Spodumene Mineral Data

Spodumene Mineral Data +

General Spodumene Information

Chemical Formula:

LiAlSi2O6

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 186.09 gm

Lithium 3.73 % Li 8.03 % Li₂O

Aluminum 14.50 % Al 27.40 % Al₂O₃

Silicon 30.18 % Si 64.58 % SiO₂

Oxygen 51.59 % O

______ ______

100.00 % 100.00 % = TOTAL OXIDE

Empirical Formula:

LiAl(Si₂O₆)

Environment:

Lithium-bearing granitic pegmatites.

IMA Status:

Valid Species (Pre-IMA) 1800

Locality:

Pala district, San Diego Co., California. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

Spodumene is from the Greek, spodoumenos, "burnt to ash," alluding to the ashy color of early specimens. Kunzite is named after the American gem expert, G. F. Kunz (1856-1932). Hi ddenite is named after the American mi

Synonym:

Hiddenite - emerald green

ICSD 30521

Kunzite - pink, violet, purple

PDF 33-786

Triphane - colorless, yellow

Spodumene Image

Images:

Spodumene

Comments: Stacked crystals of Spodumene (Var. Kunzite).
Location: Galileia, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Scale: Crystal size 7 cm.
© Dave Barthelmy

Spodumene Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:b:c =1.1442:1:0.631

Cell Dimensions:

a = 9.52, b = 8.32, c = 5.25, Z = 4; beta = 110.3333° V = 389.92 Den(Calc)= 3.17

Crystal System:

Monoclinic - PrismaticH-M Symbol (2/m) Space Group: C 2/c

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

By Intensity(I/I_o): 2.921(1), 2.793(0.9), 4.205(0.75),

Forms:

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Crystal Structure:

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Cameron M , Sueno S , Prewitt C T , Papike J J , American Mineralogist , 58 (1973) p.594-618, High-temperature crystal chemistry of acmite, diopside, hedenbergite, jadeite,, spodumene, and ureyite, T = 24 C, pyroxene

View Additional jPOWD Structure files for Spodumene
[1] [10] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9]

Physical Properties of Spodumene

Cleavage:

[110] Perfect, [100] Good

Color:

Grayish white, Pink, Violet, Emerald green, Yellow.

Density:

3.1 - 3.2, Average = 3.15

Diaphaniety:

Transparent to translucent

Fracture:

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

Habit:

Bladed - Aggregates of thin lath-like crystals (e.g. kyanite).

Habit:

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

Hardness:

6.5-7 - Pyrite-Quartz

Luminescence:

Non-fluorescent.

Luster:

Vitreous (Glassy)

Streak:

white

Optical Properties of Spodumene

Gladstone-Dale:

CI meas= 0.025 (Excellent) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC)
CI calc= 0.031 (Excellent) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.209,KPDmeas= 0.2103,KC= 0.2157

Optical Data:

Biaxial (+), a=1.648-1.661, b=1.655-1.67, g=1.662-1.679, bire=0.0140-0.0180, 2V(Calc)=88, 2V(Meas)=54-69. Dispersion weak, r < v.

Pleochroism (x):

colorless, colorless, or colorless.

Pleochroism (y):

violet pink, emerald green, or yellow.

Pleochroism (z):

purple pink, bluish green, or greenish yellow.

Calculated Properties of Spodumene

Electron Density:

r_electron=3.11 gm/cc
note: r_Spodumene=3.15 gm/cc.

Fermion Index

Fermion Index = 0.01714
Boson Index = 0.98286

Photoelectric:

PE_Spodumene= 1.61 barns/electron
U=PE_Spodumene x r_electron= 5.02 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

GRapi = 0 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)

Spodumene is Not Radioactive

Spodumene Classification

Dana Class:

65.1.4.1 (65)Inosilicate Single-Width Unbranched Chains, W=1

(65.1)with chains P=2

(65.1.4)Li pyroxenes

65.1.4.1 Spodumene LiAlSi2O6 C 2/c 2/m

Strunz Class:

VIII/F.01-120 VIII - Silicates

VIII/F - Inosilicates (chain and band) double chains [Si2O6]4-

VIII/F.01 - Pyroxene group, Clinopyroxene

VIII/F.01-10 Clinoenstatite Mg2Si2O6 P 2₁/c 2/m

VIII/F.01-20 Clinoferrosilite (Fe,Mg)2Si2O6 P 2₁/c 2/m

VIII/F.01-30 Kanoite (Mn,Mg)2Si2O6 P 2₁/c 2/m

VIII/F.01-40 Pigeonite (Mg,Fe,Ca)(Mg,Fe)Si2O6 P 2₁/c 2/m

VIII/F.01-50 Diopside CaMgSi2O6 C 2/c 2/m

VIII/F.01-60 Hedenbergite CaFeSi2O6 C 2/c 2/m

VIII/F.01-70 Johannsenite CaMnSi2O6 C 2/c 2/m

VIII/F.01-80 Petedunnite Ca(Zn,Mn,Fe,Mg)Si2O6 C 2/c 2/m

VIII/F.01-90 Augite (Ca,Na)(Mg,Fe,Al,Ti)(Si,Al)2O6 C 2/c 2/m

VIII/F.01-100 Omphacite (Ca,Na)(Mg,Fe,Al)Si2O6 P 2/n 2/m

VIII/F.01-110 Esseneite CaFeAlSiO6 C 2/c 2/m

VIII/F.01-120 Spodumene LiAlSi2O6 C 2/c 2/m

VIII/F.01-130 Jadeite Na(Al,Fe)Si2O6 C 2/c 2/m

VIII/F.01-140 Aegirine NaFeSi2O6 C 2/c 2/m

VIII/F.01-145 Namansilite NaMn(Si2O6) C 2/c 2/m

VIII/F.01-150 Jervisite (Na,Ca,Fe)(Sc,Mg,Fe)Si2O6 C 2/c 2/m

VIII/F.01-160 Natalyite Na(V,Cr)Si2O6 C 2/c 2/m

VIII/F.01-170 Kosmochlor NaCrSi2O6 C 2/c 2/m

Other Spodumene Information

References:

NAME( Sinkankas66) PHYS. PROP.(Enc. of Minerals,2nd ed.,1990) OPTIC PROP.(Heinrich65)

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Spodumene

LiAlSi2O6
Dana No: 65.1.4.1 Strunz No: VIII/F.01-120
Locality:

Notes: