0.0930, 2V(Calc)=86, 2V(Meas)=70.

Pleochroism (x):

colorless.

Pleochroism (y):

pale blue.

Pleochroism (z):

blue.

Calculated Properties of Chalconatronite

Electron Density:

r_electron=2.30 gm/cc
note: r_{Chalconatronite}=2.31 gm/cc.

Fermion Index

Fermion Index = 0.00117
Boson Index = 0.99883

Photoelectric:

PE_{Chalconatronite}= 9.92 barns/electron
U=PE_{Chalconatronite} x r_electron= 22.78 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

GRapi = 0 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)

Chalconatronite is Not Radioactive

Chalconatronite Classification

Dana Class:

15.2.3.1 (15)Hydrated Carbonates

(15.2)where A+m B++n (XO3)p · x(H2O), (m+n):p > 1:1

(15.2.3)Dana Group

15.2.3.1 Chalconatronite Na2Cu(CO3)2·3(H2O) P 2₁/n 2/m

Strunz Class:

V/D.02-70 V - Nitrates, Carbonates and Borates

V/D - Water-bearing carbonates without unfamiliar anions

V/D.02 - Thermonatrite - Chalconatronite series

V/D.02-10 Thermonatrite Na2CO3·(H2O) P ca2₁ mm2

V/D.02-20 Natron Na2CO3·10(H2O) Cc m

V/D.02-30 Trona Na3(CO3)(HCO3)·2(H2O) I2/a 2/m

V/D.02-40 Baylissite K2Mg(CO3)2·4(H2O) P 2₁/a 2/m

V/D.02-50 Pirssonite Na2Ca(CO3)2·2(H2O) F dd2 mm2

V/D.02-60 Gaylussite Na2Ca(CO3)2·5(H2O) I2/a 2/m

V/D.02-70 Chalconatronite Na2Cu(CO3)2·3(H2O) P 2₁/n 2/m

Other Chalconatronite Information

References:

NAME( Dana8) PHYS. PROP.(Dana8) OPTIC PROP.(Dana8)

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Chalconatronite

Na2Cu(CO3)2·3(H2O)
Dana No: 15.2.3.1 Strunz No: V/D.02-70
Locality:

Notes: