Bityite Mineral Data

Bityite Mineral Data +

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General Bityite Information

Chemical Formula:

CaLiAl2(AlBeSi2)O10(OH)2

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 387.16 gm

Lithium 1.79 % Li 3.86 % Li₂O

Calcium 10.35 % Ca 14.48 % CaO

Beryllium 2.33 % Be 6.46 % BeO

Aluminum 20.91 % Al 39.50 % Al₂O₃

Silicon 14.51 % Si 31.04 % SiO₂

Hydrogen 0.52 % H 4.65 % H₂O

Oxygen 49.59 % O

______ ______

100.00 % 100.00 % = TOTAL OXIDE

Empirical Formula:

CaLiAl₃Be(Si₂O₁₀)(OH)₂

Environment:

Crystal crusts in pegmatite veins.

IMA Status:

Valid Species (Pre-IMA) 1908

Locality:

Maharitra on Mt. Bity, Madagascar. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

Named after its locality.

Bityite Image

Images:

Bityite

Comments: White crystalline bityite in silvery mica matrix.
Location: Harding Mine, Taos County, New Mexico, USA. Scale: See Photo.
© Jeff Weissman / Photographic Guide to Mineral Species

Bityite Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:b:c =0.5691:1:2.1638

Cell Dimensions:

a = 4.948, b = 8.693, c = 18.81, Z = 4; beta = 90.08° V = 809.07 Den(Calc)= 3.18

Crystal System:

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

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

By Intensity(I/I_o): 1.45(1), 2.48(1), 2.043(0.9),

Physical Properties of Bityite

Cleavage:

[001] Perfect

Color:

Brown white, Colorless, Yellow, Pearl white.

Density:

Diaphaniety:

Transparent to translucent

Habit:

Encrustations - Forms crust-like aggregates on matrix.

Habit:

Platy - Sheet forms (e.g. micas).

Habit:

Pseudo Hexagonal - Crystals show a hexagonal outline.

Hardness:

5.5 - Knife Blade

Luster:

Vitreous (Glassy)

Streak:

white

Optical Properties of Bityite

Gladstone-Dale:

CI meas= 0.004 (Superior) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC)
CI calc= 0.061 (Fair) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.2066,KPDmeas= 0.219,KC= 0.2199

Optical Data:

Biaxial (-), a=1.651, b=1.659, g=1.661, bire=0.0100, 2V(Calc)=52, 2V(Meas)=35-52.

Calculated Properties of Bityite

Electron Density:

r_electron=2.98 gm/cc
note: r_Bityite=3.00 gm/cc.

Fermion Index

Fermion Index = 0.03177
Boson Index = 0.96823

Photoelectric:

PE_Bityite= 2.49 barns/electron
U=PE_Bityite x r_electron= 7.40 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

GRapi = 0 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)

Bityite is Not Radioactive

Bityite Classification

Dana Class:

71.2.2c.3 (71)Phyllosilicate Sheets of Six-Membered Rings

(71.2)with 2:1 Layers

(71.2.2c)Mica Group (Margarite subgroup)

71.2.2c.1 Margarite CaAl2(Al2Si2)O10(OH)2 C 2/c 2/m

71.2.2c.2 Clintonite Ca(Mg,Al)3(Al3Si)O10(OH)2 C 2/m 2/m

71.2.2c.3 Bityite CaLiAl2(AlBeSi2)O10(OH)2 C 2/c 2/m

71.2.2c.4 Anandite (Ba,K)(Fe,Mg)3(Si,Al,Fe)4O10(S,OH)2 C 2/m 2/m

71.2.2c.5 Kinoshitalite (Ba,K)(Mg,Mn,Al)3Si2Al2O10(OH)2 C 2/m 2/m

71.2.2c.6 Ferrokinoshitalite! (Ba,K)(Fe,Mg)3(Si2Al2)O10(OH,F)2 C 2/m 2/m

71.2.2c.7 Ganterite! [Ba0.5(Na,K)0.5]Al2(Si2.5Al1.5O10)(OH)2 C 2/c 2/m

71.2.2c.8 IMA2004-013! (Ba,K)(Mg,Fe,Ti)3(Si,Al)4O10O2 C 2/m 2/m

Strunz Class:

VIII/H.12-20 VIII - Silicates

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

VIII/H.12 - Mica group, Lepidolite series

VIII/H.12-10 Anandite (Ba,K)(Fe,Mg)3(Si,Al,Fe)4O10(S,OH)2 C 2/m 2/m

VIII/H.12-20 Bityite CaLiAl2(AlBeSi2)O10(OH)2 C 2/c 2/m

VIII/H.12-30 Kinoshitalite (Ba,K)(Mg,Mn,Al)3Si2Al2O10(OH)2 C 2/m 2/m

VIII/H.12-35 Ferrokinoshitalite! (Ba,K)(Fe,Mg)3(Si2Al2)O10(OH,F)2 C 2/m 2/m

VIII/H.12-40 Margarite CaAl2(Al2Si2)O10(OH)2 C 2/c 2/m

VIII/H.12-50 Chernykhite (Ba,Na)V,Al)2(Si,Al)4O10(OH)2 C 2/c 2/m

VIII/H.12-60 Clintonite Ca(Mg,Al)3(Al3Si)O10(OH)2 C 2/m 2/m

Other Bityite Information

References:

NAME( Ford32) PHYS. PROP.(Enc. of Minerals,2nd ed.,1990) OPTIC PROP.(Enc. of Minerals,2nd ed.,1990)

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Bityite

CaLiAl2(AlBeSi2)O10(OH)2
Dana No: 71.2.2c.3 Strunz No: VIII/H.12-20
Locality:

Notes: