Natrolite Mineral Data

General Natrolite Information

Chemical Formula:

Na2[Al2Si3O10]•2(H2O)

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 380.22 gm

Sodium 12.09 % Na 16.30 % Na₂O

Aluminum 14.19 % Al 26.82 % Al₂O₃

Silicon 22.16 % Si 47.41 % SiO₂

Hydrogen 1.06 % H 9.48 % H₂O

Oxygen 50.49 % O

______ ______

100.00 % 100.00 % = TOTAL OXIDE

Empirical Formula:

Na₂Al₂Si₃O₁₀•2(H₂O)

Environment:

Occurs in the cavities of amygdaloidal basalts and other related rocks.

IMA Status:

Valid Species (Pre-IMA) 1803

Locality:

Bohemia of Czechoslovakia. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

From the Greek natron, "soda," in allusion to sodium content and lithos - "stone."

Name Pronunciation:

Natrolite + Pronunciation

Synonym:

Aedelite

Apoanalcite

Bergmannite

Mesotype

Natrolite Image

Images:

Eudialyte Natrolite

Comments: Druse of gemmy, red eudialyte crystals to 1 mm on white natrolite.
Location: Mt. St. Hilaire, Quebec, Canada. Scale: Picture size 1.5 cm.
© John Veevaert

Images:

Natrolite

Comments: Transparent prismatic crystals of natrolite.
Location: Usti (Aussig), Bohemia, Czech Republic. Scale: Not Given.
© Lou Perloff / Photo Atlas of Minerals

Images:

Neptunite Natrolite

Comments: Jet-black square prisms of neptunite etched out of the enclosing white natrolite with minor benitoite.
Location: Benitoite Gem Mine. San Benito Co. California, USA. Scale: 6.5 x 6 cm.
© Fabre Minerals

Images:

Serandite Analcime Natrolite

Comments: Orange-red, blocky serandite with white, blocky natrolite and white, equant grains of analcime.
Location: Mt. St. Hilaire, Canada. Scale: 4 x 3 cm.
© Fabre Minerals

Natrolite Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:b:c =0.9829:1:0.3529

Cell Dimensions:

a = 18.27, b = 18.587, c = 6.56, Z = 8; V = 2,227.67 Den(Calc)= 2.27

Crystal System:

Orthorhombic - Pyramidal H-M Symbol (mm2) Space Group: F dd2

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

By Intensity(I/I_o): 2.85(1), 5.89(0.85), 2.87(0.8),

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Forms: ( 0 1 0) ( 1 1 0) ( 1 0 0) ( 1 1 1)

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Physical Properties of Natrolite

Cleavage:

{110} Perfect, {010} Imperfect

Color:

White, Colorless, Red, Yellowish white, Reddish white.

Density:

2.25

Diaphaneity:

Transparent to translucent

Fracture:

Brittle - Generally displayed by glasses and most non-metallic minerals.

Habit:

Acicular - Occurs as needle-like crystals.

Habit:

Nodular - Tuberose forms having irregular protuberances over the surface.

Habit:

Prismatic - Crystals Shaped like Slender Prisms (e.g. tourmaline).

Hardness:

5.5-6 - Knife Blade-Orthoclase

Luminescence:

Fluorescent, Short UV=ellow-orange pale green, Long UV=ellow-orange greenish white.

Luster:

Vitreous - Silky

Streak:

white

Optical Properties of Natrolite

Gladstone-Dale:

CI meas= 0.006 (Superior) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC)
CI calc= 0.015 (Superior) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.2141,KPDmeas= 0.216,KC= 0.2173
Ncalc = 1.49

Optical Data:

Biaxial (+), a=1.473-1.489, b=1.476-1.491, g=1.485-1.502, bire=0.0120-0.0130, 2V(Calc)=48-62, 2V(Meas)=60-63. Dispersion weak, r < v.

Pleochroism (x):

colorless.

Pleochroism (y):

colorless.

Calculated Properties of Natrolite

Electron Density:

Bulk Density (Electron Density)=2.25 gm/cc
note: Specific Gravity of Natrolite =2.25 gm/cc.

Fermion Index:

Fermion Index = 0.01
Boson Index = 0.99

Photoelectric:

PE_Natrolite= 1.48 barns/electron
U=PE_Natrolite x rElectron Density= 3.32 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

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

Natrolite Classification

Dana Class:

77.01.05.01 (77)Tectosilicate Zeolite group

(77.01)true zeolites

(77.01.05)Natrolite and related species

77.01.05.01 Natrolite Na2[Al2Si3O10]•2(H2O) F dd2 mm2

77.01.05.02 Tetranatrolite? Na2[Al2Si3O10]•2(H2O) I 42d 4 2m

77.01.05.03 Paranatrolite Na2[Al2Si3O10]•3(H2O) Cc m

77.01.05.04 Mesolite Na2Ca2Al6Si9O30•8(H2O) C 2 2

77.01.05.05 Scolecite CaAl2Si3O10•3(H2O) Cc m

77.01.05.06 Edingtonite BaAl2Si3O10•4(H2O) P 2₁2₁2 2 2 2

77.01.05.07 Gonnardite Na2CaAl4Si6O20•7(H2O) I 42d 4 2m

77.01.05.08 Cowlesite CaAl2Si3O10•5-6(H2O) P 222₁, P mmm, Pmm2 Ortho

77.01.05.09 Thomsonite-Ca NaCa2Al5Si5O20•6(H2O) Pncn 2/m 2/m 2/m

77.01.05.10 Thomsonite-Sr! (Sr,Ca)2Na[Al5Si5O20]•7(H2O) Pcnn 2/m 2/m 2/m

77.01.05.11 Nabesite! Na2BeSi4O10•4(H2O) P 2₁2₁2₁ 2 2 2

Strunz Class:

09.GA.05 09 - SILICATES (Germanates)

09.G - Tektosilicates with Zeolitic H2O

09.GA -Zeolites with T5O10 Units � The Fibrous Zeolites

09.GA.05 Gonnardite Na2CaAl4Si6O20•7(H2O) I 42d 4 2m

09.GA.05 Mesolite Na2Ca2Al6Si9O30•8(H2O) C 2 2

09.GA.05 Natrolite Na2[Al2Si3O10]•2(H2O) F dd2 mm2

09.GA.05 Paranatrolite Na2[Al2Si3O10]•3(H2O) Cc m

09.GA.05 Scolecite CaAl2Si3O10•3(H2O) Cc m

09.GA.05 Tetranatrolite? Na2[Al2Si3O10]•2(H2O) I 42d 4 2m

Other Natrolite Information

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Natrolite

Na2[Al2Si3O10]•2(H2O)
Dana No: 77.01.05.01 Strunz No: 09.GA.05
Locality:

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