Matulaite Mineral Data

General Matulaite Information

Chemical Formula:

CaAl18(PO4)12(OH)20•28(H2O)

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 2,509.98 gm

Calcium 1.60 % Ca 2.23 % CaO

Aluminum 19.35 % Al 36.56 % Al₂O₃

Phosphorus 14.81 % P 33.93 % P₂O₅

Hydrogen 3.05 % H 27.27 % H₂O

Oxygen 61.19 % O

______ ______

100.00 % 100.00 % = TOTAL OXIDE

Empirical Formula:

CaAl₁₈(PO₄)₁₂(OH)₂₀•28(H₂O)

Environment:

An uncommon secondary mineral in the oxidized zone of phosphatic iron deposits.

IMA Status:

Approved IMA 1980

Locality:

Bachman iron mine, Hellertown, Northampton Co., and at General Trimbleï¿½s mine, Chester Co., Pennsylvania, USA. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

Margaret Mary Matula (1925- ), Allentown, Pennsylvania, USA, who supplied some of the first specimens.

Name Pronunciation:

Matulaite + Pronunciation

Matulaite Image

Images:

Matulaite

Comments: Opaque white pearly crystalline matulaite coating on quartz and brown limonite.
Location: Bachman Iron Mine, Hellertown, Northampton County, Pennsylvania, USA. Scale: See Photo.
© Jeff Weissman / Photographic Guide to Mineral Species

Matulaite Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:b:c =1.2215:1:0.6347

Cell Dimensions:

a = 20.4, b = 16.7, c = 10.6, Z = 2; beta = 98.2° V = 3,574.29 Den(Calc)= 2.33

Crystal System:

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

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

By Intensity(I/I_o): 9.96(1), 4.42(0.4), 6.37(0.4),

Physical Properties of Matulaite

Cleavage:

{100} Perfect

Color:

Colorless, White.

Density:

2.33

Diaphaneity:

Transparent to Translucent

Hardness:

1 - Talc

Luster:

Pearly

Streak:

white

Optical Properties of Matulaite

Gladstone-Dale:

CI meas= -0.057 (Good) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC)
CI calc= -0.057 (Good) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.2485,KPDmeas= 0.2485,KC= 0.2352
Ncalc = 1.55

Optical Data:

Biaxial (-), b=1.576, g=1.582, , 2V(Meas)=60.

Calculated Properties of Matulaite

Electron Density:

Bulk Density (Electron Density)=2.37 gm/cc
note: Specific Gravity of Matulaite =2.33 gm/cc.

Fermion Index:

Fermion Index = 0.0003198628
Boson Index = 0.9996801372

Photoelectric:

PE_Matulaite= 1.53 barns/electron
U=PE_Matulaite x rElectron Density= 3.63 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

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

Matulaite Classification

Dana Class:

42.13.03.01 (42)Hydrated Phosphates, etc., Containing Hydroxyl or Halogen

(42.13)Dana Type

(42.13.03)Dana Group

42.13.03.01 Matulaite CaAl18(PO4)12(OH)20•28(H2O) P 2₁/c 2/m

Strunz Class:

08.DK.30 08 - PHOSPHATES, ARSENATES, VANADATES

08.D - Phosphates, etc

08.DK -With large and medium-sized cations, (OH, etc.):RO4 > 1:1 and < 2:1

08.DK.30 Matulaite CaAl18(PO4)12(OH)20•28(H2O) P 2₁/c 2/m

Other Matulaite Information

References:

NAME( AntBidBlaNic4) PHYS. PROP.(Enc. of Minerals,2nd ed.,1990) OPTIC PROP.(Enc. of Minerals,2nd ed.,1990)

See Also:

Links to other databases for Matulaite :
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 Matulaite Specimen Label here :

Matulaite

CaAl18(PO4)12(OH)20•28(H2O)
Dana No: 42.13.03.01 Strunz No: 08.DK.30
Locality:

Notes:

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