Zaherite Mineral Data

Zaherite Mineral Data +

General Zaherite Information

Chemical Formula:

Al12(SO4)5(OH)26·20H20

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 1,606.59 gm

Aluminum 20.15 % Al 38.08 % Al₂O₃

Hydrogen 4.14 % H 37.00 % H₂O

Sulfur 9.98 % S 24.92 % SO₃

Oxygen 65.73 % O

______ ______

100.00 % 100.00 % = TOTAL OXIDE

Empirical Formula:

Al₁₂(SO₄)₅(OH)₂₆·20(H₂O)

Environment:

In a massive kaolinite-boehmite rock.

IMA Status:

Approved IMA 1977

Locality:

Salt Range, Pakistan. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

Named for M. A. Zaher, Geological Survey of Bangladesh, who discovered the mineral.

Zaherite Image

Images:

Zaherite

Comments: Gray to white translucent prismatic to massive zaherite comprising portion of rock.
Location: Pella, Namaqualand, Northern Cape Province, South Africa. Scale: See Photo.
© Jeff Weissman / Photographic Guide to Mineral Species

Zaherite Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:b:c =0.9496:1:0.1938

Cell Dimensions:

a = 18.475, b = 19.454, c = 3.771, Z = 1; alpha = 95.24°, beta = 91.48°, gamma = 80.24° V = 1,329.70 Den(Calc)= 2.01

Crystal System:

TriclinicSpace Group: P1 or P1

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

By Intensity(I/I_o): 18.12(1), 3.22(0.8), 4.61(0.8),

Physical Properties of Zaherite

Cleavage:

[???] Good

Color:

White, Light bluish green.

Density:

2.007 - 2.011, Average = 2

Diaphaniety:

Transparent to Translucent

Habit:

Cryptocrystalline - Occurs as crystals too small to distinguish with the naked eye.

Habit:

Massive - Uniformly indistinguishable crystals forming large masses.

Hardness:

3.5 - Copper Penny

Luster:

Earthy (Dull)

Streak:

white

Optical Properties of Zaherite

Gladstone-Dale:

CI meas= 0.003 (Superior) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC)
CI calc= 0.003 (Superior) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.2479,KPDmeas= 0.2481,KC= 0.2487

Optical Data:

Biaxial (+), a=1.498, b=1.4981, g=1.499, bire=0.0010, 2V(Calc)=38, 2V(Meas)=moderate.

Calculated Properties of Zaherite

Electron Density:

r_electron=2.08 gm/cc
note: r_Zaherite=2.01 gm/cc.

Fermion Index

Fermion Index = 0.00107
Boson Index = 0.99893

Photoelectric:

PE_Zaherite= 1.29 barns/electron
U=PE_Zaherite x r_electron= 2.67 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

GRapi = 0 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)

Zaherite is Not Radioactive

Zaherite Classification

Dana Class:

31.10.3.1 (31)Hydrated Sulfates Containing Hydroxyl or Halogen

(31.10)miscellaneous

(31.10.3)Dana Group

31.10.3.1 Zaherite Al12(SO4)5(OH)26·20H20 P1 or P1 Tri

Strunz Class:

VI/D.06-80 VI - Sulfates,Chromates,Molybdates and Tungstates

VI/D - Water-bearing sulfates with unfamiliar anions. cations of medium size

VI/D.06 - Aluminite series, Jurbanite - Zaherite

VI/D.06-10 Jurbanite Al(SO4)(OH)·5(H2O) P 2₁/n 2/m

VI/D.06-20 Khademite Al(SO4)F·5(H2O) Pcab 2/m 2/m 2/m

VI/D.06-20* Rostite AlSO4(OH,F)·5(H2O) Pcba 2/m 2/m 2/m

VI/D.06-30 Meta-aluminite Al2(SO4)(OH)4·5(H2O) P 2₁/c ? 2/m

VI/D.06-40 Aluminite Al2(SO4)(OH)4·7(H2O) P 2₁/c 2/m

VI/D.06-50 Basaluminite Al4(SO4)(OH)10·5(H2O) P 2₁ 2

VI/D.06-60 Felsobanyaite Al4(SO4)(OH)10·5(H2O) Unk Hex

VI/D.06-70 Hydrobasaluminite Al4(SO4)(OH)10·12-36(H2O) Unk. Mono

VI/D.06-80 Zaherite Al12(SO4)5(OH)26·20H20 P1 or P1 Tri

Other Zaherite Information

References:

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

See Also:

Links to other databases for Zaherite :
1 -Am. Min. Crystal Structure Database 2 -Athena 3 - EUROmin Project 4 -Google Images 5 -Google Scholar 6 -Handbook of Mineralogy (UofA) 7 -MinDAT 8 -MinMax(Deutsch) 9 -MinMax(English) 10 -Mineralienatlas (Deutsch) 11 -QUT Mineral Atlas 12 -École des Mines de Paris

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

Zaherite

Al12(SO4)5(OH)26·20H20
Dana No: 31.10.3.1 Strunz No: VI/D.06-80
Locality:

Notes: