Struvite Mineral Data

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General Struvite Information

Chemical Formula:

(NH4)MgPO4•6(H2O)

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 245.41 gm

Magnesium 9.90 % Mg 16.42 % MgO

Phosphorus 12.62 % P 28.92 % P₂O₅

Hydrogen 1.64 % H - % Calc as (NH₄)₂O

Hydrogen 4.93 % H 44.05 % H₂O

Nitrogen 5.71 % N 10.61 % (NH₄)₂O

Oxygen 65.20 % O

______ ______

100.00 % 100.00 % = TOTAL OXIDE

Empirical Formula:

(NH₄)Mg(PO₄)•6(H₂O)

IMA Status:

Valid Species (Pre-IMA) 1845

Locality:

Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

Named after the Russian diplomat, H. G. von Struve (1772-1851).

Name Pronunciation:

Struvite

Synonym:

ICSD 14269

PDF 47-1744

Struvite Image

Images:

Struvite

Comments: Opaque, white crystal struvite aggregates in earthy matrix.
Location: Skipton Caves, Victoria, Australia. Scale: See Photo.
© Jeff Weissman / Photographic Guide to Mineral Species

Images:

Struvite

Comments: Yellow-brown tabular struvite crystal. Struvite is of organogenic origin and this type locality example is formed in manure pits.
Location: Nicolaikirche, Hamburg, Germany. Scale: Specimen Size 1 x 1 x 1 cm.
© Tom Loomis / Dakota Matrix

Struvite Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:b:c =0.6196:1:0.5474

Cell Dimensions:

a = 6.945, b = 11.208, c = 6.1355, Z = 2; V = 477.58 Den(Calc)= 1.71

Crystal System:

Orthorhombic - PyramidalH-M Symbol (mm2) Space Group: P mn2₁

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

By Intensity(I/I_o): 4.257(1), 5.601(0.6), 2.919(0.55),

Forms:

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Forms: ( 0 1 1) ( 1 0 2) ( 1 0 0) ( 0 0 1)

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Crystal Structure:

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Ferraris G , Fuess H , Joswig W , Acta Crystallographica, Section B , 42 (1986) p.253-258, Neutron diffraction study of MgNH4PO4*6H2O (struvite), and survey of water molecules donating short hydrogen bonds

Physical Properties of Struvite

Cleavage:

{100} Perfect

Color:

White, Yellowish white, Brownish white.

Density:

1.7

Diaphaneity:

Transparent to Translucent

Fracture:

Uneven - Flat surfaces (not cleavage) fractured in an uneven pattern.

Habit:

Euhedral Crystals - Occurs as well-formed crystals showing good external form.

Habit:

Platy - Sheet forms (e.g. micas).

Hardness:

1.5-2 - Talc-Gypsum

Luster:

Vitreous - Dull

Streak:

white

Optical Properties of Struvite

Gladstone-Dale:

CI meas= -0.245 (Poor) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC)
CI calc= -0.237 (Poor) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.2914,KPDmeas= 0.2931,KC= 0.2355
Ncalc = 1.4

Optical Data:

Biaxial (+), a=1.495, b=1.496, g=1.504, bire=0.0090, 2V(Calc)=40, 2V(Meas)=37.367.

Calculated Properties of Struvite

Electron Density:

Bulk Density (Electron Density)=1.81 gm/cc
note: Specific Gravity of Struvite =1.71 gm/cc.

Fermion Index:

Fermion Index = 0.06
Boson Index = 0.94

Photoelectric:

PE_Struvite= 0.96 barns/electron
U=PE_Struvite x rElectron Density= 1.74 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

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

Struvite Classification

Dana Class:

40.01.01.01 (40)Hydrated Phosphates, etc

(40.01)where A++ B++ (XO4) · x(H2O)

(40.01.01)Struvite Group

40.01.01.01 Struvite (NH4)MgPO4•6(H2O) P mn2₁ mm2

40.01.01.02 Struvite-(K)! KMg(PO4)•6(H2O) P mn2₁ mm2

40.01.01.03 Hazenite KNaMg2(PO4)2•14H2O Pmnb 2/m 2/m 2/m

Strunz Class:

08.CH.40 08 - PHOSPHATES, ARSENATES, VANADATES

08.C - Phosphates without Additional Anions, with H2O

08.CH -With large and medium-sized cations, RO4:H2O < 1:1

08.CH.40 Struvite (NH4)MgPO4•6(H2O) P mn2₁ mm2

08.CH.40 Struvite-(K)! KMg(PO4)•6(H2O) P mn2₁ mm2

08.CH.40 Hazenite KNaMg2(PO4)2•14H2O Pmnb 2/m 2/m 2/m

Other Struvite Information

References:

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

See Also:

Links to other databases for Struvite :
1 - Alkali-Nuts(English)
2 - Alkali-Nuts(Francais)
3 - Am. Min. Crystal Structure Database
4 - Athena
5 - EUROmin Project
6 - Ecole des Mines de Paris
7 - Google Images
8 - Google Scholar
9 - Handbook of Mineralogy (MinSocAm)
10 - Handbook of Mineralogy (UofA)
11 - MinDAT
12 - MinMax(Deutsch)
13 - MinMax(English)
14 - Mineralienatlas (Deutsch)
15 - Philatelic Mineralogy
16 - QUT Mineral Atlas
17 - Ruff.Info
18 - WWW-MINCRYST

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

Struvite

(NH4)MgPO4•6(H2O)
Dana No: 40.01.01.01 Strunz No: 08.CH.40
Locality:

Notes: