Mineralogy Database

Bikitaite Mineral Data

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General Bikitaite Information

Help on Chemical  Formula: Chemical Formula: Li2[Al2Si4O12]•2(H2O)
Help on Composition: Composition: Molecular Weight = 408.21 gm
   Lithium    3.40 %  Li    7.32 % Li2O
   Aluminum  13.22 %  Al   24.98 % Al2O3
   Silicon   27.52 %  Si   58.88 % SiO2
   Hydrogen   0.99 %  H     8.83 % H2O
   Oxygen    54.87 %  O
            ______        ______ 
            100.00 %      100.00 % = TOTAL OXIDE
Help on Empirical Formula: Empirical Formula: Li2Al2(Si2O6)2•2(H2O)
Help on Environment: Environment: Occurs as a late-formed mineral in fractures in lithium-rich pegmatites.
Help on IMA Status: IMA Status: Valid Species (Pre-IMA) 1957
Help on Locality: Locality: From Bikita, Zimbabwe. In the Foote mine, Kings Mountain, Cleveland Co., North Carolina, USA. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.
Help on Name Origin: Name Origin: For the locality.
Help on Name Pronunciation: Name Pronunciation: Bikitaite + Pronunciation Say BIKITAITE
Help on Synonym: Synonym: ICSD 6250
  PDF 14-168
 

Bikitaite Image

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  Bikitaite

Comments: Clear, crystalline bikitaite laths on matrix.
Location: Foote mine, Kings Mountain, Cleveland County, North Carolina, USA. Scale: Size Not Given.
© Lou Perloff / Photo Atlas of Minerals

Bikitaite Crystallography

Help on Axial Ratios: Axial Ratios: a:b:c =1.736:1:1.5324
Help on Cell Dimensions: Cell Dimensions: a = 8.606, b = 4.9573, c = 7.597, Z = 1; alpha = 89.89°, beta = 114.42°, gamma = 89.96° V = 295.11 Den(Calc)= 2.30
Help on Crystal System: Crystal System: Triclinic - Pedial H-M Symbol (1) Space Group: P1
Help on X Ray Diffraction: X Ray Diffraction: By Intensity(I/Io): 3.37(1), 3.46(1), 4.2(0.9),
 

Physical Properties of Bikitaite

Help on Cleavage: Cleavage: {100} Perfect, {001} Good
Help on Color: Color: Colorless, White.
Help on Density: Density: 2.28
Help on Diaphaneity: Diaphaneity: Transparent
Help on Fracture: Fracture: Conchoidal - Fractures developed in brittle materials characterized by smoothly curving surfaces, (e.g. quartz).
Help on Habit: Habit: Aggregates - Made of numerous individual crystals or clusters.
Help on Hardness: Hardness: 6 - Orthoclase
Help on Luminescence: Luminescence: Fluorescent, Short UV=butter yellow, Long UV=butter yellow.
Help on Luster: Luster: Vitreous (Glassy)
Help on Streak: Streak: white
 

Optical Properties of Bikitaite

Help on Gladstone-Dale: Gladstone-Dale: CI meas= -0.002 (Superior) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC)
CI calc= 0.006 (Superior) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.2252,KPDmeas= 0.2272,KC= 0.2266
Ncalc = 1.52
Help on Optical Data: Optical Data: Biaxial (-), a=1.51, b=1.521, g=1.523, bire=0.0130
Help on Pleochroism (x): Pleochroism (x): colorless.
Help on Pleochroism (y): Pleochroism (y): colorless.
Help on Pleochroism (z): Pleochroism (z): colorless.
 

Calculated Properties of Bikitaite

Help on Electron Density: Electron Density: Bulk Density (Electron Density)=2.28 gm/cc
note: Specific Gravity of Bikitaite =2.28 gm/cc.
Help on Fermion Index: Fermion Index: Fermion Index = 0.01
Boson Index = 0.99
Help on Photoelectric: Photoelectric: PEBikitaite = 1.49 barns/electron
U=PEBikitaite x rElectron Density= 3.39 barns/cc.
Help on Radioactivity: Radioactivity: GRapi = 0 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)
Bikitaite is Not Radioactive
 

Bikitaite Classification

Help on  Dana Class: Dana Class: 77.02.01.01 (77)Tectosilicate Zeolite group
  (77.02)related species
  (77.02.01)Dana Group
 
77.02.01.01 Bikitaite Li2[Al2Si4O12]•2(H2O) P1 1
Help on  Strunz Class: Strunz Class: 09.GD.55 09 - SILICATES (Germanates)
  09.G - Tektosilicates with Zeolitic H2O
  09.GD -Chains of 6-membered rings � tabular zeolites
 
09.GD.55 Bikitaite Li2[Al2Si4O12]•2(H2O) P1 1
 

Other Bikitaite Information

Help on References: References: NAME( AntBidBlaNic2) PHYS. PROP.(Enc. of Minerals,2nd ed.,1990) OPTIC PROP.(Enc. of Minerals,2nd ed.,1990)
Help on See Also: See Also: Links to other databases for Bikitaite :
1 - Am. Min. Crystal Structure Database
2 - Athena
3 - Ecole des Mines de Paris
4 - GeoScienceWorld
5 - Google Images
6 - Google Scholar
7 - Handbook of Mineralogy (MinSocAm)
8 - Handbook of Mineralogy (UofA)
9 - MinDAT
10 - Mineralienatlas (Deutsch)
11 - Online Mineral Museum
12 - QUT Mineral Atlas
13 - Ruff.Info
14 - WWW-MINCRYST
15 - Zeolite Database by Bruno Herreros

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Bikitaite

Li2[Al2Si4O12]•2(H2O)
Dana No: 77.02.01.01 Strunz No: 09.GD.55
Locality:

 

Notes:

 

 
   
 


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