Merlinoite Mineral Data

Merlinoite Mineral Data +

General Merlinoite Information

Chemical Formula:

(K,Ca,Na,Ba)7Si23Al9O64·23(H2O)

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 2,625.60 gm

Potassium 6.25 % K 7.53 % K₂O

Barium 2.09 % Ba 2.34 % BaO

Sodium 0.53 % Na 0.71 % Na₂O

Calcium 2.29 % Ca 3.20 % CaO

Aluminum 9.56 % Al 18.06 % Al₂O₃

Iron 0.43 % Fe 0.55 % FeO

Silicon 24.28 % Si 51.95 % SiO₂

Hydrogen 1.74 % H 15.58 % H₂O

Oxygen 52.83 % O

______ ______

100.00 % 99.91 % = TOTAL OXIDE

Empirical Formula:

K_4.2Ca_1.5Na_0.6Ba_0.4Fe²⁺_0.2Si_22.7Al_9.3O₆₄·22.7(H₂O)

Environment:

A secondary mineral in veins and cavities of silica-undersaturated volcanic rocks and manganese nodules in the Indian Ocean.

IMA Status:

Approved IMA 1977

Locality:

In the Cupaello quarry, near Santa Rufina, and at Valle Beachella, Sacrofano, near Rome, Lazio,, Italy. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

Named for Stefano Merlino (1938-), Professor of Crystallography, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy.

Synonym:

ICSD 86741

PDF 29-989

Merlinoite Image

Images:

Merlinoite

Comments: Colorless transparent prismatic merlinoite microcrystals in vug.
Location: Lagno Ahendo Lare, Vesuvius, Naples, Campania, Italy. Scale: See Photo.
© Jeff Weissman / Photographic Guide to Mineral Species

Merlinoite Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:b:c =0.992:1:0.6989

Cell Dimensions:

a = 14.116, b = 14.229, c = 9.946, Z = 1; V = 1,997.72 Den(Calc)= 2.18

Crystal System:

Orthorhombic - DipyramidalH-M Symbol (2/m 2/m 2/m) Space Group: I mmm

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

By Intensity(I/I_o): 3.18(1), 7.08(0.9), 7.12(0.9),

Crystal Structure:

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Galli E , Gottardi G , Pongiluppi D , Neues Jahrbuch fur Mineralogie, Monatshefte , 1979 (1979) p.1-9, The crystal structure of the zeolite merlinoite, Locality: in a vug of a lava from Cupaello, Rieti, Italy

Physical Properties of Merlinoite

Cleavage:

[???] Good

Color:

Colorless, White.

Density:

2.14 - 2.27, Average = 2.2

Diaphaniety:

Transparent to Translucent

Habit:

Fibrous - Crystals made up of fibers.

Habit:

Radial - Crystals radiate from a center without producing stellar forms (e.g. stibnite)

Habit:

Spherical - Spherical, rounded aggregates.

Hardness:

4.5 - Between Fluorite and Apatite

Luster:

Vitreous (Glassy)

Streak:

white

Optical Properties of Merlinoite

Gladstone-Dale:

CI meas= -0.007 (Superior) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC)
CI calc= -0.018 (Superior) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.2294,KPDmeas= 0.2268,KC= 0.2252

Optical Data:

Biaxial (-), a=1.499, b=1.5, g=1.501, bire=0.0020, 2V(Calc)=88, 2V(Meas)=56. Dispersion r > v.

Calculated Properties of Merlinoite

Electron Density:

r_electron=2.22 gm/cc
note: r_Merlinoite=2.21 gm/cc.

Fermion Index

Fermion Index = 0.01545
Boson Index = 0.98455

Photoelectric:

PE_Merlinoite= 10.61 barns/electron
U=PE_Merlinoite x r_electron= 23.55 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

GRapi = 90.85 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)

Estimated Radioactivity from Merlinoite - barely detectable

Merlinoite Classification

Dana Class:

77.1.3.11 (77)Tectosilicate Zeolite group

(77.1)true zeolites

(77.1.3)Gismondine and related species

77.1.3.1 Gismondine Ca2Al4Si4O16·9(H2O) P 2₁/c 2/m

77.1.3.2 Amicite K2Na2Al4Si4O16·5(H2O) I2 2

77.1.3.3 Garronite Na2Ca5Al12Si20O64·27(H2O) I 4₁/a 4/m

77.1.3.4 Gobbinsite (Na2,Ca)2K2Al6Si10O32·12(H2O) P mn2₁ mm2

77.1.3.5 Harmotome (Ba,Na,K)1-2(Si,Al)8O16·6(H2O) P 2₁/m 2/m

77.1.3.6 Phillipsite-Na (Na,K,Ca)1-2(Si,Al)8O16·6(H2O) P 2₁/m 2/m

77.1.3.6a Phillipsite-Ca! (Ca,K,Na)1-2(Si,Al)8O16·6(H2O) P 2₁/m 2/m

77.1.3.6b Phillipsite-K! (K,Na,Ca)1-2(Si,Al)8O16·6(H2O) P 2₁/m 2/m

77.1.3.8 Perlialite K8Tl4Al12Si24O72·20(H2O) P 6/mmm 6/m 2/m 2/m

77.1.3.9 Paulingite-K (K2,Ca,Na2,Ba)5Al10Si35O90·45(H2O) Im3m 4/m 3 2/m

77.1.3.9a Paulingite-Na! (Na2,K2,Ca,Ba)5Al10Si35O90·45(H2O) Im3m 4/m 3 2/m

77.1.3.9b Paulingite-Ca! (Ca,K,Na,Ba)5[Al10Si35O84]·34(H2O) Im3m 4/m 3 2/m

77.1.3.10 Mazzite K2CaMg2(Al,Si)36O72·28(H2O) P 6₃/mmc 6/m 2/m 2/m

77.1.3.11 Merlinoite (K,Ca,Na,Ba)7Si23Al9O64·23(H2O) I mmm 2/m 2/m 2/m

77.1.3.12 Montesommaite (K,Na)9Al9Si23O64·10(H2O) F dd2 mm2

Strunz Class:

VIII/J.25-80 VIII - Silicates

VIII/J - Tectosilicates (network), with zeolite-structure, Bladed Zeolites

VIII/J.25 - Zeolite group, Amicite - Phillipsite - Yugawaralite series

VIII/J.25-10 Amicite K2Na2Al4Si4O16·5(H2O) I2 2

VIII/J.25-20 Gismondine Ca2Al4Si4O16·9(H2O) P 2₁/c 2/m

VIII/J.25-30 Gobbinsite (Na2,Ca)2K2Al6Si10O32·12(H2O) P mn2₁ mm2

VIII/J.25-40 Garronite Na2Ca5Al12Si20O64·27(H2O) I 4₁/a 4/m

VIII/J.25-50 Phillipsite-Na (Na,K,Ca)1-2(Si,Al)8O16·6(H2O) P 2₁/m 2/m

VIII/J.25-55 Phillipsite-K! (K,Na,Ca)1-2(Si,Al)8O16·6(H2O) P 2₁/m 2/m

VIII/J.25-60 Phillipsite-Ca! (Ca,K,Na)1-2(Si,Al)8O16·6(H2O) P 2₁/m 2/m

VIII/J.25-70 Harmotome (Ba,Na,K)1-2(Si,Al)8O16·6(H2O) P 2₁/m 2/m

VIII/J.25-75 Montesommaite (K,Na)9Al9Si23O64·10(H2O) F dd2 mm2

VIII/J.25-80 Merlinoite (K,Ca,Na,Ba)7Si23Al9O64·23(H2O) I mmm 2/m 2/m 2/m

VIII/J.25-90 Yugawaralite CaAl2Si6O16·4(H2O) Pc m

Other Merlinoite Information

References:

NAME( AntBidBlaNic2) PHYS. PROP.(Enc. of Minerals,2nd ed.,1990) OPTIC PROP.(AntBidBlaNic2)

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Merlinoite

(K,Ca,Na,Ba)7Si23Al9O64·23(H2O)
Dana No: 77.1.3.11 Strunz No: VIII/J.25-80
Locality:

Notes: