Brucite Mineral Data

Brucite Mineral Data +

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General Brucite Information

Chemical Formula:

Mg(OH)2

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 58.32 gm

Magnesium 41.68 % Mg 69.11 % MgO

Hydrogen 3.46 % H 30.89 % H₂O

Oxygen 54.87 % O

______ ______

100.00 % 100.00 % = TOTAL OXIDE

Empirical Formula:

Mg(OH)₂

Environment:

It occurs in serpentine, in chlorite or dolomitic schists, or in crystalline limestones as an alteration product of periclase.

IMA Status:

Valid Species (Pre-IMA) 1824

Locality:

New Jersey, USA serpentine. Asbestos mines of Asbestos and Black Lake in Quebec, Canada. crystalline limestones at Crestmore, California, USA. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

Named after the American mineralogist, A. Bruce (1777-1818).

Synonym:

ICSD 64722

Nemalite

PDF 7-239

Brucite Image

Images:

Brucite

Comments: Crystal cluster of brucite.
Location: N'Chwaning Mine, Kalahari Manganese Field, Northern Cape Province, South Africa. Scale: 7 x 5 x 4 cm.
© John Veevaert

Images:

Brucite

Comments: Pearly white, pseudohexagonal crystals of brucite on matrix.
Location: Pilcante, Trentino, Italy. Scale: Crystal size 1.6 cm.
© Sandro Maggia/Minernet.it

Brucite Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:c = 1:1.51541

Cell Dimensions:

a = 3.147, c = 4.769, Z = 1; V = 40.90 Den(Calc)= 2.37

Crystal System:

Trigonal - Hexagonal ScalenohedralH-M Symbol (3 2/m) Space Group: P 3m1

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

By Intensity(I/I_o): 2.365(1), 4.77(0.9), 1.794(0.55),

Forms:

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Forms: [ 1 1 0] [ 0 0 1]

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Crystal Structure:

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Parise J B , Leinenweber K , Weidner D J , Tan K , Von Dreele R B , American Mineralogist , 79 (1994) p.193-196, Pressure-induced H bonding: Neutron diffraction study of brucite, Mg(OD)2, to, 9.3 GPa, P = 0.4 GPa

View Additional jPOWD Structure files for Brucite
[1] [10] [11] [12] [13] [14] [15] [16] [17] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9]

Physical Properties of Brucite

Cleavage:

[0001] Perfect

Color:

Blue, Gray, Gray blue, Yellow, White.

Density:

2.39 - 2.4, Average = 2.39

Diaphaniety:

Transparent

Fracture:

Irregular - Flat surfaces (not cleavage) fractured in an irregular pattern.

Habit:

Fibrous - Crystals made up of fibers.

Habit:

Massive - Lamellar - Distinctly foliated fine-grained forms.

Habit:

Massive - Uniformly indistinguishable crystals forming large masses.

Hardness:

2.5-3 - Finger Nail-Calcite

Luminescence:

None.

Luster:

Vitreous - Pearly

Magnetism:

Nonmagnetic

Streak:

white

Optical Properties of Brucite

Gladstone-Dale:

CI meas= 0.022 (Excellent) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC)
CI calc= 0.011 (Superior) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.2405,KPDmeas= 0.238,KC= 0.2432

Optical Data:

Uniaxial (+), w=1.56, e=1.58, bire=0.0200.

Calculated Properties of Brucite

Electron Density:

r_electron=2.44 gm/cc
note: r_Brucite=2.37 gm/cc.

Fermion Index

Fermion Index = 0.04194
Boson Index = 0.95806

Photoelectric:

PE_Brucite= 1.01 barns/electron
U=PE_Brucite x r_electron= 2.45 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

GRapi = 0 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)

Brucite is Not Radioactive

Brucite Classification

Dana Class:

6.2.1.1 (6)Hydroxides and Oxides Containing Hydroxyl

(6.2)where X++ (OH)2

(6.2.1)Brucite group (Rhombohedral: P3¯m1)

6.2.1.1 Brucite Mg(OH)2 P 3m1 3 2/m

6.2.1.2 Amakinite (Fe,Mg)(OH)2 P 3m1 3 2/m

6.2.1.3 Pyrochroite Mn(OH)2 P 3m1 3 2/m

6.2.1.4 Portlandite Ca(OH)2 P 3m1 3 2/m

6.2.1.5 Theophrastite Ni(OH)2 P 3m1 3 2/m

Strunz Class:

IV/F.03-10 IV - Oxides

IV/F - Hydroxides and oxidic hydrates, water-bearing oxides with layered structure

IV/F.03 - Brucite series

IV/F.03-10 Brucite Mg(OH)2 P 3m1 3 2/m

IV/F.03-20 Amakinite (Fe,Mg)(OH)2 P 3m1 3 2/m

IV/F.03-30 Pyrochroite Mn(OH)2 P 3m1 3 2/m

IV/F.03-40 Theophrastite Ni(OH)2 P 3m1 3 2/m

IV/F.03-50 Paraotwayite Ni(OH)2-x(SO4,CO3)0.5xx=.5 Pm m

IV/F.03-60 Sweetite Zn(OH)2 P 4₁2₁2,P 4₃2₁2 4 2 2

IV/F.03-70 Ashoverite Zn(OH)2 I 4₁/amd 4/m 2/m 2/m

IV/F.03-80 Wulfingite Zn(OH)2 P 2₁2₁2₁ 2 2 2

IV/F.03-90 Spertiniite Cu(OH)2 C mc2₁ mm2

IV/F.03-100 Portlandite Ca(OH)2 P 3m1 3 2/m

Other Brucite Information

References:

NAME( Duda&Rejl90) PHYS. PROP.(Enc. of Minerals,2nd ed.,1990) OPTIC PROP.(Mason68)

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

Brucite

Mg(OH)2
Dana No: 6.2.1.1 Strunz No: IV/F.03-10
Locality:

Notes: