Apophyllite Mineral Data

Apophyllite Mineral Data +

General Apophyllite Information

Chemical Formula:

KCa4(Si4O10)2F·8(H2O)

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 907.20 gm

Potassium 4.31 % K 5.19 % K₂O

Calcium 17.67 % Ca 24.73 % CaO

Silicon 24.77 % Si 52.98 % SiO₂

Hydrogen 1.78 % H 15.89 % H₂O

Oxygen 49.38 % O

Fluorine 2.09 % F 2.09 % F

- % F -0.88 % -O=F₂

______ ______

100.00 % 100.00 % = TOTAL OXIDE

Empirical Formula:

KCa₄(Si₄O₁₀)₂F·8(H₂O)

Environment:

Secondary mineral in basalts. Redefined as a group name for the fluor-, hydroxy- in 1978.

IMA Status:

Not Approved IMA 1978

Locality:

Lonault and Poona, southeast of Bombay, India. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

Named in 1800 from the Greek apophylliso - "it flakes off."

Synonym:

ICSD 12108

PDF 19-82

Apophyllite Image

Images:

Apophyllite Hydroxyapophyllite Stilbite

Comments: 3 cm. pink-colored rosette of stilbite and clear "apophyllite" (probably hydroxyapophyllite) in an amygdaloidal cavity.
Location: Aurangabad District, Jalgaon, India. Scale: Specimen size 6 cm.
© Dave Barthelmy

Images:

Apophyllite Fluorapophyllite Stilbite

Comments: Doubly terminated, very clear and perfect fluorapophyllite with white stilbite.
Location: Jalgaon, India. Scale: 4 x 3.5 cm.
© Fabre Minerals

Images:

Apophyllite Hydroxyapophyllite

Comments: Crystal cluster of tabular hydroxyapophyllite.
Location: Wessels Mine, Kalahari Manganese Field, Northern Cape Province, South Africa. Scale: 2.5 x 2.3 cm.
© John Veevaert

Images:

Apophyllite Kinoite

Comments: Crystals of dark blue kinoite and clear apophyllite.
Location: Christmas Mine, Gila County, Arizona, USA. Scale: Crystal size 2.5 mm.
© John Veevaert

Images:

Apophyllite

Comments: Mint green to clear apophyllite flat top crystals in a circular stellate cluster on pink stilbite.
Location: Rahuri, Maharashtra State, India. Scale: Specimen size 10 cm.
© Kevin Ward

Apophyllite Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:c = 1:1.76116

Cell Dimensions:

a = 8.96, c = 15.78, Z = 2; V = 1,266.84 Den(Calc)= 2.38

Crystal System:

Tetragonal - Ditetragonal DipyramidalH-M Symbol (4/m 2/m 2/m) Space Group: P 4/mnc

Physical Properties of Apophyllite

Cleavage:

[001] Perfect

Color:

White, Pink, Green, Yellow, Violet.

Density:

2.3 - 2.4, Average = 2.34

Diaphaniety:

Transparent to translucent

Fracture:

Uneven - Flat surfaces (not cleavage) fractured in an uneven pattern.

Habit:

Crystalline - Coarse - Occurs as well-formed coarse sized crystals.

Habit:

Massive - Uniformly indistinguishable crystals forming large masses.

Habit:

Pseudo Cubic - Crystals show a cubic outline.

Hardness:

4-5 - Fluorite-Apatite

Luminescence:

None.

Luster:

Vitreous - Pearly

Streak:

white

Optical Properties of Apophyllite

Dichroism (e):

colorless.

Dichroism (w):

colorless.

Gladstone-Dale:

CI meas= -0.003 (Superior) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC)
CI calc= 0.009 (Superior) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.2252,KPDmeas= 0.2281,KC= 0.2273

Optical Data:

Uniaxial (+), w=1.535, e=1.537, bire=0.0020.

Calculated Properties of Apophyllite

Electron Density:

r_electron=2.38 gm/cc
note: r_Apophyllite=2.35 gm/cc.

Fermion Index

Fermion Index = 0.01204
Boson Index = 0.98796

Photoelectric:

PE_Apophyllite= 3.56 barns/electron
U=PE_Apophyllite x r_electron= 8.48 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

GRapi = 63.07 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)

Estimated Radioactivity from Apophyllite - barely detectable

Apophyllite Classification

Dana Class:

72.3.1.0 (72)Phyllosilicate Two-Dimensional Infinite Sheets with Other Than Six-Membered Rings

(72.3)with 3-, 4-, or 5-membered rings and 8-membered rings

(72.3.1)Apophyllite group (4- & 8-membered rings)

72.3.1.0 Apophyllite * KCa4(Si4O10)2F·8(H2O) P 4/mnc 4/m 2/m 2/m

72.3.1.1 Fluorapophyllite (K,Na)Ca4Si8O20(F,OH)·8(H2O) P 4/mnc 4/m 2/m 2/m

72.3.1.2 Hydroxyapophyllite KCa4Si8O20(OH,F)·8(H2O) P 4/mnc 4/m 2/m 2/m

72.3.1.3 Natroapophyllite NaCa4Si8O20F·8(H2O) Pnnm 2/m 2/m 2/m

72.3.1.4 Carletonite KNa4Ca4Si8O18(CO3)4(OH,F)·(H2O) P 4/mbm 4/m 2/m 2/m

Strunz Class:

VIII/H.01-00 VIII - Silicates

VIII/H - Phyllosilicates (layered), Tetragonal or pseudotetragonal layered structures [Si4O10]4- and others

VIII/H.01 - Apophyllite series

Other Apophyllite Information

References:

NAME( Duda&Rejl90) PHYS. PROP.(Mason68) OPTIC PROP.(Mason68)

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Print or Cut-and-Paste your Apophyllite Specimen Label here :

Apophyllite

KCa4(Si4O10)2F·8(H2O)
Dana No: 72.3.1.0 Strunz No: VIII/H.01-00
Locality:

Notes: