Mineralogy Database

Nepheline Mineral Data

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General Nepheline Information

Help on Chemical  Formula: Chemical Formula: (Na,K)AlSiO4
Help on Composition: Composition: Molecular Weight = 146.08 gm
   Potassium   6.69 %  K     8.06 % K2O
   Sodium     11.80 %  Na   15.91 % Na2O
   Aluminum   18.47 %  Al   34.90 % Al2O3
   Silicon    19.23 %  Si   41.13 % SiO2
   Oxygen     43.81 %  O
             ______        ______ 
             100.00 %      100.00 % = TOTAL OXIDE
Help on Empirical Formula: Empirical Formula: Na0.75K0.25Al(SiO4)
Help on Environment: Environment: Silica-poor igneous rocks.
Help on IMA Status: IMA Status: Valid Species (Pre-IMA) 1800
Help on Locality: Locality: Magnet Cove, Magnet Cove, Ouachita Mountains, Hot Spring County, Arkansas, USA. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.
Help on Name Origin: Name Origin: From the Greek nephele, "cloud," because it becomes clouded when put in strong acid.
Help on Name Pronunciation: Name Pronunciation: Nepheline + Pronunciation Say NEPHELINE
Help on Synonym: Synonym: Elaeolite
  ICSD 2937
  Nephelite
  PDF 9-338
 

Nepheline Image

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  Nepheline

Comments: Stubby, hexagonal prism of Nepheline in matrix.
Location: Point of Rocks Mesa, Colfax County, New Mexico. Scale: Not Given.
© Lou Perloff / Photo Atlas of Minerals

Nepheline Crystallography

Help on Axial Ratios: Axial Ratios: a:c = 1:0.83966
Help on Cell Dimensions: Cell Dimensions: a = 10.01, c = 8.405, Z = 8; V = 729.35 Den(Calc)= 2.66
Help on Crystal System: Crystal System: Hexagonal - Pyramidal H-M Symbol (6) Space Group: P 63
Help on X Ray Diffraction: X Ray Diffraction: By Intensity(I/Io): 3.069(1), 4.25(0.75), 4.015(0.7),
Help on Forms: Forms:

Mouse
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RMB - Cycle Display Modes
Drag1 - Manipulate Crystal
Drag2 - Resize

Keyboard
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I - Indicies
<space> - Start-Stop Rotation
F - Fit to Screen
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Help on Above

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

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Physical Properties of Nepheline

Help on Cleavage: Cleavage: {1010} Poor
Help on Color: Color: White, Gray, Brown, Brownish gray, Reddish white.
Help on Density: Density: 2.55 - 2.65, Average = 2.59
Help on Diaphaneity: Diaphaneity: Transparent to translucent to opaque
Help on Fracture: Fracture: Sub Conchoidal - Fractures developed in brittle materials characterized by semi-curving surfaces.
Help on Habit: Habit: Massive - Granular - Common texture observed in granite and other igneous rock.
Help on Habit: Habit: Prismatic - Crystals Shaped like Slender Prisms (e.g. tourmaline).
Help on Hardness: Hardness: 6 - Orthoclase
Help on Luminescence: Luminescence: Non-fluorescent.
Help on Luster: Luster: Vitreous - Greasy
Help on Streak: Streak: white
 

Optical Properties of Nepheline

Help on Dichroism (e): Dichroism (e): colorless.
Help on Dichroism (w): Dichroism (w): turbid gray.
Help on Gladstone-Dale: Gladstone-Dale: CI meas= -0.015 (Superior) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC)
CI calc= 0.008 (Superior) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.2023,KPDmeas= 0.2069,KC= 0.2038
Ncalc = 1.52 - 1.54
Help on Optical Data: Optical Data: Uniaxial (-), e=1.528-1.544, w=1.531-1.549, bire=0.0030-0.0050.
 

Calculated Properties of Nepheline

Help on Electron Density: Electron Density: Bulk Density (Electron Density)=2.62 gm/cc
note: Specific Gravity of Nepheline =2.66 gm/cc.
Help on Fermion Index: Fermion Index: Fermion Index = 0.0091968132
Boson Index = 0.9908031868
Help on Photoelectric: Photoelectric: PENepheline = 2.13 barns/electron
U=PENepheline x relectron= 5.59 barns/cc.
Help on Radioactivity: Radioactivity:

GRapi = 95.15 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)
Concentration of Nepheline per GRapi unit = 1.05 (%)

Estimated Radioactivity from Nepheline - barely detectable

 

Nepheline Classification

Help on  Dana Class: Dana Class: 76.02.01.02 (76)Tectosilicate Al-Si Framework
  (76.02)Feldspathoids and related species
  (76.02.01)Nepheline group
 
76.02.01.01 Kalsilite KAlSiO4 P 31c 3m
 
76.02.01.02 Nepheline (Na,K)AlSiO4 P 63 6
 
76.02.01.03 Trikalsilite (K,Na)AlSiO4 P 63 6
 
76.02.01.04 Panunzite (K,Na)AlSiO4 P 63 6
 
76.02.01.05 Kaliophilite KAlSiO4 P 6322 6 2 2
 
76.02.01.06 Yoshiokaite (Ca8-(x/2)[](x/2)Al16-xSixO32) P 3 3
 
76.02.01.07 Megakalsilite! KAlSiO4 P 63 6
Help on  Strunz Class: Strunz Class: 09.FA.05 09 - SILICATES (Germanates)
  09.F - Tektosilicates without Zeolitic H2O
  09.FA -Tektosilicates without additional non-tetrahedral anions, (Al,B):Si = 1:1
 
09.FA.05 Nepheline (Na,K)AlSiO4 P 63 6
 
09.FA.05 Kaliophilite KAlSiO4 P 6322 6 2 2
 
09.FA.05 Kalsilite KAlSiO4 P 31c 3m
 
09.FA.05 Panunzite (K,Na)AlSiO4 P 63 6
 
09.FA.05 Trikalsilite (K,Na)AlSiO4 P 63 6
 
09.FA.05 Megakalsilite! KAlSiO4 P 63 6
 
09.FA.05 Yoshiokaite (Ca8-(x/2)[](x/2)Al16-xSixO32) P 3 3
 

Other Nepheline Information

Help on References: References: NAME( Sinkankas66) PHYS. PROP.(Enc. of Minerals,2nd ed.,1990) OPTIC PROP.(Mason68)
Help on See Also: See Also: Links to other databases for Nepheline :
1 - Alkali-Nuts(English)
2 - Alkali-Nuts(Francais)
3 - Am. Min. Crystal Structure Database
4 - Amethyst Galleries' Mineral Gallery
5 - Athena
6 - EUROmin Project
7 - Ecole des Mines de Paris
8 - GeoScienceWorld
9 - Google Images
10 - Google Scholar
11 - Handbook of Mineralogy (MinSocAm)
12 - Handbook of Mineralogy (UofA)
13 - MinDAT
14 - Mineralienatlas (Deutsch)
15 - Minerals in Thin Section-University of North Carolina
16 - Minerals in Thin Sections-Humboldt State
17 - Online Mineral Museum
18 - QUT Mineral Atlas
19 - Ruff.Info
20 - UCLA - Petrography Thin-Sections
21 - WWW-MINCRYST

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Nepheline

(Na,K)AlSiO4
Dana No: 76.02.01.02 Strunz No: 09.FA.05
Locality:

 

Notes:

 

 
   
 


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