Catalanoite Mineral Data

General Catalanoite Information

Chemical Formula:

Na2H(PO4)• 8(H2O)

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 287.40 gm

Sodium 16.48 % Na 22.21 % Na₂O

Phosphorus 10.78 % P 24.69 % P₂O₅

Hydrogen 5.94 % H 53.09 % H₂O

Oxygen 66.80 % O

______ ______

100.00 % 100.00 % = TOTAL OXIDE

Empirical Formula:

Na_2.06H_0.94(PO₄)•8(H₂O)

Environment:

It is an evaporite mineral formed in a desert playa lake.

IMA Status:

Approved IMA 2002 (Dana # Added)

Locality:

Laguna de Santa Maria, about 5 km east of the Argentina-Chile border, in the Andean Puna, Los Andes Department, Salta Province, Argentina Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

Named for Luciano R. Catalano (1890-1970), well-known Argentine economic geologist and pioneer in the study of Andean salars in the Puna.

Synonym:

IMA2002-008

Catalanoite Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:b:c =0.9863:1:1.411

Cell Dimensions:

a = 11.488, b = 11.647, c = 16.435, Z = 8; V = 2,199.02 Den(Calc)= 1.74

Crystal System:

Orthorhombic - Dipyramidal H-M Symbol (2/m 2/m 2/m) Space Group: I bca

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

By Intensity(I/I_o): 2.782(1)(141), 3.751(0.81)(213), 2.8763(0.77)(400),2.7443(0.74)(042), 4.731(0.62)(022), 4.897(0.43)(211), 5.779(0.4)(112), 2.7281(0.39)(314), 1.9909(0.38)(523),

Physical Properties of Catalanoite

Cleavage:

None

Color:

Colorless.

Diaphaneity:

Transparent

Fracture:

Fragile - Crystals with a delicate and easily injured structure.

Habit:

Microscopic Crystals - Crystals visible only with microscopes.

Habit:

Pyramidal - Crystals are shaped like pyramids.

Habit:

Tabular - Form dimensions are thin in one direction.

Hardness:

2 - Gypsum

Luster:

Vitreous - Resinous

Streak:

white

Optical Properties of Catalanoite

Gladstone-Dale:

CI calc= 0.029 (Excellent) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.2602,KC= 0.2679
Ncalc = 1.47

Optical Data:

Biaxial (-), a=1.443, b=1.457, g=1.458, bire=0.0150, 2V(Calc)=28, 2V(Meas)=29.6. Dispersion r > v strong.

Calculated Properties of Catalanoite

Electron Density:

Bulk Density (Electron Density)=1.82 gm/cc
note: Specific Gravity of Catalanoite =1.74 gm/cc.

Fermion Index:

Fermion Index = 0.0003295676
Boson Index = 0.9996704324

Photoelectric:

PE_Catalanoite= 0.92 barns/electron
U=PE_Catalanoite x rElectron Density= 1.68 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

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

Catalanoite Classification

Dana Class:

39.01.08.02 (39)Hydrated Acid Phosphates, etc

(39.01)A+ [HXO4] � x(H2O)

(39.01.08)Dana Group

39.01.08.01 Dorfmanite Na2(PO3OH)•2(H2O) Unk Ortho

39.01.08.02 Catalanoite! Na2H(PO4)•8(H2O) I bca 2/m 2/m 2/m

Strunz Class:

08.CJ.70 08 - PHOSPHATES, ARSENATES, VANADATES

08.C - Phosphates without Additional Anions, with H2O

08.CJ -With only large cations

08.CJ.70 Catalanoite! Na2H(PO4)•8(H2O) I bca 2/m 2/m 2/m

Other Catalanoite Information

References:

NAME( CanMin, 42:1906) PHYS. PROP.(CanMin, 42:1906) OPTIC PROP.(CanMin, 42:1906)

See Also:

Links to other databases for Catalanoite :
1 - Am. Min. Crystal Structure Database
2 - Athena
3 - GeoScienceWorld
4 - Google Images
5 - Google Scholar
6 - MinDAT
7 - Mineralienatlas (Deutsch)
8 - Online Mineral Museum
9 - QUT Mineral Atlas
10 - Ruff.Info

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Print or Cut-and-Paste your Catalanoite Specimen Label here :

Catalanoite

Na2H(PO4)• 8(H2O)
Dana No: 39.01.08.02 Strunz No: 08.CJ.70
Locality:

Notes:

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