Vantasselite Mineral Data

General Vantasselite Information

Chemical Formula:

Al4(PO4)3(OH)3•9(H2O)

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 606.00 gm

Aluminum 17.81 % Al 33.65 % Al₂O₃

Phosphorus 15.33 % P 35.13 % P₂O₅

Hydrogen 3.49 % H 31.21 % H₂O

Oxygen 63.36 % O

______ ______

100.00 % 100.00 % = TOTAL OXIDE

Empirical Formula:

Al₄(PO₄)₃(OH)₃•9(H₂O)

Environment:

On the dumps of a quartzite quarry.

IMA Status:

Approved IMA 1987

Locality:

Stavelot massif, Bihain, Belgium. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

Named for Rene Van Tassel (1916-), mineralogist of phosphate and sulfate minerals.

Name Pronunciation:

Vantasselite + Pronunciation

Vantasselite Image

Images:

Vantasselite

Comments: Rosette of pearly platy vantasselite crystals.
Location: Bihain, Luxembourg, Belgium. Scale: See Photo.
© Jeff Weissman / Photographic Guide to Mineral Species

Vantasselite Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:b:c =0.6364:1:1.2316

Cell Dimensions:

a = 10.528, b = 16.541, c = 20.373, Z = 8; V = 3,547.83 Den(Calc)= 2.27

Crystal System:

Orthorhombic Space Group: Pma2,P 2₁am,Pmam

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

By Intensity(I/I_o): 10.22(1), 2.892(0.5), 3.395(0.4),

Physical Properties of Vantasselite

Cleavage:

{001} Good

Color:

Pearl white.

Density:

2.3

Diaphaneity:

Transparent to Translucent

Habit:

Rosette - Bundled tabular aggregates resembling rose flower petals.

Hardness:

2-2.5 - Gypsum-Finger Nail

Luster:

Greasy (Oily)

Streak:

white

Optical Properties of Vantasselite

Gladstone-Dale:

CI meas= 0.005 (Superior) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC)
CI calc= -0.009 (Superior) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.2422,KPDmeas= 0.239,KC= 0.2401
Ncalc = 1.54 - 1.55

Optical Data:

Biaxial (-), a=1.511-1.5111, b=1.56, g=1.578, bire=0.0669-0.0670, 2V(Calc)=60, 2V(Meas)=61.

Calculated Properties of Vantasselite

Electron Density:

Bulk Density (Electron Density)=2.35 gm/cc
note: Specific Gravity of Vantasselite =2.30 gm/cc.

Fermion Index:

Fermion Index = 0.0003093864
Boson Index = 0.9996906136

Photoelectric:

PE_Vantasselite= 1.33 barns/electron
U=PE_Vantasselite x rElectron Density= 3.12 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

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

Vantasselite Classification

Dana Class:

42.12.01.01 (42)Hydrated Phosphates, etc., Containing Hydroxyl or Halogen

(42.12)with miscellaneous formulae

(42.12.01)Dana Group

42.12.01.01 Vantasselite Al4(PO4)3(OH)3•9(H2O) Pma2,P 2₁am,Pmam Ortho

Strunz Class:

08.DC.37 08 - PHOSPHATES, ARSENATES, VANADATES

08.D - Phosphates, etc

08.DC -With only medium-sized cations, (OH, etc.):RO4 = 1:1 and < 2:1

08.DC.37 Vantasselite Al4(PO4)3(OH)3•9(H2O) Pma2,P 2₁am,Pmam Ortho

Other Vantasselite Information

References:

NAME( Dana8) PHYS. PROP.(Bull.Miner.,Vol.107-111,1984-1988) OPTIC PROP.(Bull.Miner.,Vol.107-111,1984-1988)

See Also:

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

Vantasselite

Al4(PO4)3(OH)3•9(H2O)
Dana No: 42.12.01.01 Strunz No: 08.DC.37
Locality:

Notes:

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