Mascagnite Mineral Data

General Mascagnite Information

Chemical Formula:

(NH4)2SO4

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 132.14 gm

Hydrogen 6.10 % H - % Calc as (NH₄)₂O

Sulfur 24.27 % S 60.59 % SO₃

Nitrogen 21.20 % N 39.41 % (NH₄)₂O

Oxygen 48.43 % O

______ ______

100.00 % 100.00 % = TOTAL OXIDE

Empirical Formula:

(NH₄)₂(SO₄)

Environment:

Found in fumeroles.

IMA Status:

Valid Species (Pre-IMA) 1779

Locality:

Vesuvius, Italy. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

Named for Paolo Mascagni (1752-1815), Italian anatomist, University of Siena who first described the natural salt.

Name Pronunciation:

Mascagnite + Pronunciation

Synonym:

ICSD 200905

PDF 44-1413

Mascagnite Image

Images:

Mascagnite

Comments: White, botryoidal mascagnite.
Location: Carola Mine, Freital, Dresden, Saxony, Germany. Scale: Picture size 6 mm.
© Thomas Witzke / Abraxas-Verlag

Images:

Mascagnite Lecontite

Comments: SEM BSE image of fine-grained lecontite (Le) and thenardite, occupying the space between mascagnite (M) crystals. CanMin 47:573.
Location: Coal-waste heap in Avion, northern France, that has been undergoing subsurface combustion for several decades. Scale: See Image.
© Canadian Mineralogist

Mascagnite Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:b:c =1.2985:1:1.7747

Cell Dimensions:

a = 7.782, b = 5.993, c = 10.636, Z = 4; V = 496.04 Den(Calc)= 1.77

Crystal System:

Orthorhombic - DipyramidalH-M Symbol (2/m 2/m 2/m) Space Group: P nma

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

By Intensity(I/I_o): 4.33(1), 4.39(0.65), 3.06(0.55),

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

Schlemper E O , Hamilton W C , Journal of Chemical Physics , 44 (1966) p.4498-4509, Neutron-diffraction study of the structures of ferroelectric and paraelectric, ammonium sulfate, Note: paraelectric, T = 298 K, Locality: synthetic

View Additional jPOWD Structure files for Mascagnite
[1]

Physical Properties of Mascagnite

Cleavage:

{100} Good

Color:

Colorless, Gray, Grayish yellow, Yellow, White.

Density:

1.768

Diaphaneity:

Transparent to Opaque

Fracture:

Sectile - Curved shavings or scrapings produced by a knife blade, (e.g. graphite).

Habit:

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

Habit:

Water Soluble - Water soluble mineral.

Hardness:

2-2.5 - Gypsum-Finger Nail

Luster:

Vitreous - Dull

Streak:

white

Optical Properties of Mascagnite

Gladstone-Dale:

CI meas= -1.771 (Poor) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC)
CI calc= -1.767 (Poor) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.2968,KPDmeas= 0.2971,KC= 0.1072
Ncalc = 1.19

Optical Data:

Biaxial (+), a=1.52, b=1.523, g=1.533, bire=0.0130, 2V(Calc)=58, 2V(Meas)=52.2.

Calculated Properties of Mascagnite

Electron Density:

Bulk Density (Electron Density)=1.88 gm/cc
note: Specific Gravity of Mascagnite =1.77 gm/cc.

Fermion Index:

Fermion Index = 0.21
Boson Index = 0.79

Photoelectric:

PE_Mascagnite= 1.49 barns/electron
U=PE_Mascagnite x rElectron Density= 2.80 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

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

Mascagnite Classification

Dana Class:

28.02.01.01 (28)Anhydrous Acid and Sulfates

(28.02)(A+)2 XO4

(28.02.01)Dana Group

28.02.01.01 Mascagnite (NH4)2SO4 P nma 2/m 2/m 2/m

28.02.01.02 Arcanite K2SO4 Pmcn 2/m 2/m 2/m

Strunz Class:

07.AD.05 07 - SULFATES (SELENATES, TELLURATES)

07.A - Sulfates (selenates, etc.) without Additional Anions, without H2O

07.AD -With only large cations

07.AD.05 Arcanite K2SO4 Pmcn 2/m 2/m 2/m

07.AD.05 Mascagnite (NH4)2SO4 P nma 2/m 2/m 2/m

Other Mascagnite Information

References:

NAME( Dana8) PHYS. PROP.(Enc. of Minerals,2nd ed.,1990) OPTIC PROP.(Enc. of Minerals,2nd ed.,1990)

See Also:

Links to other databases for Mascagnite :
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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Ask about Mascagnite here :
Ask-A-Mineralogist from the Mineralogical Society of America
Mindat.org's Discussion Groups
Original Rockhounds Discussion Group
Rockhounds Discussion Group on Yahoo Groups
Mineral Discussion Forum from Fabre Minerals - also available in Español

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

Mascagnite

(NH4)2SO4
Dana No: 28.02.01.01 Strunz No: 07.AD.05
Locality:

Notes: