Niocalite Mineral Data

General Niocalite Information

Chemical Formula:

Ca14Nb2(Si2O7)4O6F2

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 1,553.57 gm

Calcium 36.12 % Ca 50.53 % CaO

Niobium 11.96 % Nb 17.11 % Nb₂O₅

Silicon 14.46 % Si 30.94 % SiO₂

Oxygen 35.01 % O

Fluorine 2.45 % F 2.45 % F

- % F -1.03 % -O=F₂

______ ______

100.00 % 100.00 % = TOTAL OXIDE

Empirical Formula:

Ca₁₄Nb₂(Si₂O₇)₄O₆F₂

Environment:

In carbonatites.

IMA Status:

Valid Species (Pre-IMA) 1956

Locality:

Oka, Quebec, Canada. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

Named for its composition (Niobium, Calcium).

Name Pronunciation:

Niocalite + Pronunciation

Synonym:

ICSD 31269

PDF 11-633

Niocalite Image

Images:

Niocalite

Comments: Yellowish brown crystal prisms of niocalite in a carbonatite rock matrix.
Location: Oka, Oka complex, Deux-Montagnes Co., QuÃ©bec, Canada. Scale: Crystal length 1 cm.
© Jeff Weissman / Photographic Guide to Mineral Species

Niocalite Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:b:c =1.0414:1:0.7065

Cell Dimensions:

a = 10.863, b = 10.431, c = 7.37, Z = 1; beta = 110.1° V = 784.25 Den(Calc)= 3.29

Crystal System:

Monoclinic - DomaticH-M Symbol (m) Space Group: Pa

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

By Intensity(I/I_o): 3.01(1), 2.85(0.6), 2.89(0.6),

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

Mellini M , Tschermaks Mineralogische und Petrographische Mitteilungen , 30 (1982) p.249-266, Niocalite revised: Twinning and crystal structure, Note: cuspidine structure, Locality: Oka, Quebec, Canada

Physical Properties of Niocalite

Cleavage:

None

Color:

Light yellow.

Density:

3.32

Diaphaneity:

Transparent

Fracture:

Brittle - Conchoidal - Very brittle fracture producing small, conchoidal fragments.

Habit:

Square - Occurs as square crystals in shape or outline.

Hardness:

6 - Orthoclase

Luster:

Vitreous (Glassy)

Streak:

white

Optical Properties of Niocalite

Gladstone-Dale:

CI meas= 0.011 (Superior) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC)
CI calc= 0.002 (Superior) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.2171,KPDmeas= 0.2152,KC= 0.2175
Ncalc = 1.72

Optical Data:

Biaxial (-), a=1.7-1.701, b=1.714-1.721, g=1.72-1.73, bire=0.0200-0.0290, 2V(Calc)=64-66, 2V(Meas)=34-56.

Calculated Properties of Niocalite

Electron Density:

Bulk Density (Electron Density)=3.24 gm/cc
note: Specific Gravity of Niocalite =3.29 gm/cc.

Fermion Index:

Fermion Index = 0.0074096198
Boson Index = 0.9925903802

Photoelectric:

PE_Niocalite= 22.25 barns/electron
U=PE_Niocalite x rElectron Density= 72.01 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

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

Niocalite Classification

Dana Class:

56.02.04.06 (56)Sorosilicate Si2O7 Groups and O, OH, F. and H2O

(56.02)with cations in [4] and/or >[4] coordination

(56.02.04)Cuspidine - Wohlerite group

56.02.04.01 Baghdadite Ca3(Zr,Ti)Si2O9 P 2₁/a 2/m

56.02.04.02 Burpalite Na2CaZrSi2O7F2 P 2₁/a 2/m

56.02.04.03 Cuspidine Ca4Si2O7(F,OH)2 P 2₁/c 2/m

56.02.04.04 Lavenite (Na,Ca)2(Mn,Fe)(Zr,Ti,Nb)Si2O7(O,OH,F) P 2₁/a 2/m

56.02.04.05 Wohlerite NaCa2(Zr,Nb)Si2O7(O,OH,F)2 P 2₁/m 2/m

56.02.04.06 Niocalite Ca14Nb2(Si2O7)4O6F2 Pa m

56.02.04.07 Hiortdahlite (Ca,Na,Y)3(Zr,Ti)Si2O7(F,O,OH)2 P1 1

56.02.04.08 Rosenbuschite (Ca,Na)3(Zr,Ti)Si2O8F P1 1

56.02.04.09 Hainite Na4Ca8(Ti,Zr,Mn,Fe)3Si8O28F8 P1 1

56.02.04.10 Janhaugite (Na,Ca)3(Mn,Fe)3(Ti,Zr,Nb)2Si4O15(OH,F,O)3 P 2₁/n 2/m

56.02.04.11 Jennite Ca9Si6O18(OH)6•8H2O P1 1

56.02.04.12 Komarovite (Ca,Mn)2(Nb,Ti)2Si2O7(O,F)2•3.5(H2O) Unk Ortho

56.02.04.13 Natrokomarovite* Na6CaNb6[Si4O12F2•4(H2O) C mmm 2/m 2/m 2/m

56.02.04.14 Suolunite Ca2Si2O5(OH)2•(H2O) F dd2 mm2

56.02.04.15 Mongolite Ca4Nb6Si5O24(OH)10•5(H2O) Unk Tetra

56.02.04.16 Kristiansenite! Ca2ScSn(Si2O7)(Si2O6OH) C1 1

56.02.04.17 Kochite! Na2(Na,Ca)4Ca4(Mn,Ca)2Zr2Ti2(Si2O7)4(O,F)4F4 P1 1

56.02.04.18 Marianoite! Na2Ca4(Nb,Zr)2(Si2O7)2(O,F)4 P 2₁ 2/m

Strunz Class:

09.BE.17 09 - SILICATES (Germanates)

09.B - Sorosilicates

09.BE -Si2O7 groups with additional anions;

09.BE.17 Baghdadite Ca3(Zr,Ti)Si2O9 P 2₁/a 2/m

09.BE.17 Janhaugite (Na,Ca)3(Mn,Fe)3(Ti,Zr,Nb)2Si4O15(OH,F,O)3 P 2₁/n 2/m

09.BE.17 Burpalite Na2CaZrSi2O7F2 P 2₁/a 2/m

09.BE.17 Cuspidine Ca4Si2O7(F,OH)2 P 2₁/c 2/m

09.BE.17 Hiortdahlite (Ca,Na,Y)3(Zr,Ti)Si2O7(F,O,OH)2 P1 1

09.BE.17 Lavenite (Na,Ca)2(Mn,Fe)(Zr,Ti,Nb)Si2O7(O,OH,F) P 2₁/a 2/m

09.BE.17 Niocalite Ca14Nb2(Si2O7)4O6F2 Pa m

09.BE.17 Normandite! NaCa(Mn,Fe)(Ti,Nb,Zr)Si2O7(O,F)2 P 2₁/a 2/m

09.BE.17 Wohlerite NaCa2(Zr,Nb)Si2O7(O,OH,F)2 P 2₁/m 2/m

09.BE.17 Marianoite! Na2Ca4(Nb,Zr)2(Si2O7)2(O,F)4 P 2₁ 2/m

Other Niocalite Information

References:

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

See Also:

Links to other databases for Niocalite :
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

Search for Niocalite using:

[AOL] [Bing] [Dog Pile] [GeoScienceWorld] [HotBot] [Ixquick] [Lycos] [MAMMA] [Scirus] [Teoma] [WebCrawler] [Wikipedia] [YAHOO]

Visit our Advertisers for Niocalite :

A Bijoux Google Search for Niocalite
Adam's Minerals Google Search for Niocalite
Cape Minerals Google Search for Niocalite
Dakota Matrix Minerals Google Search for Niocalite
Excalibur Mineral Corp. Google Search for Niocalite
Exceptional Minerals Google Search for Niocalite
John Betts Fine Minerals Search for Niocalite
McDougall Minerals Google Search for Niocalite
Mineral News Website Link
Rock and Mineral Shows Google Search for Niocalite
Weinrich Minerals, Inc. Google Search for Niocalite

Ask about Niocalite 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 Niocalite Specimen Label here :

Niocalite

Ca14Nb2(Si2O7)4O6F2
Dana No: 56.02.04.06 Strunz No: 09.BE.17
Locality:

Notes: