Caracolite Mineral Data

General Caracolite Information

Chemical Formula:

Na3Pb2(SO4)3Cl

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 807.01 gm

Sodium 8.55 % Na 11.52 % Na₂O

Lead 51.35 % Pb 55.31 % PbO

Sulfur 11.92 % S 29.76 % SO₃

Chlorine 4.39 % Cl 4.39 % Cl

- % Cl -0.99 % -O=Cl₂

Oxygen 23.79 % O

______ ______

100.00 % 100.00 % = TOTAL OXIDE

Empirical Formula:

Na₃Pb₂(SO₄)₃Cl

Environment:

Secondary mineral in the oxidized zone of chlorine-rich lead deposits.

IMA Status:

Valid Species (Pre-IMA) 1886

Locality:

Beatriz, Herminia, Santa Ana, and San Rafael mines, Sierra Gorda district, southwest of Calama, Antofagasta, Chile. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

Named for Caracoles, a town near the Beatriz mine, Chile.

Caracolite Image

Images:

Caracolite

Comments: Nearly transparent colorless thin crystalline crust of caracolite.
Location: Iquique, Tarapaca, Chile. Scale: See Photo.
© Jeff Weissman / Photographic Guide to Mineral Species

Images:

Caracolite

Comments: Flat lying hexagonal prismatic crystals of caracolite on matrix.
Location: Challacollo Mine near Oficina Victoria, Chile. Scale: Crystal size 0.5 cm.
© John Veevaert

Caracolite Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:b:c =2.7478:1:1.3739

Cell Dimensions:

a = 19.62, b = 7.14, c = 9.81, Z = 4; beta = 120° V = 1,190.14 Den(Calc)= 4.50

Crystal System:

Monoclinic - Prismatic H-M Symbol (2/m) Space Group: P 2₁/m

Physical Properties of Caracolite

Cleavage:

{???} Perfect

Color:

Blue, Colorless, Greenish gray, Gray.

Density:

5.1

Diaphaneity:

Transparent

Hardness:

4.5 - Between Fluorite and Apatite

Luster:

Vitreous (Glassy)

Streak:

white

Optical Properties of Caracolite

Gladstone-Dale:

CI meas= 0.088 (Poor) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC)
CI calc= -0.034 (Excellent) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.1675,KPDmeas= 0.1478,KC= 0.162
Ncalc = 1.73 - 1.83

Optical Data:

Biaxial (-), a=1.743, b=1.754, g=1.764, bire=0.0210

Calculated Properties of Caracolite

Electron Density:

Bulk Density (Electron Density)=3.99 gm/cc
note: Specific Gravity of Caracolite =4.50 gm/cc.

Fermion Index:

Fermion Index = 0.11
Boson Index = 0.89

Photoelectric:

PE_Caracolite= 889.74 barns/electron
U=PE_Caracolite x rElectron Density=3,552.28 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

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

Caracolite Classification

Dana Class:

30.03.02.01 (30)Anhydrous Sulfates Containing Hydroxyl or Halogen

(30.03)with miscellaneous formulae

(30.03.02)Dana Group

30.03.02.01 Caracolite Na3Pb2(SO4)3Cl P 2₁/m 2/m

Strunz Class:

07.BD.20 07 - SULFATES (SELENATES, TELLURATES)

07.B - Sulfates (selenates, etc.) with Additional Anions, without H2O

07.BD -With only large cations

07.BD.20 Cesanite Na7Ca3(SO4)6(OH)•0.8(H2O) P 6 6

07.BD.20 Caracolite Na3Pb2(SO4)3Cl P 2₁/m 2/m

Other Caracolite Information

References:

NAME( AntBidBlaNic5) PHYS. PROP.(Enc. of Minerals,2nd ed.,1990) OPTIC PROP.(Enc. of Minerals,2nd ed.,1990)

See Also:

Links to other databases for Caracolite :
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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Print or Cut-and-Paste your Caracolite Specimen Label here :

Caracolite

Na3Pb2(SO4)3Cl
Dana No: 30.03.02.01 Strunz No: 07.BD.20
Locality:

Notes:

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