Gaylussite Mineral Data

General Gaylussite Information

Chemical Formula:

Na2Ca(CO3)2•5(H2O)

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 296.15 gm

Sodium 15.53 % Na 20.93 % Na₂O

Calcium 13.53 % Ca 18.94 % CaO

Hydrogen 3.40 % H 30.42 % H₂O

Carbon 8.11 % C 29.72 % CO₂

Oxygen 59.43 % O

______ ______

100.00 % 100.00 % = TOTAL OXIDE

Empirical Formula:

CaNa₂(CO₃)₂•5(H₂O)

IMA Status:

Valid Species (Pre-IMA) 1826

Locality:

Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

Named after the French chemist and physicist, J. L. Gay-Lussac (1778-1850).

Name Pronunciation:

Gaylussite + Pronunciation

Synonym:

Gay Lussite

Natrocalcite

Gaylussite Image

Images:

Gaylussite

Comments: Clear, nearly colorless crystals of gaylussite.
Location: Trona, Searles Lake, San Bernardino County, California, USA. Scale: See Photo.
© Jeff Weissman / Photographic Guide to Mineral Species

Gaylussite Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:b:c =1.4897:1:1.4406

Cell Dimensions:

a = 11.589, b = 7.779, c = 11.207, Z = 4; beta = 102° V = 988.24 Den(Calc)= 1.99

Crystal System:

Monoclinic - PrismaticH-M Symbol (2/m) Space Group: I2/a

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

By Intensity(I/I_o): 3.205(1), 6.407(0.57), 2.635(0.54),

Forms:

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

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Crystal Structure:

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Dickens B , Brown W E , Inorganic Chemistry , 8 (1969) p.2093-2103, The crystal structures of CaNa2(CO3)2*5(H2O), synthetic gaylussite,, and CaNa2(CO3)2*2(H2O), synthetic pirssonite, Locality: synthetic

Physical Properties of Gaylussite

Cleavage:

{110} Perfect, {001} Indistinct

Color:

Colorless, Gray, Gray white, Yellow, Yellowish white.

Density:

1.93 - 1.99, Average = 1.96

Diaphaneity:

Translucent

Fracture:

Conchoidal - Fractures developed in brittle materials characterized by smoothly curving surfaces, (e.g. quartz).

Habit:

Disseminated - Occurs in small, distinct particles dispersed in matrix.

Habit:

Tabular - Form dimensions are thin in one direction.

Hardness:

2.5 - Finger Nail

Luminescence:

Fluorescent, Long UV=blue-white.

Luster:

Vitreous (Glassy)

Streak:

white

Optical Properties of Gaylussite

Gladstone-Dale:

CI meas= -0.026 (Excellent) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC)
CI calc= -0.011 (Superior) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.2483,KPDmeas= 0.2521,KC= 0.2457
Ncalc = 1.47 - 1.49

Optical Data:

Biaxial (-), a=1.444, b=1.5155, g=1.523, bire=0.0790, 2V(Calc)=34, 2V(Meas)=34. Dispersion relatively strong.

Calculated Properties of Gaylussite

Electron Density:

Bulk Density (Electron Density)=2.04 gm/cc
note: Specific Gravity of Gaylussite =1.99 gm/cc.

Fermion Index:

Fermion Index = 0.0013652975
Boson Index = 0.9986347025

Photoelectric:

PE_Gaylussite= 2.06 barns/electron
U=PE_Gaylussite x rElectron Density= 4.21 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

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

Gaylussite Classification

Dana Class:

15.02.02.01 (15)Hydrated Carbonates

(15.02)where A+m B++n (XO3)p · x(H2O), (m+n):p > 1:1

(15.02.02)Dana Group

15.02.02.01 Gaylussite Na2Ca(CO3)2•5(H2O) I2/a 2/m

Strunz Class:

05.CB.35 05 - CARBONATES (NITRATES)

05.C - Carbonates without Additional Anions, with H2O

05.CB -With large cations (alkali and alkali-earth carbonates)

05.CB.35 Gaylussite Na2Ca(CO3)2•5(H2O) I2/a 2/m

Other Gaylussite Information

References:

NAME( Duda&Rejl90) PHYS. PROP.(Collectors Book of Fluorescent Minerals) OPTIC PROP.(Ford32)

See Also:

Links to other databases for Gaylussite :
1 - Am. Min. Crystal Structure Database
2 - Amethyst Galleries' Mineral Gallery
3 - Athena
4 - EUROmin Project
5 - Ecole des Mines de Paris
6 - GeoScienceWorld
7 - Google Images
8 - Google Scholar
9 - Handbook of Mineralogy (MinSocAm)
10 - Handbook of Mineralogy (UofA)
11 - MinDAT
12 - Mineralienatlas (Deutsch)
13 - Online Mineral Museum
14 - QUT Mineral Atlas
15 - Ruff.Info
16 - WWW-MINCRYST

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Ask about Gaylussite here :
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Mindat.org's Discussion Groups
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Print or Cut-and-Paste your Gaylussite Specimen Label here :

Gaylussite

Na2Ca(CO3)2•5(H2O)
Dana No: 15.02.02.01 Strunz No: 05.CB.35
Locality:

Notes: