Mineralogy Database

Bischofite Mineral Data

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General Bischofite Information

Help on Chemical Formula: Chemical Formula: MgCl2•6(H2O)
Help on Composition: Composition: Molecular Weight = 203.30 gm
   Magnesium  11.96 %  Mg   19.82 % MgO
   Hydrogen    5.95 %  H    53.17 % H2O
   Chlorine   34.88 %  Cl   34.88 % Cl
                -   %   Cl   -7.87 % -O=Cl2   
   Oxygen     47.22 %  O
             ______        ______ 
             100.00 %      100.00 % = TOTAL OXIDE
Help on Empirical Formula: Empirical Formula: MgCl2•6(H2O)
Help on Environment: Environment: Marine evaporites. Terminal crystallization point in the K-Mg-Na salt sequence. Commonly enriched in Br.
Help on IMA Status: IMA Status: Valid Species (Pre-IMA) 1877
Help on Locality: Locality: Leopoldshall and Stassfut, Germany. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.
Help on Name Origin: Name Origin: For Karl Gustav Bischo (1792-1870), German geologist and mineral chemist, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany.
Help on Name Pronunciation: Name Pronunciation: Bischofite + Pronunciation Say BISCHOFITE
Help on Synonym: Synonym: ICSD 47161
  PDF 25-515
 

Bischofite Image

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  Bischofite

Comments: Colorless grains of bischofite. The mineral is very hygroscopic and must be stored in a closed vial.
Location: Stassfurt, Stassfurt Deposit, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Scale: Picture size 5 mm.
© Thomas Witzke / Abraxas-Verlag

Bischofite Crystallography
Help on Axial Ratios: Axial Ratios: a:b:c =1.3846:1:0.8531
Help on Cell Dimensions: Cell Dimensions: a = 9.9, b = 7.15, c = 6.1, Z = 2; beta = 93.7° V = 430.89 Den(Calc)= 1.57
Help on Crystal System: Crystal System: Monoclinic - Prismatic H-M Symbol (2/m) Space Group: C 2/m
Help on X Ray Diffraction: X Ray Diffraction: By Intensity(I/Io): 4.1(1), 2.65(0.75), 2.88(0.5),
Help on Forms: Forms:

Mouse
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RMB - Cycle Display Modes
Drag1 - Manipulate Crystal
Drag2 - Resize
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I - Indicies
<space> - Start-Stop Rotation
F - Fit to Screen
M - Menu
Help on Above

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

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Physical Properties of Bischofite

Help on Cleavage: Cleavage: None
Help on Color: Color: Colorless, White.
Help on Density: Density: 1.56
Help on Diaphaneity: Diaphaneity: Translucent to transparent
Help on Fracture: Fracture: Conchoidal - Uneven - Uneven fracture producing small, conchoidal fragments.
Help on Habit: Habit: Deliquescent - Crystals absorb water from the air and melt or otherwise deteriorate.
Help on Habit: Habit: Fibrous - Crystals made up of fibers.
Help on Habit: Habit: Massive - Granular - Common texture observed in granite and other igneous rock.
Help on Hardness: Hardness: 1.5-2 - Talc-Gypsum
Help on Luster: Luster: Vitreous - Greasy
Help on Streak: Streak: white
 

Optical Properties of Bischofite

Help on Optical Data: Optical Data: Biaxial (+), a=1.495, b=1.507, g=1.528, bire=0.0330, 2V(Calc)=76, 2V(Meas)=79.4.
 

Calculated Properties of Bischofite

Help on Electron Density: Electron Density: Bulk Density (Electron Density)=1.64 gm/cc
note: Specific Gravity of Bischofite =1.57 gm/cc.
Help on Fermion Index: Fermion Index: Fermion Index = 0.01
Boson Index = 0.99
Help on Photoelectric: Photoelectric: PEBischofite = 2.58 barns/electron
U=PEBischofite x rElectron Density= 4.22 barns/cc.
Help on Radioactivity: Radioactivity: GRapi = 0 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)
Bischofite is Not Radioactive
 

Bischofite Classification
Help on Dana Class: Dana Class: 09.02.09.01 (09)Anhydrous and Hydrated Halides
  (09.02)where A (X)2
  (09.02.09)Bischofite Group
 
09.02.09.01 Bischofite MgCl2•6(H2O) C 2/m 2/m
 
09.02.09.02 Nickelbischofite NiCl2•6(H2O) C 2/m 2/m
Help on Strunz Class: Strunz Class: 03.BB.15 03 - HALIDES
  03.B - Simple Halides, with H2O
  03.BB -M:X = 1:2
 
03.BB.15 Bischofite MgCl2•6(H2O) C 2/m 2/m
 

Other Bischofite Information
Help on References: References: NAME( Ford32) 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 Bischofite :
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
15 - WWW-MINCRYST

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Bischofite

MgCl2•6(H2O)
Dana No: 09.02.09.01 Strunz No: 03.BB.15
Locality:

 

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