Beidellite Mineral Data

Beidellite Mineral Data +

[Thumbnails] [Miniatures] [Cabinets] [About Us] [FAQ]
Welcome To Mason's Minerals
Your Source for Beautiful Minerals and Crystals
We offer a no-questioned-asked Satisfaction Guarantee

General Beidellite Information

Chemical Formula:

Na0.5Al2(Si3.5Al0.5)O10(OH)2·n(H2O)

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 389.27 gm

Sodium 2.95 % Na 3.98 % Na₂O

Aluminum 17.33 % Al 32.74 % Al₂O₃

Silicon 25.25 % Si 54.02 % SiO₂

Hydrogen 1.04 % H 9.26 % H₂O

Oxygen 53.43 % O

______ ______

100.00 % 100.00 % = TOTAL OXIDE

Empirical Formula:

Na_0.5Al_2.5Si_3.5O₁₀(OH)₂·(H₂O)

IMA Status:

Valid Species (Pre-IMA) 1925

Locality:

Beidell, Colorado, USA.. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

Named after its locality.

Synonym:

Bentonite

Montmorillonite(Ca)

Montmorillonite(Na)

Beidellite Image

Images:

Beidellite

Comments: Pure white chalky massive beidellite.
Location: From near Charlestown, Nevis, Saint Kitts and Nevis, West Indies. Scale: See Photo.
© Jeff Weissman / Photographic Guide to Mineral Species

Beidellite Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:b:c =0.5755:1:1.6797

Cell Dimensions:

a = 5.14, b = 8.93, c = 15, Z = 2; beta = 99.54° V = 678.98 Den(Calc)= 1.90

Crystal System:

Monoclinic - PrismaticH-M Symbol (2/m) Space Group: C 2/m or ORTH

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

By Intensity(I/I_o): 2.55(1), 2.61(1), 4.52(1),

Physical Properties of Beidellite

Cleavage:

[001] Perfect

Color:

White, Gray, Reddish white, Brownish white, Pale yellow.

Density:

2 - 2.3, Average = 2.15

Diaphaniety:

Translucent to subtranslucent

Habit:

Earthy - Dull, clay-like texture with no visible crystalline affinities, (e.g. howlite).

Hardness:

1-2 - Between Talc and Gypsum

Luminescence:

Non-fluorescent.

Luster:

Earthy (Dull)

Streak:

white

Optical Properties of Beidellite

Gladstone-Dale:

CI meas= -0.101 (Poor) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC)
CI calc= -0.246 (Poor) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.2731,KPDmeas= 0.2413,KC= 0.2192

Optical Data:

Biaxial (-), a=1.494-1.503, b=1.525-1.532, g=1.526-1.533, bire=0.0300-0.0320, 2V(Calc)=20, 2V(Meas)=9-16. Dispersion none.

Calculated Properties of Beidellite

Electron Density:

r_electron=2.15 gm/cc
note: r_Beidellite=2.15 gm/cc.

Fermion Index

Fermion Index = 0.01205
Boson Index = 0.98795

Photoelectric:

PE_Beidellite= 1.54 barns/electron
U=PE_Beidellite x r_electron= 3.32 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

GRapi = 0 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)

Beidellite is Not Radioactive

Beidellite Classification

Dana Class:

71.3.1a.1 (71)Phyllosilicate Sheets of Six-Membered Rings

(71.3)with 2:1 clays

(71.3.1a)Smectite group (Dioctahedral Smectites)

71.3.1a.1 Beidellite Na0.5Al2(Si3.5Al0.5)O10(OH)2·n(H2O) C 2/m or ORTH 2/m

71.3.1a.2 Montmorillonite (Na,Ca)0,3(Al,Mg)2Si4O10(OH)2·n(H2O) C 2/m 2/m

71.3.1a.3 Nontronite Na0.3Fe2(Si,Al)4O10(OH)2·n(H2O) C 2/m 2/m

71.3.1a.4 Volkonskoite Ca0.3(Cr,Mg,Fe)2(Si,Al)4O10(OH)2·4(H2O) C 2/m 2/m

71.3.1a.5 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

Strunz Class:

VIII/H.19-30 VIII - Silicates

VIII/H - Phyllosilicates (layered) Mica like with [Si4O10]4- and related groups

VIII/H.19 - Brammallite ? - Yakhontovite series

VIII/H.19-10 Brammallite* (Na,H3O)(Al,Mg,Fe)2(Si,Al)4O10[(OH)2,(H2O)] C 2/c 2/m

VIII/H.19-10a Brinrobertsite! (Na,K,Ca)x(Al,Fe,Mg)4(Si,Al)8O20(OH)4·3.54(H2O)[x=0.35,n=3.54] pseudo 2/m 2/m

VIII/H.19-15 Illite* (K,H3O)(Al,Mg,Fe)2(Si,Al)4O10[(OH)2,(H2O)] C 2/m 2/m

VIII/H.19-20 Montmorillonite (Na,Ca)0,3(Al,Mg)2Si4O10(OH)2·n(H2O) C 2/m 2/m

VIII/H.19-30 Beidellite Na0.5Al2(Si3.5Al0.5)O10(OH)2·n(H2O) C 2/m or ORTH 2/m

VIII/H.19-40 Nontronite Na0.3Fe2(Si,Al)4O10(OH)2·n(H2O) C 2/m 2/m

VIII/H.19-50 Volkonskoite Ca0.3(Cr,Mg,Fe)2(Si,Al)4O10(OH)2·4(H2O) C 2/m 2/m

VIII/H.19-60 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

VIII/H.19-70 Yakhontovite (Ca,K)0.5(Cu,Fe,Mg)2Si4O10(OH)2·3(H2O) C 2/m 2/m

Other Beidellite Information

References:

NAME( Dana8) PHYS. PROP.(Dana8) OPTIC PROP.(Dana8)

See Also:

Links to other databases for Beidellite :
1 - Am. Min. Crystal Structure Database
2 - Athena
3 - EUROmin Project
4 - Ecole des Mines de Paris
5 - Google Images
6 - Google Scholar
7 - Handbook of Mineralogy (MinSocAm)
8 - Handbook of Mineralogy (UofA)
9 - MinDAT
10 - MinMax(Deutsch)
11 - MinMax(English)
12 - Mineralienatlas (Deutsch)
13 - QUT Mineral Atlas
14 - Ruff.Info

Search for Beidellite using:

[ALTAVISTA] [AOL] [All-The-Web] [HotBot] [Ixquick] [MAMMA] [MSN.COM] [Netscape] [Scirus] [Teoma] [Wikipedia] [YAHOO]

Visit our Advertisers for Beidellite :

AA Mineral Specimens

B & L Fine Minerals

Dan Weinrich Fine Minerals

Dan Weinrich Auctions

John Betts Fine Minerals

Mason's Minerals

Mineral News

Mineral of the Month Club

MineralsWeb Fine Minerals

The GeoZone

Wrights Rock Shop

Translate Beidellite Mineral Data :

Ask about Beidellite here :
Ask-A-Mineralogist from the Mineralogical Society of America
Mindat.org's Discussion Groups
Original Rockhounds Discussion Group
Rockhounds Discussion Group on Yahoo Groups
Mineral Discussion Forum from Fabre Minerals - also available in Español

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

Beidellite

Na0.5Al2(Si3.5Al0.5)O10(OH)2·n(H2O)
Dana No: 71.3.1a.1 Strunz No: VIII/H.19-30
Locality:

Notes: