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Hectorite Mineral Data

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General Hectorite Information

Help on Chemical  Formula: Chemical Formula: Na0,3(Mg,Li)3Si4O10(OH)2
Help on Composition: Composition: Molecular Weight = 383.25 gm
   Sodium      2.40 %  Na    3.23 % Na2O
   Lithium     0.54 %  Li    1.17 % Li2O
   Magnesium  17.12 %  Mg   28.39 % MgO
   Silicon    29.31 %  Si   62.71 % SiO2
   Hydrogen    0.53 %  H     4.70 % H2O
   Oxygen     50.10 %  O
             ______        ______ 
             100.00 %      100.21 % = TOTAL OXIDE
Help on Empirical Formula: Empirical Formula: Na0.4Mg2.7Li0.3Si4O10(OH)2
Help on Environment: Environment: Clay mineral from altered volcanic tuff ash with a high silica content related to hot spring activity. Smectite group mineral.
Help on IMA Status: IMA Status: Valid Species (Pre-IMA) 1936
Help on Locality: Locality: Company No. 1 mine, 3 miles south of Hector, San Bernardino Co., California. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.
Help on Name Origin: Name Origin: Named after it's locality.
Help on Name Pronunciation: Name Pronunciation: Hectorite + Pronunciation Say HECTORITE
 

Hectorite Image

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  Hectorite

Comments: Pure white paper-like matted masses of hectorite.
Location: near Hector, San Bernardino County, California, USA. Scale: See Photo.
© Jeff Weissman / Photographic Guide to Mineral Species

Hectorite Crystallography

Help on Axial Ratios: Axial Ratios: a:b:c =0.5718:1:1.7429
Help on Cell Dimensions: Cell Dimensions: a = 5.25, b = 9.18, c = 16, Z = 3; beta = 99° V = 761.63 Den(Calc)= 2.51
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): 1.53(1), 4.58(1), 15.8(0.8),
 

Physical Properties of Hectorite

Help on Cleavage: Cleavage: {001} Perfect
Help on Color: Color: White.
Help on Density: Density: 2 - 3, Average = 2.5
Help on Diaphaneity: Diaphaneity: Translucent to Opaque
Help on Fracture: Fracture: Uneven - Flat surfaces (not cleavage) fractured in an uneven pattern.
Help on Habit: Habit: Aggregates - Made of numerous individual crystals or clusters.
Help on Hardness: Hardness: 1-2 - Between Talc and Gypsum
Help on Luminescence: Luminescence: Fluorescent, Short UV=weak sky blue, Long UV=bright sky blue.
Help on Luster: Luster: Earthy (Dull)
Help on Streak: Streak: white
 

Optical Properties of Hectorite

Help on Gladstone-Dale: Gladstone-Dale: CI meas= 0.055 (Good) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC)
CI calc= 0.058 (Good) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.2005,KPDmeas= 0.2013,KC= 0.2129
Ncalc = 1.43 - 1.64
Help on Optical Data: Optical Data: Biaxial (-), a=1.49, b=1.5, g=1.52, bire=0.0300
Help on Pleochroism (x): Pleochroism (x): colorless.
Help on Pleochroism (y): Pleochroism (y): colorless.
Help on Pleochroism (z): Pleochroism (z): colorless.
 

Calculated Properties of Hectorite

Help on Electron Density: Electron Density: Bulk Density (Electron Density)=2.50 gm/cc
note: Specific Gravity of Hectorite =2.50 gm/cc.
Help on Fermion Index: Fermion Index: Fermion Index = 0.03
Boson Index = 0.97
Help on Photoelectric: Photoelectric: PEHectorite = 1.56 barns/electron
U=PEHectorite x rElectron Density= 3.89 barns/cc.
Help on Radioactivity: Radioactivity: GRapi = 0 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)
Hectorite is Not Radioactive
 

Hectorite Classification

Help on  Dana Class: Dana Class: 71.03.01b.04 (71)Phyllosilicate Sheets of Six-Membered Rings
  (71.03)with 2:1 clays
  (71.03.01b)Smectite group (Trioctahedral Smectites)
 
71.03.01b.01 Sobotkite? (K,Ca0.5)0.33(Mg,Al)3(Si3Al)O10(OH)2•1-5(H2O) Unk. Mono
 
71.03.01b.02 Saponite (Ca/2,Na)0,3(Mg,Fe)3(Si,Al)4O10(OH)2•4(H2O) C 2/m 2/m
 
71.03.01b.02a Ferrosaponite! Ca0.3(Fe,Mg,Fe)3(Si,Al)4O10(OH)2•4(H2O) C? Mono
 
71.03.01b.03 Sauconite Na0,3Zn3(Si,Al)4O10(OH)2•4(H2O) C 2/m 2/m
 
71.03.01b.04 Hectorite Na0,3(Mg,Li)3Si4O10(OH)2 C 2/m 2/m
 
71.03.01b.05 Pimelite? Ni3Si4O10(OH)2•4(H2O) Unk. Hex
 
71.03.01b.06 Stevensite (Ca0.5,Na)0.33(Mg,Fe)3Si4O10(OH)2•n(H2O) Unk (ORTH ?) Mono
 
71.03.01b.07 Yakhontovite (Ca,K)0.5(Cu,Fe,Mg)2Si4O10(OH)2•3(H2O) C 2/m 2/m
 
71.03.01b.08 Zincsilite Zn3Si4O10(OH)2•4(H2O)(?) C 2/m ? 2/m
Help on  Strunz Class: Strunz Class: 09.EC.45 09 - SILICATES (Germanates)
  09.E - Phyllosilicates
  09.EC -Phyllosilicates with mica sheets, composed of tetrahedral and octahedral nets
 
09.EC.45 Griffithite* 4(Mg,Fe,Ca)O.(Al,Fe)2O3.5SiO2•7(H2O) Mono
 
09.EC.45 Hectorite Na0,3(Mg,Li)3Si4O10(OH)2 C 2/m 2/m
 
09.EC.45 Swinefordite (Li,Ca0.5,Na)0.72(Li,Al,Mg)2.66(Si,Al)4O10(OH,F)2•2(H2O) C 2/m (MON or ORTH) 2/m
 
09.EC.45 Zincsilite Zn3Si4O10(OH)2•4(H2O)(?) C 2/m ? 2/m
 
09.EC.45 Saponite (Ca/2,Na)0,3(Mg,Fe)3(Si,Al)4O10(OH)2•4(H2O) C 2/m 2/m
 
09.EC.45 Sauconite Na0,3Zn3(Si,Al)4O10(OH)2•4(H2O) C 2/m 2/m
 
09.EC.45 Spadaite MgSiO2(OH)2•(H2O)(?) Ortho
 
09.EC.45 Sobotkite? (K,Ca0.5)0.33(Mg,Al)3(Si3Al)O10(OH)2•1-5(H2O) Unk. Mono
 
09.EC.45 Stevensite (Ca0.5,Na)0.33(Mg,Fe)3Si4O10(OH)2•n(H2O) Unk (ORTH ?) Mono
 
09.EC.45 Ferrosaponite! Ca0.3(Fe,Mg,Fe)3(Si,Al)4O10(OH)2•4(H2O) C? Mono
 

Other Hectorite Information

Help on References: References: NAME( MinRec) 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 Hectorite :
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 Hectorite Specimen Label here :

Hectorite

Na0,3(Mg,Li)3Si4O10(OH)2
Dana No: 71.03.01b.04 Strunz No: 09.EC.45
Locality:

 

Notes:

 

 
   
 


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