Biphosphammite Mineral Data

General Biphosphammite Information

Chemical Formula:

(NH4,K)H2PO4

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 120.29 gm

Potassium 8.13 % K 9.79 % K₂O

Phosphorus 25.75 % P 59.00 % P₂O₅

Hydrogen 2.51 % H - % Calc as (NH₄)₂O

Hydrogen 1.68 % H 14.98 % H₂O

Nitrogen 8.73 % N 16.23 % (NH₄)₂O

Oxygen 53.20 % O

______ ______

100.00 % 100.00 % = TOTAL OXIDE

Empirical Formula:

(NH₄)_0.75K_0.25H₂(PO₄)

Environment:

Occurs as an alteration of phosphammite in guano, due to loss of ammonium (NH4).

IMA Status:

Valid Species (Pre-IMA) 1870

Locality:

On Guanape Island, south of Trujillo, Peru. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

As a BIPHOSPHate of AMMonium.

Name Pronunciation:

Biphosphammite + Pronunciation

Biphosphammite Image

Images:

Biphosphammite

Comments: Vuggy, dark green-brown biphosphammite.
Location: Mason Bat Cave, Mason County, Texas, USA. Scale: See Photo.
© Jeff Weissman / Photographic Guide to Mineral Species

Images:

Archerite Biphosphammite

Comments: Buff-colored biphosphammite with white archerite crusts.
Location: Cockelbiddy Cave, Western Australia, Australia. Scale: See Photo.
© Jeff Weissman / Photographic Guide to Mineral Species

Biphosphammite Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:c = 1:0.98082

Cell Dimensions:

a = 7.4835, c = 7.34, Z = 4; V = 411.06 Den(Calc)= 1.94

Crystal System:

Tetragonal - Scalenohedral H-M Symbol (4 2m) Space Group: I 42d

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

By Intensity(I/I_o): 3.75(1), 3.02(0.9), 5.24(0.9),

Physical Properties of Biphosphammite

Cleavage:

None

Color:

Brown, Colorless, Gray white.

Density:

2.04

Diaphaneity:

Transparent to Translucent

Hardness:

1-2 - Between Talc and Gypsum

Luster:

Vitreous (Glassy)

Streak:

white

Optical Properties of Biphosphammite

Gladstone-Dale:

CI meas= -0.383 (Poor) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC)
CI calc= -0.455 (Poor) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.259,KPDmeas= 0.2463,KC= 0.1781
Ncalc = 1.35 - 1.36

Optical Data:

Uniaxial (-), e=1.48, w=1.525, bire=0.0450.

Calculated Properties of Biphosphammite

Electron Density:

Bulk Density (Electron Density)=2.10 gm/cc
note: Specific Gravity of Biphosphammite =2.04 gm/cc.

Fermion Index:

Fermion Index = 0.08
Boson Index = 0.92

Photoelectric:

PE_{Biphosphammite}= 2.06 barns/electron
U=PE_{Biphosphammite} x r_electron= 4.33 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

GRapi = 120.85 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)
Concentration of Biphosphammite per GRapi unit = 0.83 (%)

Estimated Radioactivity from Biphosphammite - barely detectable

Biphosphammite Classification

Dana Class:

37.01.04.01 (37)Anhydrous Acid Phosphates, etc

(37.01)with miscellaneous formulae

(37.01.04)Dana Group

37.01.04.01 Biphosphammite (NH4,K)H2PO4 I 42d 4 2m

37.01.04.02 Archerite (K,NH4)H2PO4 I 42d 4 2m

Strunz Class:

08.AD.15 08 - PHOSPHATES, ARSENATES, VANADATES

08.A - Phosphates, etc. without additional anions, without H2O

08.AD -With only large cations

08.AD.15 Archerite (K,NH4)H2PO4 I 42d 4 2m

08.AD.15 Biphosphammite (NH4,K)H2PO4 I 42d 4 2m

Other Biphosphammite Information

References:

NAME( AntBidBlaNic4) PHYS. PROP.(Enc. of Minerals,2nd ed.,1990) OPTIC PROP.(Enc. of Minerals,2nd ed.,1990)

See Also:

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

Biphosphammite

(NH4,K)H2PO4
Dana No: 37.01.04.01 Strunz No: 08.AD.15
Locality:

Notes:

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