Nesquehonite Mineral Data

Nesquehonite Mineral Data +

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General Nesquehonite Information

Chemical Formula:

Mg(HCO3)(OH)·2(H2O)

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 138.36 gm

Magnesium 17.57 % Mg 29.13 % MgO

Hydrogen 4.37 % H 39.06 % H₂O

Carbon 8.68 % C 31.81 % CO₂

Oxygen 69.38 % O

______ ______

100.00 % 100.00 % = TOTAL OXIDE

Empirical Formula:

Mg(HCO₃)(OH)·2(H₂O)

IMA Status:

Valid Species (Pre-IMA) 1890

Locality:

Coal mine at Nesquehoning, Carbon Co., Pennsylvania, USA. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

Named after its locality.

Synonym:

ICSD 2758

PDF 20-669

Nesquehonite Image

Images:

Nesquehonite

Comments: Scanning electron micrographs of nesquehonite clusters showing the typical elongated habit. (AmMin, 88:1882).
Location: Crystals associated with the remains of a saguaro, Carnegiea gigantea from south and west central Arizona. Scale: Scale Bar 50 µ-m (lower left).
© American Mineralogist

Nesquehonite Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:b:c =2.2263:1:1.4248

Cell Dimensions:

a = 12, b = 5.39, c = 7.68, Z = 4; beta = 90.45° V = 496.73 Den(Calc)= 1.85

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): 6.5(1), 3.86(0.9), 2.61(0.7),

Forms:

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Forms: [ 0 1 0] [ 1 1 0] [ 0 1 2] [ 0 0 1]

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Crystal Structure:

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Stephan G W , MacGillavry C H , Acta Crystallographica, Section B , 28 (1972) p.1031-1033, The crystal structure of nesquehonite, MgCO3*3H2O, Locality: synthetic

Physical Properties of Nesquehonite

Cleavage:

[110] Perfect, [001] Imperfect

Color:

Colorless, White.

Density:

1.83 - 1.85, Average = 1.84

Diaphaniety:

Transparent to translucent

Fracture:

Splintery - Thin, elongated fractures produced by intersecting good cleavages or partings (e.g. hornblende).

Habit:

Prismatic - Crystals Shaped like Slender Prisms (e.g. tourmaline).

Habit:

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

Hardness:

2.5 - Finger Nail

Luminescence:

Non-fluorescent.

Luster:

Vitreous - Dull

Streak:

white

Optical Properties of Nesquehonite

Gladstone-Dale:

CI meas= -0.01 (Superior) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC)
CI calc= -0.004 (Superior) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.2593,KPDmeas= 0.2607,KC= 0.2582

Optical Data:

Biaxial (-), a=1.412, b=1.501, g=1.526, bire=0.1140

Calculated Properties of Nesquehonite

Electron Density:

r_electron=1.93 gm/cc
note: r_Nesquehonite=1.85 gm/cc.

Fermion Index

Fermion Index = 0.01886
Boson Index = 0.98114

Photoelectric:

PE_Nesquehonite= 0.63 barns/electron
U=PE_Nesquehonite x r_electron= 1.21 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

GRapi = 0 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)

Nesquehonite is Not Radioactive

Nesquehonite Classification

Dana Class:

13.1.5.1 (13)Acid Carbonates

(13.1)with miscellaneous formulae

(13.1.5)Dana Group

13.1.5.1 Nesquehonite Mg(HCO3)(OH)·2(H2O) P 2₁/n 2/m

Strunz Class:

V/D.01-20 V - Nitrates, Carbonates and Borates

V/D - Water-bearing carbonates without unfamiliar anions

V/D.01 - Barringtonite - Ikaite series

V/D.01-10 Barringtonite MgCO3·2(H2O) P1 or P1 Tri

V/D.01-20 Nesquehonite Mg(HCO3)(OH)·2(H2O) P 2₁/n 2/m

V/D.01-30 Lansfordite MgCO3·5(H2O) P 2₁/a 2/m

V/D.01-40 Hellyerite NiCO3·6(H2O) C 2/c 2/m

V/D.01-50 Monohydrocalcite CaCO3·(H2O) P 3₁12 3 2

V/D.01-60 Ikaite CaCO3·6(H2O) C 2/c or Cc Mono

Other Nesquehonite Information

References:

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

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

Nesquehonite

Mg(HCO3)(OH)·2(H2O)
Dana No: 13.1.5.1 Strunz No: V/D.01-20
Locality:

Notes: