Bentorite Mineral Data

General Bentorite Information
Chemical Formula:	Ca6(Cr,Al)2(SO4)3(OH)12•26(H2O)
Composition:	Molecular Weight = 1,292.63 gm
	Calcium 18.60 % Ca 26.03 % CaO
	Aluminum 1.04 % Al 1.97 % Al₂O₃
	Chromium 6.03 % Cr 8.82 % Cr₂O₃
	Hydrogen 4.99 % H 44.60 % H₂O
	Sulfur 7.44 % S 18.58 % SO₃
	Oxygen 61.89 % O
	______ ______
	100.00 % 100.00 % = TOTAL OXIDE
Empirical Formula:	Ca₆Cr_1.5Al_0.5(SO₄)₃(OH)₁₂•26(H₂O)
Environment:	Low-temperature hydrothermal veins in black calcite�spurrite marble.
IMA Status:	Approved IMA 1980
Locality:	Marble quarry in the Hatrurim Formation, near the Arad-Sodom road, Negev Desert, Israel. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.
Name Origin:	Named for Y.K. Bentor, Professor at the University of California, San Diego, California, USA, for his contributions to geology and mineralogy in Israel.
Name Pronunciation:	Bentorite + Pronunciation