Kalifersite Mineral Data

General Kalifersite Information

Chemical Formula:

(K,Na)5Fe+++7Si20O50(OH)6•12(H2O)

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 2,242.17 gm

Potassium 6.10 % K 7.35 % K₂O

Sodium 1.54 % Na 2.07 % Na₂O

Iron 17.44 % Fe 24.93 % Fe₂O₃

Silicon 25.05 % Si 53.59 % SiO₂

Hydrogen 1.35 % H 12.05 % H₂O

Oxygen 48.52 % O

______ ______

100.00 % 100.00 % = TOTAL OXIDE

Empirical Formula:

K_3.5Na_1.5Fe³⁺₇Si₂₀O₅₀(OH)₆•12(H₂O)

Environment:

In a hydrothermally altered pegmatite. Polysomatic series with palygorskite and sepiolite.

IMA Status:

Approved IMA 1998 (Dana # Added)

Locality:

Mt. Kukisvumchorr, Khibina massif, Kola Peninsula, Russia. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

For the chemical composition: KALIum (Potassium), FERrum (Iron), and SIlicium (Silicon).

Name Pronunciation:

Kalifersite + Pronunciation

Synonym:

ICSD 85700

IMA1996-007

Kalifersite Image

Images:

Kalifersite

Comments: Brownish-red crystalline granular aggregates of kalifersite in rock matrix composed of fibers to 5mm.
Location: Mt. Rasvumchorr, Khibiny massif, Kola Peninsula, Russia. Scale: Specimen size 3.5 x 2 x 1.5cm.
© Tom Loomis / Dakota Matrix

Kalifersite Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:b:c =0.7234:1:0.2575

Cell Dimensions:

a = 14.86, b = 20.54, c = 5.29, Z = 1; alpha = 95.6°, beta = 92.3°, gamma = 94.4° V = 1,600.90 Den(Calc)= 2.33

Crystal System:

Triclinic - Pinacoidal H-M Symbol ( 1) Space Group: P1

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

By Intensity(I/I_o): 12.36(1), 11.6(0.4), 3.411(0.37),

Physical Properties of Kalifersite

Cleavage:

{100} Good, {010} Good

Color:

Brownish pink.

Density:

2.28 - 2.37, Average = 2.32

Diaphaneity:

Translucent

Fracture:

Fibrous - Thin, elongated fractures produced by crystal forms or intersecting cleavages (e.g. asbestos).

Habit:

Fibrous - Crystals made up of fibers.

Hardness:

2 - Gypsum

Luster:

Silky

Streak:

white

Optical Properties of Kalifersite

Gladstone-Dale:

CI meas= 0.081 (Poor) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC)
CI calc= 0.083 (Poor) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.2286,KPDmeas= 0.2291,KC= 0.2493
Ncalc = 1.57 - 1.59

Optical Data:

Biaxial (+), a=1.523, b=1.525, g=1.55, bire=0.0270, 2V(Calc)=32, 2V(Meas)=30. Dispersion not discernible.

Calculated Properties of Kalifersite

Electron Density:

Bulk Density (Electron Density)=2.32 gm/cc
note: Specific Gravity of Kalifersite =2.33 gm/cc.

Fermion Index:

Fermion Index = 0.01
Boson Index = 0.99

Photoelectric:

PE_Kalifersite= 6.72 barns/electron
U=PE_Kalifersite x r_electron= 15.59 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

GRapi = 87.88 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)
Concentration of Kalifersite per GRapi unit = 1.14 (%)

Estimated Radioactivity from Kalifersite - barely detectable

Kalifersite Classification

Dana Class:

74.03.01a.04 (74)Phyllosilicate Modulated Layers

(74.03)with joined strips

(74.03.01a)Palygorskite-sepiolite group (Palygorskite subgroup)

74.03.01a.01 Palygorskite (Mg,Al)2Si4O10(OH)•4(H2O) C 2/m 2/m

74.03.01a.02 Tuperssuatsiaite Na(Fe,Mn)3[Si8O20](OH)2•n(H2O) C 2/m Mono

74.03.01a.03 Yofortierite (Mn,Mg)5Si8O20(OH)2•8-9(H2O) Pn(?) m

74.03.01a.04 Kalifersite! (K,Na)5Fe7Si20O50(OH)6•12(H2O) P1 1

Strunz Class:

09.EE.25 09 - SILICATES (Germanates)

09.E - Phyllosilicates

09.EE -Single tetrahedral nets of 6-membered rings

09.EE.25 Falcondoite (Ni,Mg)4Si6O15(OH)2•6(H2O) Pncn 2/m 2/m 2/m

09.EE.25 Loughlinite Na2Mg3Si6O16•8(H2O) Unk Ortho

09.EE.25 Kalifersite! (K,Na)5Fe7Si20O50(OH)6•12(H2O) P1 1

09.EE.25 Sepiolite Mg4Si6O15(OH)2•6(H2O) Pnan 2/m 2/m 2/m

Other Kalifersite Information

References:

NAME( MinRec) PHYS. PROP.(Eur. J. Min.,Vol.10,p865,1998) OPTIC PROP.(MinRec)

See Also:

Links to other databases for Kalifersite :
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
11 - WWW-MINCRYST

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

Kalifersite

(K,Na)5Fe+++7Si20O50(OH)6•12(H2O)
Dana No: 74.03.01a.04 Strunz No: 09.EE.25
Locality:

Notes:

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