Sasaite Mineral Data

General Sasaite Information

Chemical Formula:

(Al,Fe+++)14(PO4)11(SO4)(OH)7•84(H2O)

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 3,208.56 gm

Aluminum 10.09 % Al 19.07 % Al₂O₃

Iron 3.48 % Fe 4.98 % Fe₂O₃

Phosphorus 10.62 % P 24.33 % P₂O₅

Hydrogen 5.50 % H 49.13 % H₂O

Sulfur 1.00 % S 2.50 % SO₃

Oxygen 69.31 % O

______ ______

100.00 % 100.00 % = TOTAL OXIDE

Empirical Formula:

Al₁₂Fe³⁺₂(PO₄)₁₁(SO₄)(OH)₇•84(H₂O)

IMA Status:

Approved IMA 1978

Locality:

West Dreifontein cave, near Carlstonville, Transvaal, South Africa. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

Named for the South African Speleological Society (SAS).

Name Pronunciation:

Sasaite

Sasaite Image

Images:

Sasaite

Comments: Whitish sasaite coatings on altering serpentinite rock.
Location: Breitenau, Steiermark, Austria. Scale: See Photo.
© Jeff Weissman / Photographic Guide to Mineral Species

Sasaite Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:b:c =0.7191:1:1.5344

Cell Dimensions:

a = 10.81, b = 15.031, c = 23.064, Z = 1; V = 3,747.56 Den(Calc)= 1.42

Crystal System:

Orthorhombic Space Group: P 222 or Pmm2 or P mmm

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

By Intensity(I/I_o): 11.52(1), 2.9(0.42), 6.99(0.23),

Physical Properties of Sasaite

Cleavage:

{001} Perfect

Color:

White.

Density:

1.75

Habit:

Earthy - Dull, clay-like texture with no visible crystalline affinities, (e.g. howlite).

Habit:

Nodular - Tuberose forms having irregular protuberances over the surface.

Hardness:

2-3 - Gypsum-Calcite

Streak:

white

Optical Properties of Sasaite

Gladstone-Dale:

CI meas= 0.006 (Superior) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC)
CI calc= -0.225 (Poor) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.3322,KPDmeas= 0.2695,KC= 0.2711
Ncalc = 1.39 - 1.47

Optical Data:

Biaxial (-), a=1.465, b=1.473, g=1.477, bire=0.0120, 2V(Calc)=70, 2V(Meas)=15.

Calculated Properties of Sasaite

Electron Density:

Bulk Density (Electron Density)=1.83 gm/cc
note: Specific Gravity of Sasaite =1.75 gm/cc.

Fermion Index:

Fermion Index = 0.001153898
Boson Index = 0.998846102

Photoelectric:

PE_Sasaite= 1.97 barns/electron
U=PE_Sasaite x rElectron Density= 3.60 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

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

Sasaite Classification

Dana Class:

43.05.04.01 (43)Compound Phosphates, etc.

(43.05)(Hydrated Compound Anions With Hydroxyl or Halogen)

(43.05.04)Dana Group

43.05.04.01 Sasaite (Al,Fe)14(PO4)11(SO4)(OH)7•84(H2O) P 222 or Pmm2 or P mmm Ortho

Strunz Class:

08.DB.55 08 - PHOSPHATES, ARSENATES, VANADATES

08.D - Phosphates, etc

08.DB -With only medium-sized cations, (OH, etc.):RO4 < 1:1

08.DB.55 Sasaite (Al,Fe)14(PO4)11(SO4)(OH)7•84(H2O) P 222 or Pmm2 or P mmm Ortho

Other Sasaite Information

References:

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

See Also:

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

Sasaite

(Al,Fe+++)14(PO4)11(SO4)(OH)7•84(H2O)
Dana No: 43.05.04.01 Strunz No: 08.DB.55
Locality:

Notes:

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