Afghanite Mineral Data

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General Afghanite Information

Chemical Formula:

(Na,Ca,K)8(Si,Al)12O24(SO4,Cl,CO3)3•(H2O)

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 1,200.45 gm

Potassium 2.28 % K 2.75 % K₂O

Sodium 9.19 % Na 12.39 % Na₂O

Calcium 11.69 % Ca 16.35 % CaO

Aluminum 13.26 % Al 25.06 % Al₂O₃

Silicon 14.27 % Si 30.53 % SiO₂

Hydrogen 0.08 % H 0.75 % H₂O

Carbon 0.10 % C 0.37 % CO₂

Sulfur 3.39 % S 8.47 % SO₃

Chlorine 4.58 % Cl 4.58 % Cl

- % Cl -1.03 % -O=Cl₂

Oxygen 41.16 % O

______ ______

100.00 % 100.21 % = TOTAL OXIDE

Empirical Formula:

Na_4.8Ca_3.5K_0.7Si_6.1Al_5.9O₂₅(SO₄)_1.27Cl_1.55(CO₃)_0.1·0.5(H₂O)

Environment:

Generally associated with sodalite-group minerals.

IMA Status:

Approved IMA 1968

Locality:

Sar-e-Sang luzurite deposit in Afghanistan. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

From its locality.

Name Pronunciation:

Afghanite + Pronunciation

Synonym:

ICSD 66847

PDF 46-1264

Afghanite Image

Images:

Afghanite

Comments: Parallel grouping of three, terminated, blue, opaque afghanite crystals set in matrix.
Location: Sar-eSang, Badakhshan, Afghanistan. Scale: Crystal size 3 cm.
© Dan Weinrich

Images:

Afghanite

Comments: Stubby hexagonal dark blue afghanite crystal to 2cm set in sulfide rich marble. The dark blue color is just a thin veneer on a pale-blue crystal.
Location: Rabot, Sar-e-Sang Dist., Badakshan, Afghanistan. Scale: Overall: 5 x 2 x 4 cm.
© Tom Loomis / Dakota Matrix

Afghanite Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:c = 1:1.67188

Cell Dimensions:

a = 12.77, c = 21.35, Z = 4; V = 3,015.16 Den(Calc)= 2.64

Crystal System:

HexagonalSpace Group: P 6₃/mmc, P 6₃mc, or P 62c

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

By Intensity(I/I_o): 3.688(1), 3.298(1), 4.82(0.8),1.792(0.6), 2.13(0.6), 2.685(0.6), 3.997(0.6),

Crystal Structure:

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Ballirano P , Bonaccorsi E , Maras A , Merlino S , European Journal of Mineralogy , 9 (1997) p.21-30, Crystal structure of afghanite, the eight-layer member, of the cancrinite-group: evidence for long-range Si,Al ordering

Physical Properties of Afghanite

Cleavage:

{1010} Perfect

Color:

Blue, Colorless.

Density:

2.55 - 2.65, Average = 2.59

Diaphaneity:

Transparent

Fracture:

Conchoidal - Fractures developed in brittle materials characterized by smoothly curving surfaces, (e.g. quartz).

Habit:

Massive - Uniformly indistinguishable crystals forming large masses.

Hardness:

5.5-6 - Knife Blade-Orthoclase

Luster:

Vitreous (Glassy)

Streak:

white

Optical Properties of Afghanite

Gladstone-Dale:

CI meas= 0.043 (Good) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC)
CI calc= 0.058 (Good) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.1992,KPDmeas= 0.2023,KC= 0.2114
Ncalc = 1.54 - 1.56

Optical Data:

Uniaxial (+), w=1.523, e=1.529, bire=0.0060.

Calculated Properties of Afghanite

Electron Density:

Bulk Density (Electron Density)=2.57 gm/cc
note: Specific Gravity of Afghanite =2.60 gm/cc.

Fermion Index:

Fermion Index = 0.0072883509
Boson Index = 0.9927116491

Photoelectric:

PE_Afghanite= 3.25 barns/electron
U=PE_Afghanite x r_electron= 8.37 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

GRapi = 32.54 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)
Concentration of Afghanite per GRapi unit = 3.07 (%)

Estimated Radioactivity from Afghanite - barely detectable

Afghanite Classification

Dana Class:

76.02.05.01 (76)Tectosilicate Al-Si Framework

(76.02)Feldspathoids and related species

(76.02.05)Cancrinite group

76.02.05.01 Afghanite (Na,Ca,K)8(Si,Al)12O24(SO4,Cl,CO3)3•(H2O) P 6₃/mmc, P 6₃mc, or P 62c Hex

76.02.05.02 Bystrite (Na,K)7Ca(Si6Al6)O24S4.5•(H2O) P 3₁c 3m

76.02.05.03 Cancrinite Na6Ca2Al6Si6O24(CO3)2 P 6₃ 6

76.02.05.04 Cancrisilite Na7Al5Si7O24(C03)•3(H2O) P 6₃ 6

76.02.05.05 Davyne Na4K2Ca2Si6Al6O24(SO4)Cl2 P 6₃/m 6/m

76.02.05.06 Franzinite [(Na,K)30Ca10][Si30Al30O120](SO4)10•2(H2O) P 3₂1 3 2

76.02.05.07 Giuseppettite [Na42K16Ca6]S64Si48Al48O192(SO4)10Cl2•5H2O P 3₁c 3m

76.02.05.08 Hydroxycancrinite Na4(AlSiO4)3(OH)•(H2O) P 6₃ 6

76.02.05.09 Liottite (Ca,Na,K)8(Si,Al)12O24[(SO4),(CO3),Cl,OH]4•(H2O) P 6m2 6 m2

76.02.05.10 Microsommite (Na,Ca,K)7-8(Si,Al)12O24(Cl,SO4)2-3 P 6₃22 6 2 2

76.02.05.11 Pitiglianoite Na6K2Si6Al6O24(SO4)•2(H2O) P 6₃ 6

76.02.05.12 Quadridavyne (Na,K)6Ca2Al6Si6O24Cl4 P 6₃/m 6/m

76.02.05.13 Sacrofanite (Na,Ca,K)9Si6Al6O24[(OH),(SO4),(CO3),Cl)]4•n(H2O) P 6₃/mmc ? 6/m 2/m 2/m

76.02.05.14 Tounkite (Na,Ca,K)8Al6Si6O24(SO4)2Cl•(H2O) P 6₂22 6 2 2

76.02.05.15 Vishnevite (Na,Ca,K)6(Si,Al)12O24[(SO4),(CO3),Cl2]2-4•n(H2O) P 6₃22 6 2 2

76.02.05.16 Wenkite Ba4Ca6(Si,Al)20O39(OH)2(SO4)3•n(H2O)(?) P 62m 6 m2

76.02.05.17 Marinellite! [(Na,K)42Ca6](Si36Al36O144)(SO4)8Cl2•6(H2O) P 3₁c or P 2c Trig

76.02.05.18 Farneseite! (Na37K9Ca10)S56(Si42Al42)S84O168(SO4)12•6(H2O) P 6₃/m 6/m 2/m 2/m

76.02.05.19 Alloriite! Na5K1.5Ca(Si6Al6O24)(SO4)(OH)0.5•H2O P 3₁c 3m

76.02.05.20 Biachellaite (Na,Ca,K)8(Si6Al6O24)(SO4)2(OH)0.5•H2O P 3 3

76.02.05.21 IMA2008-006! [Na82.5Ca33K16.5](Si99Al99O396)(SO4)33•4H2O P 3 3

76.02.05.22 Kyanoxalite! Na7(Al5-6Si6-7O24)(C2O4)0.5-1.0•5H2O P 6₃ 6

76.02.05.23 IMA2008-065! (Na,K)6Ca2(Si6Al6O24)Cl2(CO3) P 6₃ 6

Strunz Class:

09.FB.05 09 - SILICATES (Germanates)

09.F - Tektosilicates without Zeolitic H2O

09.FB -Tektosilicates with additional anions

09.FB.05 Bystrite (Na,K)7Ca(Si6Al6)O24S4.5•(H2O) P 3₁c 3m

09.FB.05 Afghanite (Na,Ca,K)8(Si,Al)12O24(SO4,Cl,CO3)3•(H2O) P 6₃/mmc, P 6₃mc, or P 62c Hex

09.FB.05 Cancrisilite Na7Al5Si7O24(C03)•3(H2O) P 6₃ 6

09.FB.05 Cancrinite Na6Ca2Al6Si6O24(CO3)2 P 6₃ 6

09.FB.05 Hydroxycancrinite Na4(AlSiO4)3(OH)•(H2O) P 6₃ 6

09.FB.05 Franzinite [(Na,K)30Ca10][Si30Al30O120](SO4)10•2(H2O) P 3₂1 3 2

09.FB.05 Liottite (Ca,Na,K)8(Si,Al)12O24[(SO4),(CO3),Cl,OH]4•(H2O) P 6m2 6 m2

09.FB.05 Davyne Na4K2Ca2Si6Al6O24(SO4)Cl2 P 6₃/m 6/m

09.FB.05 Giuseppettite [Na42K16Ca6]S64Si48Al48O192(SO4)10Cl2•5H2O P 3₁c 3m

09.FB.05 Quadridavyne (Na,K)6Ca2Al6Si6O24Cl4 P 6₃/m 6/m

09.FB.05 Pitiglianoite Na6K2Si6Al6O24(SO4)•2(H2O) P 6₃ 6

09.FB.05 Microsommite (Na,Ca,K)7-8(Si,Al)12O24(Cl,SO4)2-3 P 6₃22 6 2 2

09.FB.05 Vishnevite (Na,Ca,K)6(Si,Al)12O24[(SO4),(CO3),Cl2]2-4•n(H2O) P 6₃22 6 2 2

09.FB.05 Sacrofanite (Na,Ca,K)9Si6Al6O24[(OH),(SO4),(CO3),Cl)]4•n(H2O) P 6₃/mmc ? 6/m 2/m 2/m

09.FB.05 Marinellite! [(Na,K)42Ca6](Si36Al36O144)(SO4)8Cl2•6(H2O) P 3₁c or P 2c Trig

09.FB.05 Tounkite (Na,Ca,K)8Al6Si6O24(SO4)2Cl•(H2O) P 6₂22 6 2 2

09.FB.05 IMA2008-065! (Na,K)6Ca2(Si6Al6O24)Cl2(CO3) P 6₃ 6

09.FB.05 Farneseite! (Na37K9Ca10)S56(Si42Al42)S84O168(SO4)12•6(H2O) P 6₃/m 6/m 2/m 2/m

09.FB.05 Biachellaite (Na,Ca,K)8(Si6Al6O24)(SO4)2(OH)0.5•H2O P 3 3

09.FB.05 IMA2008-006! [Na82.5Ca33K16.5](Si99Al99O396)(SO4)33•4H2O P 3 3

09.FB.05 Alloriite! Na5K1.5Ca(Si6Al6O24)(SO4)(OH)0.5•H2O P 3₁c 3m

Other Afghanite Information

References:

NAME( MinRec) PHYS. PROP.(AntBidBlaNic2) OPTIC PROP.(Enc. of Minerals,2nd ed.,1990)

See Also:

Links to other databases for Afghanite :
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
15 - WWW-MINCRYST
16 - Zeolite Database by Bruno Herreros

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Ask about Afghanite here :
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Mindat.org's Discussion Groups
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Rockhounds Discussion Group on Yahoo Groups
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Print or Cut-and-Paste your Afghanite Specimen Label here :

Afghanite

(Na,Ca,K)8(Si,Al)12O24(SO4,Cl,CO3)3•(H2O)
Dana No: 76.02.05.01 Strunz No: 09.FB.05
Locality:

Notes: