Natron Mineral Data

General Natron Information

Chemical Formula:

Na2CO3•10(H2O)

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 286.14 gm

Sodium 16.07 % Na 21.66 % Na₂O

Hydrogen 7.05 % H 62.96 % H₂O

Carbon 4.20 % C 15.38 % CO₂

Oxygen 72.69 % O

______ ______

100.00 % 100.00 % = TOTAL OXIDE

Empirical Formula:

Na₂(CO₃)•10(H₂O)

Environment:

Saline lake beds in arid environments.

IMA Status:

Valid Species (Pre-IMA) Prehistoric

Locality:

Ragtown, Nevada, USA. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

From the Latin for "soda."

Name Pronunciation:

Natron

Synonym:

ICSD 16033

PDF 15-800

Soda

Natron Image

Images:

Natron

Comments: Opaque white powdery massive natron.
Location: Atlin, British Columbia, Canada. Scale: See Photo.
© Jeff Weissman / Photographic Guide to Mineral Species

Natron Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:b:c =1.4214:1:1.489

Cell Dimensions:

a = 12.83, b = 9.026, c = 13.44, Z = 4; beta = 123° V = 1,305.31 Den(Calc)= 1.46

Crystal System:

Monoclinic - Domatic H-M Symbol (m) Space Group: Cc

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

By Intensity(I/I_o): 3.036(1), 3.015(0.7), 2.894(0.6),5.37(0.5),

Physical Properties of Natron

Cleavage:

{001} Distinct, {010} Imperfect

Color:

White, Gray, Colorless, Yellow.

Density:

1.42 - 1.47, Average = 1.44

Diaphaneity:

Transparent to Translucent

Fracture:

Brittle - Conchoidal - Very brittle fracture producing small, conchoidal fragments.

Habit:

Efflorescences - Crystals covering matrix, generally produced from transpiro-evaporation.

Habit:

Encrustations - Forms crust-like aggregates on matrix.

Hardness:

1 - Talc

Luminescence:

Phosphorescent.

Luster:

Vitreous (Glassy)

Streak:

white

Optical Properties of Natron

Gladstone-Dale:

CI meas= -0.018 (Superior) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC)
CI calc= -0.008 (Superior) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.29,KPDmeas= 0.293,KC= 0.2877
Ncalc = 1.41 - 1.42

Optical Data:

Biaxial (-), a=1.405, b=1.425, g=1.44, bire=0.0350, 2V(Calc)=80, 2V(Meas)=71. Dispersion r > v.

Pleochroism (x):

colorless.

Pleochroism (y):

colorless.

Pleochroism (z):

colorless.

Calculated Properties of Natron

Electron Density:

Bulk Density (Electron Density)=1.55 gm/cc
note: Specific Gravity of Natron =1.46 gm/cc.

Fermion Index:

Fermion Index = 0.0008212058
Boson Index = 0.9991787942

Photoelectric:

PE_Natron= 0.51 barns/electron
U=PE_Natron x rElectron Density= 0.80 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

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

Natron Classification

Dana Class:

15.01.02.01 (15)Hydrated Carbonates

(15.01)where A+ (XO3) ï¿½ x(H2O)

(15.01.02)Dana Group

15.01.02.01 Natron Na2CO3•10(H2O) Cc m

Strunz Class:

05.CB.10 05 - CARBONATES (NITRATES)

05.C - Carbonates without Additional Anions, with H2O

05.CB -With large cations (alkali and alkali-earth carbonates)

05.CB.10 Natron Na2CO3•10(H2O) Cc m

Other Natron Information

References:

NAME( Duda&Rejl90) PHYS. PROP.(Enc. of Minerals,2nd ed.,1990) OPTIC PROP.(Dana8)

See Also:

Links to other databases for Natron :
1 - Alkali-Nuts(English)
2 - Alkali-Nuts(Francais)
3 - Am. Min. Crystal Structure Database
4 - Athena
5 - EUROmin Project
6 - Ecole des Mines de Paris
7 - GeoScienceWorld
8 - Google Images
9 - Google Scholar
10 - Handbook of Mineralogy (MinSocAm)
11 - Handbook of Mineralogy (UofA)
12 - MinDAT
13 - Mineralienatlas (Deutsch)
14 - Online Mineral Museum
15 - QUT Mineral Atlas
16 - Ruff.Info

Search for Natron using:

[AOL] [Bing] [Dog Pile] [GeoScienceWorld] [HotBot] [Ixquick] [Lycos] [MAMMA] [Scirus] [Teoma] [WebCrawler] [Wikipedia] [YAHOO]

Visit our Advertisers for Natron :

Ask about Natron here :
Ask-A-Mineralogist from the Mineralogical Society of America
Mindat.org's Discussion Groups
Original Rockhounds Discussion Group
Rockhounds Discussion Group on Yahoo Groups
Mineral Discussion Forum from Fabre Minerals - also available in Español

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

Natron

Na2CO3•10(H2O)
Dana No: 15.01.02.01 Strunz No: 05.CB.10
Locality:

Notes:

Dakota Matrix
Excalibur Minerals
Exceptional Minerals
Hudson Insitute
John Betts Fine Minerals
Mc Dougall Minerals
Mineral News
Rock and Mineral Shows
Weinrich Minerals, Inc.