Ikaite Mineral Data

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General Ikaite Information

Chemical Formula:

CaCO3•6(H2O)

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 208.18 gm

Calcium 19.25 % Ca 26.94 % CaO

Hydrogen 5.81 % H 51.92 % H₂O

Carbon 5.77 % C 21.14 % CO₂

Oxygen 69.17 % O

______ ______

100.00 % 100.00 % = TOTAL OXIDE

Empirical Formula:

Ca(CO₃)•6(H₂O)

Environment:

In cold, saline marine waters where the formation of calcite is inhibited. Decomposes into water and calcite above 8 deg. C.

IMA Status:

Approved IMA 1963

Locality:

Ika Fjord, Ivigtut, Greenland. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

Named for the locality.

Name Pronunciation:

Ikaite

Synonym:

Fundylite (calcite pseudomorphs)

Glendonite (calcite pseudomorphs)

ICSD 31305

Jarrowite (calcite pseudomorphs)

PDF 37-416

Thinolite (calcite pseudomorphs)

Ikaite Image

Images:

Ikaite

Comments: Rounded, colorless crystals of ikaite extracted from Antarctic sea ice cores. Ikaite may be more common than previously thought.
Location: Southern sea near the Antarctic shore. Scale: See Image.
© Geophyscial Research Letters

Ikaite Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:b:c =1.0777:1:1.339

Cell Dimensions:

a = 8.87, b = 8.23, c = 11.02, Z = 4; beta = 110.2° V = 754.98 Den(Calc)= 1.83

Crystal System:

MonoclinicSpace Group: C 2/c or Cc

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

By Intensity(I/I_o): 5.17(1), 2.64(0.9), 2.63(0.7),2.8(0.5), 2.46(0.3), 2.61(0.3), 4.16(0.3), 5.85(0.3), 4.16(0.3),

Forms:

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

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Crystal Structure:

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Hesse K F , Kuppers H , Suess E , Zeitschrift fur Kristallographie , 163 (1983) p.227-231, Refinement of the structure of ikaite, CaCO3*6(H2O), Locality: Bransfield Strait, Antarctica

Physical Properties of Ikaite

Color:

Chalky white.

Density:

1.77 - 1.8, Average = 1.78

Habit:

Stalactitic - Shaped like pendant columns as stalactites or stalagmites (e.g. calcite).

Habit:

Tabular - Form dimensions are thin in one direction.

Luster:

Earthy (Dull)

Streak:

white

Optical Properties of Ikaite

Gladstone-Dale:

CI meas= -0.034 (Excellent) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC)
CI calc= -0.009 (Superior) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.2801,KPDmeas= 0.2872,KC= 0.2777
Ncalc = 1.49 - 1.51

Optical Data:

Biaxial (-), a=1.455, b=1.538, g=1.545, bire=0.0900, 2V(Calc)=30, 2V(Meas)=45. Dispersion distinct.

Calculated Properties of Ikaite

Electron Density:

Bulk Density (Electron Density)=1.93 gm/cc
note: Specific Gravity of Ikaite =1.83 gm/cc.

Fermion Index:

Fermion Index = 0.0012352742
Boson Index = 0.9987647258

Photoelectric:

PE_Ikaite= 2.49 barns/electron
U=PE_Ikaite x rElectron Density= 4.82 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

GRapi = 0 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)
Ikaite is Not Radioactive

Ikaite Classification

Dana Class:

15.01.04.01 (15)Hydrated Carbonates

(15.01)where A+ (XO3) · x(H2O)

(15.01.04)Dana Group

15.01.04.01 Ikaite CaCO3•6(H2O) C 2/c or Cc Mono

Strunz Class:

05.CB.25 05 - CARBONATES (NITRATES)

05.C - Carbonates without Additional Anions, with H2O

05.CB -With large cations (alkali and alkali-earth carbonates)

05.CB.25 Ikaite CaCO3•6(H2O) C 2/c or Cc Mono

Other Ikaite Information

References:

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

See Also:

Links to other databases for Ikaite :
1 - Am. Min. Crystal Structure Database
2 - Athena
3 - EUROmin Project
4 - Ecole des Mines de Paris
5 - GeoScienceWorld
6 - Google Images
7 - Google Scholar
8 - Handbook of Mineralogy (MinSocAm)
9 - Handbook of Mineralogy (UofA)
10 - MinDAT
11 - Mineralienatlas (Deutsch)
12 - Online Mineral Museum
13 - QUT Mineral Atlas
14 - Ruff.Info
15 - WWW-MINCRYST

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

Ikaite

CaCO3•6(H2O)
Dana No: 15.01.04.01 Strunz No: 05.CB.25
Locality:

Notes: