Niter Mineral Data

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General Niter Information

Chemical Formula:

KNO3

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 101.10 gm

Potassium 38.67 % K 46.58 % K₂O

Nitrogen 13.85 % N 53.42 % N₂O₅

Oxygen 47.47 % O

______ ______

100.00 % 100.00 % = TOTAL OXIDE

Empirical Formula:

K(NO₃)

Environment:

Efflorescence on cavern walls.

IMA Status:

Valid Species (Pre-IMA) Prehistoric

Locality:

Limestone caves in Kentucky and Tennessee. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

Named derived from Herbraic neter, used in ancient times for alkaline salts extracted by water from vegetable ashes.

Name Pronunciation:

Niter

Synonym:

ICSD 10289

Nitre

PDF 5-377

Salpeter

Niter Image

Images:

Niter

Comments: Tan to white crystalline granular niter.
Location: Buffalo River Valley, Searcy County, Arkansas, USA. Scale: See Photo.
© Jeff Weissman / Photographic Guide to Mineral Species

Niter Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:b:c =0.5907:1:0.7017

Cell Dimensions:

a = 5.414, b = 9.164, c = 6.431, Z = 4; V = 319.07 Den(Calc)= 2.10

Crystal System:

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

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

By Intensity(I/I_o): 3.78(1), 3.73(0.56), 3.033(0.55),

Crystal Structure:

Mouse
drag1 - LMB Manipulate Structure
drag2 - RMB Resize/Rotate
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S - Stereo Pair on/off
H - Help Screen
I - Data Info
A - Atoms On/Off
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Help on Above

Adiwidjaja G , Pohl D , Acta Crystallographica, Section C , 59 (2003) p.i139-i140, Superstructure of a-phase potassium nitrate, Locality: synthetic

Physical Properties of Niter

Cleavage:

{001} Very Good, {010} Good

Color:

Colorless, White, Gray.

Density:

2.1 - 2.11, Average = 2.1

Diaphaneity:

Transparent

Fracture:

Brittle - Uneven - Very brittle fracture producing uneven fragments.

Habit:

Encrustations - Forms crust-like aggregates on matrix.

Habit:

Massive - Granular - Common texture observed in granite and other igneous rock.

Hardness:

2 - Gypsum

Luster:

Vitreous (Glassy)

Streak:

white

Optical Properties of Niter

Gladstone-Dale:

CI meas= 0.038 (Excellent) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC)
CI calc= 0.036 (Excellent) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.2127,KPDmeas= 0.2122,KC= 0.2206
Ncalc = 1.46 - 1.47

Optical Data:

Biaxial (-), a=1.332, b=1.504, g=1.504, bire=0.1720, 2V(Calc)=0, 2V(Meas)=7. Dispersion weak, r < v.

Calculated Properties of Niter

Electron Density:

Bulk Density (Electron Density)=2.08 gm/cc
note: Specific Gravity of Niter =2.10 gm/cc.

Fermion Index:

Fermion Index = 0.13
Boson Index = 0.87

Photoelectric:

PE_Niter= 4.07 barns/electron
U=PE_Niter x r_electron= 8.44 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

GRapi = 551.91 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)
Concentration of Niter per GRapi unit =1,811.89 (PPM)

**Estimated Radioactivity from Niter** - mild
Specimen Size Weight/Volume (Sphere) *	Calculated Activity Bequerols (Bq)	Calculated Activity Curies (Ci)	Estimated Activity GR(api)	Estimated Exposure (mRem**)/hr If Held in Hand For One Hour
1000 gm / 9.69 cm	11,718	3.17E-07	551.91	0.18
100 gm / 4.50 cm	1,172	3.17E-08	55.19	0.02
10 gm / 2.09 cm	117	3.17E-09	5.52	0.00
1 gm / 9.69 mm	12	3.17E-10	0.55	0.00
0.1 gm / 4.50 mm	1	3.17E-11	0.06	0.00
0.01 gm / 2.09 mm	0	3.17E-12	0.01	0.00
0.001 gm / 0.97 mm	0	3.17E-13	0.00	0.00

Weight of pure Niter in grams (gm) and Calculated Diameter of a Sphere with a Density of 2.10 gm/cc.*
Goverment Estimate of Average Annual Exposure ( 360 mRem) **
Note: 10 microsieverts/hr = 1 mRem/hr **
Max Permissable Adult Dose 50,000 mRem/yr (hands), 15,000 mRem/yr (eyes)
Lethal Dose LD(50) Exposure 400,000 to 500,000 mRem

Niter Classification

Dana Class:

18.01.02.01 (18)Simple Nitrates

(18.01)where A xNO3 · x(H2O), x can equal zero

(18.01.02)Niter Series

18.01.02.01 Niter KNO3 Pmcn 2/m 2/m 2/m

18.01.02.02 Gwihabaite! (NH4,K)(NO3) Pbnm 2/m 2/m 2/m

Strunz Class:

05.NA.10 05 - CARBONATES (NITRATES)

05.N - NITRATES

05.NA -Without OH or H2O

05.NA.10 Niter KNO3 Pmcn 2/m 2/m 2/m

Other Niter Information

References:

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

See Also:

Links to other databases for Niter :
1 - Am. Min. Crystal Structure Database
2 - Amethyst Galleries' Mineral Gallery
3 - Athena
4 - GeoScienceWorld
5 - Google Images
6 - Google Scholar
7 - Handbook of Mineralogy (MinSocAm)
8 - Handbook of Mineralogy (UofA)
9 - MinDAT
10 - Mineralienatlas (Deutsch)
11 - Online Mineral Museum
12 - QUT Mineral Atlas
13 - Ruff.Info
14 - WWW-MINCRYST

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Ask about Niter here :
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Mineral Discussion Forum from Fabre Minerals - also available in Español

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

Niter

KNO3
Dana No: 18.01.02.01 Strunz No: 05.NA.10
Locality:

Notes: