Tassieite Mineral Data

General Tassieite Information

Chemical Formula:

(Na,[ ])Ca2(Mg,Fe++,Fe+++)2(Fe+++,Mg)2(Fe++,Mg)2(PO4)6(H2O)2

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 955.32 gm

Sodium 1.44 % Na 1.95 % Na₂O

Calcium 8.22 % Ca 11.51 % CaO

Yttrium 0.19 % Y 0.24 % Y₂O₃

Ytterbium 0.18 % Yb 0.21 % Yb₂O₃

Magnesium 6.59 % Mg 10.93 % MgO

Manganese 0.29 % Mn 0.37 % MnO

Iron 19.70 % Fe 14.89 % FeO / 11.62 % Fe₂O₃

Phosphorus 19.39 % P 44.43 % P₂O₅

Hydrogen 0.42 % H 3.77 % H₂O

Sulfur 0.03 % S 0.08 % SO₃

Oxygen 43.54 % O

______ ______

100.00 % 99.98 % = TOTAL OXIDE

Empirical Formula:

Na_0.6Ca_1.96Mg_2.59Mn²⁺_0.05Fe²⁺_1.98Fe³⁺_1.39Y_0.02Yb_0.01S_0.01P_5.98O₂₄·2(H₂O)

Environment:

Secondary mineral in a nodule of fluoroapatite in a bioitite-quartz-plagioclase paragneiss. Wicksite group.

IMA Status:

Approved IMA 2005 (Dana # Added)

Locality:

Johnston Fjord, Stornes Peninsula, Larsemann Hills, Prydz Bay, East Antarctica Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

Named for Tassie Tarn, a nearby lake at the locality.

Synonym:

IMA2005-051

Tassieite Image

Images:

Tassieite

Comments: Thin-section image in plane-polarized light of bluish gray tassieite in a band of alteration (abundant particles) cutting fluorapatite (Ap). Inset image illustrates cleavage.
Location: Granulite-facies paragneiss from Stornes Peninsula, Larsemann Hills, Pyrdz Bay, East Antarctica. (CanMin, v45:293). Scale: See Image.
© Canadian Mineralogist

Tassieite Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:b:c =1.0745:1:1.0995

Cell Dimensions:

a = 12.4595, b = 11.5955, c = 12.7504, Z = 4; V = 1,842.10 Den(Calc)= 3.44

Crystal System:

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

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

By Intensity(I/I_o): 2.735(1), 2.895(0.8), 3(0.8),3.497(0.4), 2.091(0.3), 2.545(0.1), 6.4(0.05),

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

Grew E S , Armbruster T , Medenbach O , Yates M G , Carson C J , The Canadian Mineralogist , 45 (2007) p.293-305

Physical Properties of Tassieite

Cleavage:

{100} Perfect, {1kl} Distinct

Color:

Dark green.

Diaphaneity:

Transparent to translucent

Fracture:

Brittle - Generally displayed by glasses and most non-metallic minerals.

Habit:

Inclusions - Generally found as inclusions in other minerals.

Luster:

Vitreous (Glassy)

Streak:

very light green

Optical Properties of Tassieite

Gladstone-Dale:

CI calc= 0.009 (Superior) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.208,KC= 0.2099
Ncalc = 1.72

Optical Data:

Biaxial (+), a=1.712, b=1.713, g=1.722, bire=0.0100, 2V(Calc)=38, 2V(Meas)=46. Dispersion very weak.

Calculated Properties of Tassieite

Electron Density:

Bulk Density (Electron Density)=3.38 gm/cc
note: Specific Gravity of Tassieite =3.44 gm/cc.

Fermion Index:

Fermion Index = 0.01
Boson Index = 0.99

Photoelectric:

PE_Tassieite= 9.90 barns/electron
U=PE_Tassieite x r_electron= 33.45 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

GRapi = 189.73 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)
Concentration of Tassieite per GRapi unit = 0.53 (%)

Estimated Radioactivity from Tassieite - barely detectable

Tassieite Classification

Dana Class:

40.02.10.03 (40)Hydrated Phosphates, etc

(40.02)where A++ (B++)2 (XO4) · x(H2O)

(40.02.10)Dana Group

40.02.10.01 Wicksite NaCa2(Fe,Mn)4MgFe(PO4)6•2(H2O) P bca 2/m 2/m 2/m

40.02.10.02 Bederite! ([],Na)Ca2(Mn,Mg,Fe)2(Fe,Mg,Al)2Mn2(PO4)6•2(H2O) Pcab 2/m 2/m 2/m

40.02.10.03 Tassieite! (Na,[])Ca2(Mg,Fe,Fe)2(Fe,Mg)2(Fe,Mg)2(PO4)6(H2O)2 P bca 2/m 2/m 2/m

Strunz Class:

08.CF.05 08 - PHOSPHATES, ARSENATES, VANADATES

08.C - Phosphates without Additional Anions, with H2O

08.CF -With large and medium-sized cations, RO4:H2O > 1:1

08.CF.05 Grischunite NaCa2Mn5Fe(AsO4)6•2(H2O) Pcab 2/m 2/m 2/m

08.CF.05 Wicksite NaCa2(Fe,Mn)4MgFe(PO4)6•2(H2O) P bca 2/m 2/m 2/m

08.CF.05 Bederite! ([],Na)Ca2(Mn,Mg,Fe)2(Fe,Mg,Al)2Mn2(PO4)6•2(H2O) Pcab 2/m 2/m 2/m

08.CF.05 Tassieite! (Na,[])Ca2(Mg,Fe,Fe)2(Fe,Mg)2(Fe,Mg)2(PO4)6(H2O)2 P bca 2/m 2/m 2/m

Other Tassieite Information

References:

NAME( AmMin, v92:1778) PHYS. PROP.(AmMin, v92:1778) OPTIC PROP.(AmMin, v92:1778)

See Also:

Links to other databases for Tassieite :
1 - Am. Min. Crystal Structure Database
2 - Athena
3 - GeoScienceWorld
4 - Google Images
5 - Google Scholar
6 - MinDAT
7 - Mineralienatlas (Deutsch)
8 - Online Mineral Museum
9 - QUT Mineral Atlas
10 - Ruff.Info

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

Tassieite

(Na,[ ])Ca2(Mg,Fe++,Fe+++)2(Fe+++,Mg)2(Fe++,Mg)2(PO4)6(H2O)2
Dana No: 40.02.10.03 Strunz No: 08.CF.05
Locality:

Notes: