Balangeroite Mineral Data

General Balangeroite Information

Chemical Formula:

(Mg,Fe+++,Fe++,Mn++)42Si16O54(OH)40

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 3,377.84 gm

Magnesium 19.21 % Mg 31.86 % MgO

Manganese 2.76 % Mn 3.57 % MnO

Iron 19.51 % Fe 17.02 % FeO / 8.98 % Fe₂O₃

Silicon 13.30 % Si 28.46 % SiO₂

Hydrogen 1.11 % H 9.95 % H₂O

Oxygen 44.10 % O

______ ______

100.00 % 99.83 % = TOTAL OXIDE

Empirical Formula:

Mg_26.7Fe²⁺₈Fe³⁺_3.8Mn²⁺_1.7Si₁₆O_55.8(OH)_37.3

Environment:

In shistose serpentinite in proximity to a large ultramafic massif.

IMA Status:

Approved IMA 1983

Locality:

Balangero (San Vittore) mine, Piedmont, Italy. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

Named for the locality.

Name Pronunciation:

Balangeroite + Pronunciation

Balangeroite Image

Images:

Balangeroite

Comments: Brown fiberous crystals of balangeroite in metamorphic shist.
Location: Mt. S,Vittore, Balangero, Piedmont, Italy. Scale: 5 1/2" x 2 1/4".
© Chris Wright / Wrights Rock Shop

Balangeroite Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:b:c =1:1:0.4974

Cell Dimensions:

a = 19.4, b = 19.4, c = 9.65, Z = 2; beta = 88.9° V = 3,631.20 Den(Calc)= 3.09

Crystal System:

Monoclinic - Prismatic H-M Symbol (2/m) Space Group: P 2/n

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

By Intensity(I/I_o): 2.714(1), 6.77(0.8), 2.674(0.75),3.378(0.45), 2.516(0.4), 3.278(0.4), 9.59(0.4),

Physical Properties of Balangeroite

Cleavage:

{???} Very Good, {???} Very Good

Color:

Brownish yellow, Dark brown.

Density:

2.96 - 3.1, Average = 3.03

Diaphaneity:

Subtranslucent to Opaque

Habit:

Fibrous - Crystals made up of fibers.

Luster:

Vitreous - Greasy

Streak:

brownish white

Optical Properties of Balangeroite

Gladstone-Dale:

CI meas= -0.002 (Superior) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC)
CI calc= 0.018 (Superior) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.2201,KPDmeas= 0.2244,KC= 0.2241
Ncalc = 1.66 - 1.69

Optical Data:

Biaxial (?), a=1.68, g=1.68, bire=0.0000

Pleochroism (x):

dark brown.

Pleochroism (z):

yellow brown.

Calculated Properties of Balangeroite

Electron Density:

Bulk Density (Electron Density)=3.01 gm/cc
note: Specific Gravity of Balangeroite =3.03 gm/cc.

Fermion Index:

Fermion Index = 0.02
Boson Index = 0.98

Photoelectric:

PE_Balangeroite= 7.38 barns/electron
U=PE_Balangeroite x rElectron Density= 22.18 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

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

Balangeroite Classification

Dana Class:

65.03.02.01 (65)Inosilicate Single-Width Unbranched Chains, W=1

(65.03)with chains P=4

(65.03.02)Gageite group

65.03.02.01 Balangeroite (Mg,Fe,Fe,Mn)42Si16O54(OH)40 P 2/n 2/m

65.03.02.02a Gageite-2M (Mn,Mg,Zn)42Si16O54(OH)40 P 2/n 2/m

65.03.02.02b Gageite (Mn,Mg,Zn)42Si16O54(OH)40 P1 1

Strunz Class:

09.DH.35 09 - SILICATES (Germanates)

09.D - Inosilicates* Structural terminology according to Liebau (1985)

09.DH -Inosilicates with 4-periodic single chains, Si4O12

09.DH.35 Balangeroite (Mg,Fe,Fe,Mn)42Si16O54(OH)40 P 2/n 2/m

09.DH.35 Gageite-2M (Mn,Mg,Zn)42Si16O54(OH)40 P 2/n 2/m

09.DH.35 Gageite (Mn,Mg,Zn)42Si16O54(OH)40 P1 1

Other Balangeroite Information

References:

NAME( AntBidBlaNic2) PHYS. PROP.(Enc. of Minerals,2nd ed.,1990) OPTIC PROP.(AntBidBlaNic2)

See Also:

Links to other databases for Balangeroite :
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 Balangeroite Specimen Label here :

Balangeroite

(Mg,Fe+++,Fe++,Mn++)42Si16O54(OH)40
Dana No: 65.03.02.01 Strunz No: 09.DH.35
Locality:

Notes:

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