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Sauconite Mineral Data

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General Sauconite Information

Help on Chemical  Formula: Chemical Formula: Na0,3Zn3(Si,Al)4O10(OH)2•4(H2O)
Help on Composition: Composition: Molecular Weight = 580.37 gm
   Sodium     1.19 %  Na    1.60 % Na2O
   Aluminum   4.65 %  Al    8.78 % Al2O3
   Zinc      33.80 %  Zn   42.07 % ZnO
   Silicon   14.52 %  Si   31.06 % SiO2
   Hydrogen   1.74 %  H    15.52 % H2O
   Oxygen    44.11 %  O
            ______        ______ 
            100.00 %       99.04 % = TOTAL OXIDE
Help on Empirical Formula: Empirical Formula: Na0.3Zn3Si3AlO10(OH)2•4(H2O)
Help on Environment: Environment: Vugs and seams in oxidized zinc and copper deposits.
Help on IMA Status: IMA Status: Valid Species (Pre-IMA) 1875
Help on Locality: Locality: Ueberroth mine, Saucon Valley, near Friedensville, Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, USA. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.
Help on Name Origin: Name Origin: Named for the locality.
Help on Name Pronunciation: Name Pronunciation: Sauconite + Pronunciation Say SAUCONITE
 

Sauconite Image

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  Sauconite

Comments: Pale brown earthy sauconite on hemimorphite microcrystals.
Location: Doughty Mine, near Sunbury, Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, USA. Scale: See Photo.
© Jeff Weissman / Photographic Guide to Mineral Species

Sauconite Crystallography

Help on Axial Ratios: Axial Ratios: a:b:c =0.5729:1:1.6952
Help on Cell Dimensions: Cell Dimensions: a = 5.34, b = 9.32, c = 15.8, Z = 2; beta = 95° V = 783.35 Den(Calc)= 2.46
Help on Crystal System: Crystal System: Monoclinic - Prismatic H-M Symbol (2/m) Space Group: C 2/m
Help on X Ray Diffraction: X Ray Diffraction: By Intensity(I/Io): 1.54(1), 2.67(1), 15.4(1),
 

Physical Properties of Sauconite

Help on Cleavage: Cleavage: {001} Perfect
Help on Color: Color: Bluish white, Reddish brown.
Help on Density: Density: 2.45
Help on Diaphaneity: Diaphaneity: Translucent
Help on Habit: Habit: Earthy - Dull, clay-like texture with no visible crystalline affinities, (e.g. howlite).
Help on Habit: Habit: Massive - Uniformly indistinguishable crystals forming large masses.
Help on Hardness: Hardness: 1-2 - Between Talc and Gypsum
Help on Luster: Luster: Earthy (Dull)
Help on Streak: Streak: white
 

Optical Properties of Sauconite

Help on Gladstone-Dale: Gladstone-Dale: CI meas= -0.178 (Poor) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC)
CI calc= -0.173 (Poor) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.2405,KPDmeas= 0.2415,KC= 0.2051
Ncalc = 1.5
Help on Optical Data: Optical Data: Biaxial (-), a=1.55-1.58, b=1.59-1.62, g=1.59-1.62, bire=0.0400, 2V(Calc)=0, 2V(Meas)=0-20.
 

Calculated Properties of Sauconite

Help on Electron Density: Electron Density: Bulk Density (Electron Density)=2.43 gm/cc
note: Specific Gravity of Sauconite =2.46 gm/cc.
Help on Fermion Index: Fermion Index: Fermion Index = 0.02
Boson Index = 0.98
Help on Photoelectric: Photoelectric: PESauconite = 17.15 barns/electron
U=PESauconite x rElectron Density= 41.63 barns/cc.
Help on Radioactivity: Radioactivity: GRapi = 0 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)
Sauconite is Not Radioactive
 

Sauconite Classification

Help on  Dana Class: Dana Class: 71.03.01b.03 (71)Phyllosilicate Sheets of Six-Membered Rings
  (71.03)with 2:1 clays
  (71.03.01b)Smectite group (Trioctahedral Smectites)
 
71.03.01b.01 Sobotkite? (K,Ca0.5)0.33(Mg,Al)3(Si3Al)O10(OH)2•1-5(H2O) Unk. Mono
 
71.03.01b.02 Saponite (Ca/2,Na)0,3(Mg,Fe)3(Si,Al)4O10(OH)2•4(H2O) C 2/m 2/m
 
71.03.01b.02a Ferrosaponite! Ca0.3(Fe,Mg,Fe)3(Si,Al)4O10(OH)2•4(H2O) C? Mono
 
71.03.01b.03 Sauconite Na0,3Zn3(Si,Al)4O10(OH)2•4(H2O) C 2/m 2/m
 
71.03.01b.04 Hectorite Na0,3(Mg,Li)3Si4O10(OH)2 C 2/m 2/m
 
71.03.01b.05 Pimelite? Ni3Si4O10(OH)2•4(H2O) Unk. Hex
 
71.03.01b.06 Stevensite (Ca0.5,Na)0.33(Mg,Fe)3Si4O10(OH)2•n(H2O) Unk (ORTH ?) Mono
 
71.03.01b.07 Yakhontovite (Ca,K)0.5(Cu,Fe,Mg)2Si4O10(OH)2•3(H2O) C 2/m 2/m
 
71.03.01b.08 Zincsilite Zn3Si4O10(OH)2•4(H2O)(?) C 2/m ? 2/m
Help on  Strunz Class: Strunz Class: 09.EC.45 09 - SILICATES (Germanates)
  09.E - Phyllosilicates
  09.EC -Phyllosilicates with mica sheets, composed of tetrahedral and octahedral nets
 
09.EC.45 Griffithite* 4(Mg,Fe,Ca)O.(Al,Fe)2O3.5SiO2•7(H2O) Mono
 
09.EC.45 Hectorite Na0,3(Mg,Li)3Si4O10(OH)2 C 2/m 2/m
 
09.EC.45 Swinefordite (Li,Ca0.5,Na)0.72(Li,Al,Mg)2.66(Si,Al)4O10(OH,F)2•2(H2O) C 2/m (MON or ORTH) 2/m
 
09.EC.45 Zincsilite Zn3Si4O10(OH)2•4(H2O)(?) C 2/m ? 2/m
 
09.EC.45 Saponite (Ca/2,Na)0,3(Mg,Fe)3(Si,Al)4O10(OH)2•4(H2O) C 2/m 2/m
 
09.EC.45 Sauconite Na0,3Zn3(Si,Al)4O10(OH)2•4(H2O) C 2/m 2/m
 
09.EC.45 Spadaite MgSiO2(OH)2•(H2O)(?) Ortho
 
09.EC.45 Sobotkite? (K,Ca0.5)0.33(Mg,Al)3(Si3Al)O10(OH)2•1-5(H2O) Unk. Mono
 
09.EC.45 Stevensite (Ca0.5,Na)0.33(Mg,Fe)3Si4O10(OH)2•n(H2O) Unk (ORTH ?) Mono
 
09.EC.45 Ferrosaponite! Ca0.3(Fe,Mg,Fe)3(Si,Al)4O10(OH)2•4(H2O) C? Mono
 

Other Sauconite Information

Help on References: References: NAME( AntBidBlaNic2) PHYS. PROP.(AntBidBlaNic2) OPTIC PROP.(AntBidBlaNic2)
Help on See Also: See Also: Links to other databases for Sauconite :
1 - Am. Min. Crystal Structure Database
2 - Athena
3 - EUROmin Project
4 - Ecole des Mines de Paris
5 - Franklin Minerals(Dunn)
6 - GeoScienceWorld
7 - Google Images
8 - Google Scholar
9 - Handbook of Mineralogy (MinSocAm)
10 - Handbook of Mineralogy (UofA)
11 - MinDAT
12 - Mineralienatlas (Deutsch)
13 - Online Mineral Museum
14 - QUT Mineral Atlas
15 - Ruff.Info

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Sauconite

Na0,3Zn3(Si,Al)4O10(OH)2•4(H2O)
Dana No: 71.03.01b.03 Strunz No: 09.EC.45
Locality:

 

Notes:

 

 
   
 


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