Mineralogy Database

Alstonite Mineral Data

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General Alstonite Information

Help on Chemical  Formula: Chemical Formula: BaCa(CO3)2
Help on Composition: Composition: Molecular Weight = 297.42 gm
   Barium   46.17 %  Ba   51.55 % BaO
   Calcium  13.48 %  Ca   18.85 % CaO
   Carbon    8.08 %  C    29.59 % CO2
   Oxygen   32.28 %  O
           ______        ______ 
           100.00 %      100.00 % = TOTAL OXIDE
Help on Empirical Formula: Empirical Formula: BaCa(CO3)2
Help on Environment: Environment: Low-temperature hydrothermal deposits. See other trimorphs paralstonite and barytocalcite.
Help on IMA Status: IMA Status: Valid Species (Pre-IMA) 1841
Help on Locality: Locality: Brownley Hill lead mine, Alston, Cumberland and Fallowfield lead mine hear Hexham, Northcumberland, England. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.
Help on Name Origin: Name Origin: Named after the locality.
Help on Name Pronunciation: Name Pronunciation: Alstonite + Pronunciation Say ALSTONITE
 

Alstonite Image

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  Alstonite

Comments: Transparent alstonite crystals.
Location: Hexham, Northumberland, England. Scale: Size Not Given.
© Lou Perloff / Photo Atlas of Minerals

Alstonite Crystallography

Help on Axial Ratios: Axial Ratios: a:b:c =1.2069:1:0.4252
Help on Cell Dimensions: Cell Dimensions: a = 17.38, b = 14.4, c = 6.123, Z = 10; alpha = 90.35°, beta = 90.12°, gamma = 120.08° V = 1,326.01 Den(Calc)= 3.72
Help on Crystal System: Crystal System: Triclinic Space Group: P1 or P1
Help on X Ray Diffraction: X Ray Diffraction: By Intensity(I/Io): 3.55(1), 2.507(0.35), 2.05(0.23),
Help on Forms: Forms:

Mouse
Dbl Clk - Start-Stop Rotation
RMB - Cycle Display Modes
Drag1 - Manipulate Crystal
Drag2 - Resize

Keyboard
S - Stereo
I - Indicies
<space> - Start-Stop Rotation
F - Fit to Screen
M - Menu

Help on Above

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

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Physical Properties of Alstonite

Help on Cleavage: Cleavage: {110} Imperfect
Help on Color: Color: Colorless, Gray, White, Pink.
Help on Density: Density: 3.69 - 3.71, Average = 3.7
Help on Diaphaneity: Diaphaneity: Transparent to translucent
Help on Fracture: Fracture: Uneven - Flat surfaces (not cleavage) fractured in an uneven pattern.
Help on Habit: Habit: Euhedral Crystals - Occurs as well-formed crystals showing good external form.
Help on Habit: Habit: Pseudo Hexagonal - Crystals show a hexagonal outline.
Help on Hardness: Hardness: 4-4.5 - Between Fluorite and Apatite
Help on Luminescence: Luminescence: Fluorescent, Long UV=weak yellow.
Help on Luster: Luster: Vitreous (Glassy)
Help on Streak: Streak: white
 

Optical Properties of Alstonite

Help on Gladstone-Dale: Gladstone-Dale: CI meas= -0.002 (Superior) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC)
CI calc= 0.003 (Superior) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.1675,KPDmeas= 0.1684,KC= 0.168
Ncalc = 1.62 - 1.63
Help on Optical Data: Optical Data: Biaxial (-), a=1.526, b=1.671, g=1.672, bire=0.1460, 2V(Calc)=8, 2V(Meas)=6. Dispersion r > v weak.
 

Calculated Properties of Alstonite

Help on Electron Density: Electron Density: Bulk Density (Electron Density)=3.38 gm/cc
note: Specific Gravity of Alstonite =3.70 gm/cc.
Help on Fermion Index: Fermion Index: Fermion Index = 0.08
Boson Index = 0.92
Help on Photoelectric: Photoelectric: PEAlstonite = 204.28 barns/electron
U=PEAlstonite x rElectron Density= 691.22 barns/cc.
Help on Radioactivity: Radioactivity: GRapi = 0 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)
Alstonite is Not Radioactive
 

Alstonite Classification

Help on  Dana Class: Dana Class: 14.02.05.01 (14)Anhydrous Carbonates
  (14.02)with Compound Formula A+ B++ (CO3)2
  (14.02.05)Dana Group
 
14.02.05.01 Alstonite BaCa(CO3)2 P1 or P1 Tri
Help on  Strunz Class: Strunz Class: 05.AB.35 05 - CARBONATES (NITRATES)
  05.A - Carbonates without additional anions, without H2O
  05.AB -Alkali-earth (and other M2+) carbonates
 
05.AB.35 Alstonite BaCa(CO3)2 P1 or P1 Tri
 

Other Alstonite Information

Help on References: References: NAME( Dana8) PHYS. PROP.(Dana8) OPTIC PROP.(Dana8)
Help on See Also: See Also: Links to other databases for Alstonite :
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

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

Alstonite

BaCa(CO3)2
Dana No: 14.02.05.01 Strunz No: 05.AB.35
Locality:

 

Notes:

 

 
   
 


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