Mirabilite Mineral Data

General Mirabilite Information

Chemical Formula:

Na2SO4•10(H2O)

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 322.20 gm

Sodium 14.27 % Na 19.24 % Na₂O

Hydrogen 6.26 % H 55.91 % H₂O

Sulfur 9.95 % S 24.85 % SO₃

Oxygen 69.52 % O

______ ______

100.00 % 100.00 % = TOTAL OXIDE

Empirical Formula:

Na₂(SO₄)•10(H₂O)

Environment:

Saline mineral deposited from sodium sulfate-chloride brines. Very prominent in cold weather in such brines.

IMA Status:

Valid Species (Pre-IMA) 1845

Locality:

Vulcano Island, Messina Province, Sicily. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

Named after the Latin, sal mirabile - "miracle salt" expressing Glauber's surprise on its synthesis.

Name Pronunciation:

Mirabilite + Pronunciation

Synonym:

ICSD 30505

PDF 11-647

Mirabilite Image

Images:

Mirabilite

Comments: Colorless grains and indistinct crystals of mirabilite. The mineral dehydrates quickly in dry air and must be preserved in a closed box.
Location: Willi Agatz Mine, Dresden, Saxony, Germany. Scale: Picture size 4 mm.
© Thomas Witzke / Abraxas-Verlag

Mirabilite Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:b:c =1.2386:1:1.1091

Cell Dimensions:

a = 12.82, b = 10.35, c = 11.48, Z = 4; beta = 107.66° V = 1,451.46 Den(Calc)= 1.47

Crystal System:

Monoclinic - PrismaticH-M Symbol (2/m) Space Group: P 2₁/a

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

By Intensity(I/I_o): 5.49(1), 3.21(0.75), 3.26(0.6),

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Crystal Structure:

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Levy H A , Lisensky G C , Acta Crystallographica, Section B , 34 (1978) p.3502-3510, Crystal structures of sodium sulfate decahydrate (Glauber s salt) and, sodium tetraborate decahydrate (borax). Redetermination by neutron diffraction, Locality: synthetic, Note: anisoU s from ICSD

Physical Properties of Mirabilite

Cleavage:

{100} Perfect, {001} Poor, {010} Poor

Color:

Colorless, White, Yellowish white, Greenish white.

Density:

1.49

Diaphaneity:

Transparent to translucent to opaque

Fracture:

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

Habit:

Crystalline - Coarse - Occurs as well-formed coarse sized crystals.

Habit:

Efflorescences - Crystals covering matrix, generally produced from transpiro-evaporation.

Habit:

Granular - Generally occurs as anhedral to subhedral crystals in matrix.

Hardness:

1.5-2 - Talc-Gypsum

Luminescence:

Non-fluorescent.

Luster:

Vitreous (Glassy)

Streak:

white

Optical Properties of Mirabilite

Gladstone-Dale:

CI meas= -0.013 (Superior) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC)
CI calc= -0.027 (Excellent) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.2778,KPDmeas= 0.2741,KC= 0.2706
Ncalc = 1.4

Optical Data:

Biaxial (-), a=1.396, b=1.4103, g=1.419, bire=0.0230, 2V(Calc)=74, 2V(Meas)=75.93. Dispersion none.

Pleochroism (x):

none.

Pleochroism (y):

non.

Calculated Properties of Mirabilite

Electron Density:

Bulk Density (Electron Density)=1.57 gm/cc
note: Specific Gravity of Mirabilite =1.49 gm/cc.

Fermion Index:

Fermion Index = 0.0010895072
Boson Index = 0.9989104928

Photoelectric:

PE_Mirabilite= 0.98 barns/electron
U=PE_Mirabilite x rElectron Density= 1.55 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

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

Mirabilite Classification

Dana Class:

29.02.02.01 (29)Hydrated Acid and Sulfates

(29.02)where (A+)2 XO4 · x(H2O)

(29.02.02)Dana Group

29.02.02.01 Mirabilite Na2SO4•10(H2O) P 2₁/a 2/m

Strunz Class:

07.CD.10 07 - SULFATES (SELENATES, TELLURATES)

07.C - Sulfates (selenates, etc.) without Additional Anions, with H2O

07.CD -With only large cations

07.CD.10 Mirabilite Na2SO4•10(H2O) P 2₁/a 2/m

Other Mirabilite Information

References:

NAME( AntBidBlaNic5) PHYS. PROP.(Enc. of Minerals,2nd ed.,1990) OPTIC PROP.(Enc. of Minerals,2nd ed.,1990)

See Also:

Links to other databases for Mirabilite :
1 - Am. Min. Crystal Structure Database
2 - Athena
3 - EUROmin Project
4 - Ecole des Mines de Paris
5 - GeoScienceWorld
6 - Glendale Community College
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

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Ask about Mirabilite 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 Mirabilite Specimen Label here :

Mirabilite

Na2SO4•10(H2O)
Dana No: 29.02.02.01 Strunz No: 07.CD.10
Locality:

Notes: