Lithosite Mineral Data

General Lithosite Information

Chemical Formula:

K6Al4Si8O25•(H2O)

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 985.20 gm

Potassium 23.81 % K 28.68 % K₂O

Aluminum 10.95 % Al 20.70 % Al₂O₃

Silicon 22.81 % Si 48.79 % SiO₂

Hydrogen 0.20 % H 1.83 % H₂O

Oxygen 42.22 % O

______ ______

100.00 % 100.00 % = TOTAL OXIDE

Empirical Formula:

K₆Al₄Si₈O₂₅•(H₂O)

Environment:

Ultra-agpaitic pegmatite cutting nepheline syenite in a drill core.

IMA Status:

Approved IMA 1983

Locality:

Vuonemiok River, southern Khibiny massif, Kola Peninsula, Russia. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

Named from the Greek "lithos", stone, because it contains the most abundant components of the Earth's crust.

Name Pronunciation:

Lithosite + Pronunciation

Synonym:

ICSD 62357

PDF 37-457

Lithosite Image

Images:

Lithosite

Comments: Transparent nearly colorless lithosite in syenite rock.
Location: Vuonnemiok River, Khibiny Massif, Kola Peninsula, Murmansk District, Russia. Scale: See Photo.
© Jeff Weissman / Photographic Guide to Mineral Species

Lithosite Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:b:c =1.485:1:0.8242

Cell Dimensions:

a = 15.197, b = 10.233, c = 8.435, Z = 2; beta = 90.21° V = 1,311.73 Den(Calc)= 2.49

Crystal System:

Monoclinic - SphenoidalH-M Symbol (2) Space Group: P 2₁ (pseudo ORTH)

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

By Intensity(I/I_o): 3.07(1), 3.26(0.84), 3.46(0.84),

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

Physical Properties of Lithosite

Cleavage:

None

Color:

Colorless.

Density:

2.51

Diaphaneity:

Transparent

Fracture:

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

Habit:

Irregular Grains - Occurs as splotchy, anhedral crystals forming inclusions in other minerals or rocks.

Hardness:

5.5 - Knife Blade

Luster:

Vitreous (Glassy)

Streak:

white

Optical Properties of Lithosite

Gladstone-Dale:

CI meas= 0.004 (Superior) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC)
CI calc= -0.004 (Superior) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.2075,KPDmeas= 0.2058,KC= 0.2068
Ncalc = 1.51 - 1.52

Optical Data:

Biaxial (+), a=1.51, b=1.513, g=1.527, bire=0.0170, 2V(Calc)=52, 2V(Meas)=47.

Pleochroism (x):

nearly colorless.

Pleochroism (y):

nearly colorless.

Pleochroism (z):

pale rose.

Calculated Properties of Lithosite

Electron Density:

Bulk Density (Electron Density)=2.47 gm/cc
note: Specific Gravity of Lithosite =2.49 gm/cc.

Fermion Index:

Fermion Index = 0.01
Boson Index = 0.99

Photoelectric:

PE_Lithosite= 3.57 barns/electron
U=PE_Lithosite x r_electron= 8.82 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

GRapi = 340.36 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)
Concentration of Lithosite per GRapi unit = 0.29 (%)

Estimated Radioactivity from Lithosite - barely detectable

Lithosite Classification

Dana Class:

77.02.02.01 (77)Tectosilicate Zeolite group

(77.02)related species

(77.02.02)Dana Group

77.02.02.01 Lithosite K6Al4Si8O25•(H2O) P 2₁ (pseudo ORTH) 2

Strunz Class:

09.GB.05 09 - SILICATES (Germanates)

09.G - Tektosilicates with Zeolitic H2O

09.GB -Chains of single connected 4-membered rings

09.GB.05 Ammonioleucite (NH4,K)AlSi2O6 I 4₁/a 4/m

09.GB.05 Analcime NaAlSi2O6•(H2O) P1 1

09.GB.05 Hsianghualite Ca3Li2Be3(SiO4)3F2 I 2₁3 2 3

09.GB.05 Lithosite K6Al4Si8O25•(H2O) P 2₁ (pseudo ORTH) 2

09.GB.05 Leucite KAlSi2O6 I 4₁/a 4/m

09.GB.05 Pollucite (Cs,Na)2Al2Si4O12•(H2O) I a3d 4/m 3 2/m

09.GB.05 Wairakite CaAl2Si4O12•2(H2O) I2/a 2/m

Other Lithosite Information

References:

NAME( Dana8) PHYS. PROP.(Dana8) OPTIC PROP.(Dana8)

See Also:

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

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Ask about Lithosite here :
Ask-A-Mineralogist from the Mineralogical Society of America
Mindat.org's Discussion Groups
Original Rockhounds Discussion Group
Rockhounds Discussion Group on Yahoo Groups
Mineral Discussion Forum from Fabre Minerals - also available in Español

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

Lithosite

K6Al4Si8O25•(H2O)
Dana No: 77.02.02.01 Strunz No: 09.GB.05
Locality:

Notes: