Pachnolite Mineral Data

Pachnolite Mineral Data +

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General Pachnolite Information

Chemical Formula:

NaCaAlF6·(H2O)

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 222.06 gm

Sodium 10.35 % Na 13.96 % Na₂O

Calcium 18.05 % Ca 25.25 % CaO

Aluminum 12.15 % Al 22.96 % Al₂O₃

Hydrogen 0.91 % H 8.11 % H₂O

Oxygen 7.21 % O

Fluorine 51.33 % F 51.33 % F

- % F -21.62 % -O=F₂

______ ______

100.00 % 100.00 % = TOTAL OXIDE

Empirical Formula:

NaCaAlF₆·(H₂O)

Environment:

Alteration product of cryolite.

IMA Status:

Valid Species (Pre-IMA) 1863

Locality:

Greenland, Ural Mountains, Russia. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Synonym:

ICSD 40132

PDF 5-356

Pachnolite Image

Images:

Pachnolite

Comments: Color-zoned (darker core) prismatic translucent pachnolite crystals, with secondary white prismatic microcrystals.
Location: Ivigtut, Greenland. Scale: See Photo.
© Jeff Weissman / Photographic Guide to Mineral Species

Pachnolite Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:b:c =1.1638:1:1.5056

Cell Dimensions:

a = 12.12, b = 10.414, c = 15.68, Z = 16; beta = 90.36° V = 1,979.05 Den(Calc)= 2.98

Crystal System:

Monoclinic - PrismaticH-M Symbol (2/m) Space Group: F2/d

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

By Intensity(I/I_o): 3.95(1), 1.971(0.9), 2.79(0.7),

Forms:

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

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Crystal Structure:

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Hawthorne F C , Ferguson R B , The Canadian Mineralogist , 21 (1983) p.561-566, The crystal structure of pachnolite

Physical Properties of Pachnolite

Cleavage:

[001] Poor

Color:

Colorless, White.

Density:

2.98

Diaphaniety:

Transparent

Fracture:

Brittle - Uneven - Very brittle fracture producing uneven fragments.

Habit:

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

Habit:

Pseudo Orthorhombic - Crystals show an orthorhombic shape.

Habit:

Twinning Common - Crystals are usually twinned.

Hardness:

3 - Calcite

Luminescence:

Non-fluorescent.

Luster:

Vitreous - Greasy

Magnetism:

Nonmagnetic

Streak:

white

Optical Properties of Pachnolite

Gladstone-Dale:

CI meas= 0.222 (Poor) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC)
CI calc= 0.222 (Poor) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.1391,KPDmeas= 0.1391,KC= 0.1788

Optical Data:

Biaxial (+), a=1.411, b=1.413, g=1.42, bire=0.0090

Calculated Properties of Pachnolite

Electron Density:

r_electron=2.90 gm/cc
note: r_Pachnolite=2.98 gm/cc.

Fermion Index

Fermion Index = 0.00027
Boson Index = 0.99973

Photoelectric:

PE_Pachnolite= 3.06 barns/electron
U=PE_Pachnolite x r_electron= 8.87 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

GRapi = 0 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)

Pachnolite is Not Radioactive

Pachnolite Classification

Dana Class:

11.6.5.1 (11)Halide Complexes; Alumino-fluorides

(11.6)with miscellaneous formulae

(11.6.5)Dana Group

11.6.5.1 Pachnolite NaCaAlF6·(H2O) F2/d 2/m

Strunz Class:

III/C.02-10 III - Halogenides

III/C - Double halogenides with water, Fluorides

III/C.02 - Pachnolite - Yaroslavite series

III/C.02-10 Pachnolite NaCaAlF6·(H2O) F2/d 2/m

III/C.02-20 Thomsenolite NaCaAlF6·(H2O) P 2₁/c 2/m

III/C.02-30 Yaroslavite Ca3Al2F10(OH)2·(H2O) Unk Ortho

Other Pachnolite Information

References:

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

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

Pachnolite

NaCaAlF6·(H2O)
Dana No: 11.6.5.1 Strunz No: III/C.02-10
Locality:

Notes: