Pachnolite Mineral Data

General Pachnolite Information

Chemical Formula:

NaCaAlF6•(H2O)

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 222.06 gm

Sodium 10.35 % Na 13.96 % Na₂O

Calcium 18.05 % Ca 25.25 % CaO

Aluminum 12.15 % Al 22.96 % Al₂O₃

Hydrogen 0.91 % H 8.11 % H₂O

Oxygen 7.21 % O

Fluorine 51.33 % F 51.33 % F

- % F -21.62 % -O=F₂

______ ______

100.00 % 100.00 % = TOTAL OXIDE

Empirical Formula:

NaCaAlF₆•(H₂O)

Environment:

Alteration product of cryolite.

IMA Status:

Valid Species (Pre-IMA) 1863

Locality:

Greenland, Ural Mountains, Russia. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

Named from the Greek for frost and stone, in allusion to its appearance.

Name Pronunciation:

Pachnolite + Pronunciation

Synonym:

ICSD 40132

PDF 5-356

Pachnolite Image

Images:

Pachnolite

Comments: Color-zoned (darker core) prismatic translucent pachnolite crystals, with secondary white prismatic microcrystals.
Location: Ivigtut, Greenland. Scale: See Photo.
© Jeff Weissman / Photographic Guide to Mineral Species

Pachnolite Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:b:c =1.1638:1:1.5056

Cell Dimensions:

a = 12.12, b = 10.414, c = 15.68, Z = 16; beta = 90.36° V = 1,979.05 Den(Calc)= 2.98

Crystal System:

Monoclinic - PrismaticH-M Symbol (2/m) Space Group: F2/d

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

By Intensity(I/I_o): 3.95(1), 1.971(0.9), 2.79(0.7),

Forms:

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

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Crystal Structure:

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Hawthorne F C , Ferguson R B , The Canadian Mineralogist , 21 (1983) p.561-566, The crystal structure of pachnolite

Physical Properties of Pachnolite

Cleavage:

{001} Poor

Color:

Colorless, White.

Density:

2.98

Diaphaneity:

Transparent

Fracture:

Brittle - Uneven - Very brittle fracture producing uneven fragments.

Habit:

Prismatic - Crystals Shaped like Slender Prisms (e.g. tourmaline).

Habit:

Pseudo Orthorhombic - Crystals show an orthorhombic shape.

Habit:

Twinning Common - Crystals are usually twinned.

Hardness:

3 - Calcite

Luminescence:

Non-fluorescent.

Luster:

Vitreous - Greasy

Magnetism:

Nonmagnetic

Streak:

white

Optical Properties of Pachnolite

Optical Data:

Biaxial (+), a=1.411, b=1.413, g=1.42, bire=0.0090

Calculated Properties of Pachnolite

Electron Density:

Bulk Density (Electron Density)=2.90 gm/cc
note: Specific Gravity of Pachnolite =2.98 gm/cc.

Fermion Index:

Fermion Index = 0.0002796037
Boson Index = 0.9997203963

Photoelectric:

PE_Pachnolite= 3.06 barns/electron
U=PE_Pachnolite x rElectron Density= 8.87 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

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

Pachnolite Classification

Dana Class:

11.06.05.01 (11)Halide Complexes; Alumino-fluorides

(11.06)with miscellaneous formulae

(11.06.05)Dana Group

11.06.05.01 Pachnolite NaCaAlF6•(H2O) F2/d 2/m

Strunz Class:

03.CB.40 03 - HALIDES

03.C - Complex Halides

03.CB -Neso-aluminofluorides

03.CB.40 Pachnolite NaCaAlF6•(H2O) F2/d 2/m

03.CB.40 Thomsenolite NaCaAlF6•(H2O) P 2₁/c 2/m

Other Pachnolite Information

References:

NAME( Ford32) PHYS. PROP.(Enc. of Minerals,2nd ed.,1990) OPTIC PROP.(Enc. of Minerals,2nd ed.,1990)

See Also:

Links to other databases for Pachnolite :
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

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Ask about Pachnolite here :
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Print or Cut-and-Paste your Pachnolite Specimen Label here :

Pachnolite

NaCaAlF6•(H2O)
Dana No: 11.06.05.01 Strunz No: 03.CB.40
Locality:

Notes: