Mesolite Mineral Data

Mesolite Mineral Data +

General Mesolite Information

Chemical Formula:

Na2Ca2Al6Si9O30·8(H2O)

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 1,164.90 gm

Sodium 3.95 % Na 5.32 % Na₂O

Calcium 6.88 % Ca 9.63 % CaO

Aluminum 13.90 % Al 26.26 % Al₂O₃

Silicon 21.70 % Si 46.42 % SiO₂

Hydrogen 1.38 % H 12.37 % H₂O

Oxygen 52.19 % O

______ ______

100.00 % 100.00 % = TOTAL OXIDE

Empirical Formula:

Na₂Ca₂Al₆Si₉O₃₀·8(H₂O)

Environment:

Occurs in amygdaloidal basalt and similar rocks.

IMA Status:

Valid Species (Pre-IMA) 1816

Locality:

Cyclopean Islands northeast of Catania, Sicily. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

From the Greek mesos - "middle."

Synonym:

Cotton stone

ICSD 75200

PDF 24-1064

Mesolite Image

Images:

Mesolite

Comments: Cotton-ball cluster of acicular white mesolite crystals on celestine.
Location: Cheyenne, Laramie County, Wyoming. Scale: Not Given.
© Lou Perloff / Photo Atlas of Minerals

Mesolite Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:b:c =8.6564:1:2.8213

Cell Dimensions:

a = 56.7, b = 6.55, c = 18.48, Z = 8; beta = 90° V = 6,863.19 Den(Calc)= 2.25

Crystal System:

Monoclinic - SphenoidalH-M Symbol (2) Space Group: C 2

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

By Intensity(I/I_o): 2.86(1), 5.79(0.7), 4.35(0.5),

Crystal Structure:

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Stuckenschmidt E , Kirfel A , European Journal of Mineralogy , 12 (2000) p.571-579, Zeolites of NAT topology: Structure refinement of mesolite from single crystal, X-ray data and comparison with the structures of natrolite and scolecite

Physical Properties of Mesolite

Cleavage:

[101] Perfect, [001] Perfect

Color:

White, Gray, Pale yellow.

Density:

2.2 - 2.4, Average = 2.29

Diaphaniety:

Transparent to translucent

Fracture:

Uneven - Flat surfaces (not cleavage) fractured in an uneven pattern.

Habit:

Acicular - Occurs as needle-like crystals.

Habit:

Capillary - Very slender and long, like a thread or hair (e.g. millerite).

Habit:

Spherical - Spherical, rounded aggregates.

Hardness:

5 - Apatite

Luminescence:

None.

Luster:

Vitreous - Silky

Streak:

white

Optical Properties of Mesolite

Gladstone-Dale:

CI meas= 0.016 (Superior) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC)
CI calc= -0.006 (Superior) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.2246,KPDmeas= 0.2197,KC= 0.2233

Optical Data:

Biaxial (+), a=1.505, b=1.505, g=1.506, bire=0.0010, 2V(Calc)=0, 2V(Meas)=80. Dispersion strong, r > v.

Calculated Properties of Mesolite

Electron Density:

r_electron=2.26 gm/cc
note: r_Mesolite=2.25 gm/cc.

Fermion Index

Fermion Index = 0.01047
Boson Index = 0.98953

Photoelectric:

PE_Mesolite= 2.17 barns/electron
U=PE_Mesolite x r_electron= 4.91 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

GRapi = 0 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)

Mesolite is Not Radioactive

Mesolite Classification

Dana Class:

77.1.5.4 (77)Tectosilicate Zeolite group

(77.1)true zeolites

(77.1.5)Natrolite and related species

77.1.5.1 Natrolite Na2[Al2Si3O10]·2(H2O) F dd2 mm2

77.1.5.2 Tetranatrolite? Na2[Al2Si3O10]·2(H2O) I 42d 4 2m

77.1.5.3 Paranatrolite Na2[Al2Si3O10]·3(H2O) Cc m

77.1.5.4 Mesolite Na2Ca2Al6Si9O30·8(H2O) C 2 2

77.1.5.5 Scolecite CaAl2Si3O10·3(H2O) Cc m

77.1.5.6 Edingtonite BaAl2Si3O10·4(H2O) P 2₁2₁2 2 2 2

77.1.5.7 Gonnardite Na2CaAl4Si6O20·7(H2O) I 42d 4 2m

77.1.5.8 Cowlesite CaAl2Si3O10·5-6(H2O) P 222₁, P mmm, Pmm2 Ortho

77.1.5.9 Thomsonite-Ca NaCa2Al5Si5O20·6(H2O) Pncn 2/m 2/m 2/m

77.1.5.10 Thomsonite-Sr! (Sr,Ca)2Na[Al5Si5O20]·7(H2O) Pcnn 2/m 2/m 2/m

77.1.5.11 Nabesite! Na2BeSi4O10·4(H2O) P 2₁2₁2₁ 2 2 2

Strunz Class:

VIII/J.21-50 VIII - Silicates

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

VIII/J.21 - Zeolite group, Natrolite - Thomsonite series

VIII/J.21-10 Natrolite Na2[Al2Si3O10]·2(H2O) F dd2 mm2

VIII/J.21-20 Paranatrolite Na2[Al2Si3O10]·3(H2O) Cc m

VIII/J.21-30 Tetranatrolite? Na2[Al2Si3O10]·2(H2O) I 42d 4 2m

VIII/J.21-40 Gonnardite Na2CaAl4Si6O20·7(H2O) I 42d 4 2m

VIII/J.21-50 Mesolite Na2Ca2Al6Si9O30·8(H2O) C 2 2

VIII/J.21-60 Scolecite CaAl2Si3O10·3(H2O) Cc m

VIII/J.21-70 Thomsonite-Ca NaCa2Al5Si5O20·6(H2O) Pncn 2/m 2/m 2/m

VIII/J.21-80 Thomsonite-Sr! (Sr,Ca)2Na[Al5Si5O20]·7(H2O) Pcnn 2/m 2/m 2/m

Other Mesolite Information

References:

NAME( Duda&Rejl90) PHYS. PROP.(Enc. of Minerals,2nd ed.,1990) OPTIC PROP.(Ford32)

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Mesolite

Na2Ca2Al6Si9O30·8(H2O)
Dana No: 77.1.5.4 Strunz No: VIII/J.21-50
Locality:

Notes: