Sassolite Mineral Data

General Sassolite Information

Chemical Formula:

H3BO3

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 61.83 gm

Boron 17.48 % B 56.30 % B₂O₃

Hydrogen 4.89 % H 43.70 % H₂O

Oxygen 77.63 % O

______ ______

100.00 % 100.00 % = TOTAL OXIDE

Empirical Formula:

H₃BO₃

Environment:

Volcanic fumaroles and hot springs.

IMA Status:

Valid Species (Pre-IMA) 1800

Locality:

Sasso and the Tuscan lagoons, between Volterra and Massa Marittima, Italy. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

Named after its locality.

Name Pronunciation:

Sassolite + Pronunciation

Synonym:

Boric Acid

ICSD 61365

PDF 30-199

Sassolite Image

Images:

Sassolite

Comments: Colorless, pseudohexagonal crystals of sassolite.
Location: Anna Mine, Alsdorf, Aachen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Scale: Picture size 2.5 mm.
© Thomas Witzke / Abraxas-Verlag

Sassolite Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:b:c =0.998:1:0.9326

Cell Dimensions:

a = 7.039, b = 7.053, c = 6.578, Z = 9; alpha = 92.583°, beta = 101.167°, gamma = 119.833° V = 277.65 Den(Calc)= 3.33

Crystal System:

Triclinic - Pinacoidal H-M Symbol ( 1) Space Group: P1

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

By Intensity(I/I_o): 3.181(1), 6.05(0.3), 5.91(0.2),

Physical Properties of Sassolite

Cleavage:

{001} Perfect

Color:

White, Gray, Yellow, Brown.

Density:

3.3 - 3.5, Average = 3.4

Diaphaneity:

Transparent

Fracture:

Sectile - Curved shavings or scrapings produced by a knife blade, (e.g. graphite).

Habit:

Encrustations - Forms crust-like aggregates on matrix.

Habit:

Platy - Sheet forms (e.g. micas).

Habit:

Tabular - Form dimensions are thin in one direction.

Hardness:

1 - Talc

Luminescence:

Fluorescent, Short UV=blue.

Luster:

Vitreous - Pearly

Streak:

white

Optical Properties of Sassolite

Gladstone-Dale:

CI meas= 0.544 (Poor) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC)
CI calc= 0.54 (Poor) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.1241,KPDmeas= 0.123,KC= 0.2696
Ncalc = 1.89 - 1.94

Optical Data:

Biaxial (-), a=1.34, b=1.456, g=1.459, bire=0.1190, 2V(Calc)=16, 2V(Meas)=5. Dispersion none.

Pleochroism (x):

colorless.

Pleochroism (y):

colorless.

Pleochroism (z):

colorless.

Calculated Properties of Sassolite

Electron Density:

Bulk Density (Electron Density)=3.49 gm/cc
note: Specific Gravity of Sassolite =3.37 gm/cc.

Fermion Index:

Fermion Index = 0.03
Boson Index = 0.97

Photoelectric:

PE_Sassolite= 0.35 barns/electron
U=PE_Sassolite x rElectron Density= 1.21 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

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

Sassolite Classification

Dana Class:

24.03.01.01 (24)Borates - Anhydrous

(24.03)where (A)m (B)n [XO3]p

(24.03.01)Dana Group

24.03.01.01 Sassolite H3BO3 P1 1

Strunz Class:

06.AA.05 06 - BORATES

06.A - Monoborates

06.AA -BO3, without additional anions; 1(D)

06.AA.05 Sassolite H3BO3 P1 1

Other Sassolite Information

References:

NAME( Duda&Rejl90) PHYS. PROP.(Enc. of Minerals,2nd ed.,1990) OPTIC PROP.(Mason68)

See Also:

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

Sassolite

H3BO3
Dana No: 24.03.01.01 Strunz No: 06.AA.05
Locality:

Notes:

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