Nickenichite Mineral Data

General Nickenichite Information

Chemical Formula:

Na0,8Ca0,4(Mg,Fe+++,Al)3Cu0,4(AsO4)3

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 549.61 gm

Sodium 3.35 % Na 4.51 % Na₂O

Calcium 2.19 % Ca 3.06 % CaO

Magnesium 10.61 % Mg 17.60 % MgO

Aluminum 0.49 % Al 0.93 % Al₂O₃

Iron 4.06 % Fe 5.81 % Fe₂O₃

Copper 3.47 % Cu 3.91 % Cu₂O

Arsenic 40.90 % As 62.73 % As₂O₅

Oxygen 34.93 % O

______ ______

100.00 % 98.54 % = TOTAL OXIDE

Empirical Formula:

Na_0.8Ca_0.3Cu_0.3Mg_2.4Fe³⁺_0.4Al_0.1(AsO₄)₃

Environment:

In a cavity in volcanic scoria.

IMA Status:

Approved IMA 1993

Locality:

Nickenich village, near the Nickenicher Sattel Volcano, Eifel district, Germany. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

Named for the locality.

Name Pronunciation:

Nickenichite + Pronunciation

Synonym:

ICSD 74468

IMA1992-015

PDF 48-1867

Nickenichite Image

Images:

Nickenichite

Comments: Blue crystals of nickenichite on matrix.
Location: Nickenich, near Kruft, Eifel Mts, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. Scale: Picture size 2 mm.
© Thomas Witzke / Abraxas-Verlag

Nickenichite Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:b:c =0.9305:1:0.5205

Cell Dimensions:

a = 11.882, b = 12.769, c = 6.647, Z = 4; beta = 112.81° V = 929.62 Den(Calc)= 3.93

Crystal System:

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

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

By Intensity(I/I_o): 2.744(1), 3.195(0.6), 4.06(0.5),

Physical Properties of Nickenichite

Cleavage:

{010} Perfect, {100} Good, {101} Good

Color:

Greenish blue, Light blue.

Diaphaneity:

Transparent

Habit:

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

Hardness:

3 - Calcite

Luster:

Vitreous (Glassy)

Optical Properties of Nickenichite

Gladstone-Dale:

CI calc= -0.049 (Good) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.1901,KC= 0.1812
Ncalc = 1.71

Optical Data:

Biaxial (+), a=1.714, b=1.744, g=1.783, bire=0.0690, 2V(Calc)=86, 2V(Meas)=60-84.

Pleochroism (x):

light blue.

Pleochroism (z):

blue.

Calculated Properties of Nickenichite

Electron Density:

Bulk Density (Electron Density)=3.70 gm/cc
note: Specific Gravity of Nickenichite =3.93 gm/cc.

Fermion Index:

Fermion Index = 0.01
Boson Index = 0.99

Photoelectric:

PE_Nickenichite= 31.49 barns/electron
U=PE_Nickenichite x rElectron Density= 116.66 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

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

Nickenichite Classification

Dana Class:

38.02.03.09 (38)Anhydrous Phosphates, etc

(38.02)(A+ B++)5 (XO4)3

(38.02.03)Alluaudite-Wyllieite Group (Alluaudite Subgroup)

38.02.03.01 Ferrohagendorfite* (Na,Ca)2Fe(Fe,Fe)2(PO4)3 I 2₁/a 2/m

38.02.03.02 Hagendorfite NaCaMn(Fe,Fe,Mg)2(PO4)3 I 2₁/a 2/m

38.02.03.03 Varulite NaCaMn(Mn,Fe,Fe)2(PO4)3 C 2/c 2/m

38.02.03.04 Maghagendorfite NaMgMn(Fe,Fe)2(PO4)3 I 2₁/a 2/m

38.02.03.05 Ferroalluaudite NaCaFe(Fe,Mn,Fe,Mg)2(PO4)3 C 2/a 2/m

38.02.03.06 Alluaudite NaCaFe(Mn,Fe,Fe,Mg)2(PO4)3 C 2/c 2/m

38.02.03.07 Odanielite Na(Zn,Mg)3H2(AsO4)3 C 2/c 2/m

38.02.03.08 Johillerite Na(Mg,Zn)3Cu(AsO4)3 I2/c 2/m

38.02.03.09 Nickenichite Na0,8Ca0,4(Mg,Fe,Al)3Cu0,4(AsO4)3 C 2/c 2/m

38.02.03.10 Yazganite! NaFe2(Mg,Mn)(AsO4)3•H2O C 2/c 2/m

38.02.03.11 IMA2008-054! NaCaMn2(PO4)[PO3(OH)]2 C 2/c 2/m

38.02.03.12 IMA2008-064! Na16Mn25Al8(PO4)30 Pc m

Strunz Class:

08.AC.10 08 - PHOSPHATES, ARSENATES, VANADATES

08.A - Phosphates, etc. without additional anions, without H2O

08.AC -With medium-sized and large cations

08.AC.10 Alluaudite NaCaFe(Mn,Fe,Fe,Mg)2(PO4)3 C 2/c 2/m

08.AC.10 Arseniopleite (Ca,Na)(Na,Pb)Mn(Mn,Mg,Fe)2(AsO4)3 I2/a 2/m

08.AC.10 Ferrohagendorfite* (Na,Ca)2Fe(Fe,Fe)2(PO4)3 I 2₁/a 2/m

08.AC.10 Caryinite (Na,Pb)(Ca,Na)(Ca,Mn)(Mn,Mg)2(AsO4)3 I2/c 2/m

08.AC.10 Hagendorfite NaCaMn(Fe,Fe,Mg)2(PO4)3 I 2₁/a 2/m

08.AC.10 Johillerite Na(Mg,Zn)3Cu(AsO4)3 I2/c 2/m

08.AC.10 Ferroalluaudite NaCaFe(Fe,Mn,Fe,Mg)2(PO4)3 C 2/a 2/m

08.AC.10 Odanielite Na(Zn,Mg)3H2(AsO4)3 C 2/c 2/m

08.AC.10 Maghagendorfite NaMgMn(Fe,Fe)2(PO4)3 I 2₁/a 2/m

08.AC.10 Nickenichite Na0,8Ca0,4(Mg,Fe,Al)3Cu0,4(AsO4)3 C 2/c 2/m

08.AC.10 Varulite NaCaMn(Mn,Fe,Fe)2(PO4)3 C 2/c 2/m

08.AC.10 Bradaczekite! NaCu4(AsO4)3 C 2/c 2/m

08.AC.10 Yazganite! NaFe2(Mg,Mn)(AsO4)3•H2O C 2/c 2/m

08.AC.10 IMA2008-054! NaCaMn2(PO4)[PO3(OH)]2 C 2/c 2/m

Other Nickenichite Information

References:

NAME( AntBidBlaNic4) PHYS. PROP.(Am.Min.,Vol.79,p570-574,1994) OPTIC PROP.(Am.Min.,Vol.79,p570-574,1994)

See Also:

Links to other databases for Nickenichite :
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 - MinDAT
10 - Mineralienatlas (Deutsch)
11 - Online Mineral Museum
12 - QUT Mineral Atlas
13 - Ruff.Info

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Nickenichite

Na0,8Ca0,4(Mg,Fe+++,Al)3Cu0,4(AsO4)3
Dana No: 38.02.03.09 Strunz No: 08.AC.10
Locality:

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