Kaolinite Mineral Data

Kaolinite Mineral Data +

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General Kaolinite Information

Chemical Formula:

Al2Si2O5(OH)4

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 258.16 gm

Aluminum 20.90 % Al 39.50 % Al₂O₃

Silicon 21.76 % Si 46.55 % SiO₂

Hydrogen 1.56 % H 13.96 % H₂O

Oxygen 55.78 % O

______ ______

100.00 % 100.00 % = TOTAL OXIDE

Empirical Formula:

Al₂Si₂O₅(OH)₄

Environment:

Secondary mineral derived from the wathering of alumino-silicate minerals.

IMA Status:

Valid Species (Pre-IMA) 1930

Locality:

Kao-Ling, China. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

Named after the locality.

Synonym:

Pianlinite - Disordered

Kaolinite Image

Images:

Kaolinite

Comments: Authigenic kaolinite plates covering a quartz grain overgrown with authigenic quartz. SEM image of a core sample.
Location: Unknown. Scale: Picture size 50 µ-m.
© OMNI Laboratories, Inc

Images:

Kaolinite Ammonioalunite

Comments: White chalky ammonioalunite on darker kaolinite.
Location: Schoeller Mine, Kladno, Stredocesky, Czech Republic. Scale: See Photo.
© Jeff Weissman / Photographic Guide to Mineral Species

Images:

Kaolinite Pianlinite

Comments: Off-white colored minute pianlinite (kaolinite) fragment.
Location: Pianling, China. Scale: See Photo.
© Jeff Weissman / Photographic Guide to Mineral Species

Kaolinite Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:b:c =0.5755:1:0.8253

Cell Dimensions:

a = 5.14, b = 8.93, c = 7.37, Z = 2; alpha = 91.8°, beta = 104.5°, gamma = 90.016° V = 327.35 Den(Calc)= 2.62

Crystal System:

Triclinic - PedialH-M Symbol (1) Space Group: P1

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

By Intensity(I/I_o): 7.17(1), 1.49(0.9), 3.58(0.8),

Crystal Structure:

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Bish D L , Von Dreele R B , Clays and Clay Minerals , 37 (1989) p.289-296, Rietveld refinement of non-hydrogen atomic positions in kaolinite, Locality: Keokuk, Iowa, USA, Note: clay

View Additional jPOWD Structure files for Kaolinite
[1]

Physical Properties of Kaolinite

Cleavage:

[001] Perfect

Color:

White, Brownish white, Grayish white, Yellowish white, Grayish green.

Density:

2.6

Diaphaniety:

Transparent to translucent

Fracture:

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

Habit:

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

Hardness:

1.5-2 - Talc-Gypsum

Luminescence:

None.

Luster:

Earthy (Dull)

Streak:

white

Optical Properties of Kaolinite

Gladstone-Dale:

CI meas= 0.043 (Good) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC)
CI calc= 0.05 (Good) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.2146,KPDmeas= 0.2163,KC= 0.226

Optical Data:

Biaxial (-), a=1.553-1.563, b=1.559-1.569, g=1.56-1.57, bire=0.0070, 2V(Calc)=44, 2V(Meas)=24-50. Dispersion none.

Pleochroism (x):

colorless or pale yellow.

Pleochroism (y):

buff or dark buff.

Pleochroism (z):

buff or dark buff.

Calculated Properties of Kaolinite

Electron Density:

r_electron=2.62 gm/cc
note: r_Kaolinite=2.60 gm/cc.

Fermion Index

Fermion Index = 0.01043
Boson Index = 0.98957

Photoelectric:

PE_Kaolinite= 1.48 barns/electron
U=PE_Kaolinite x r_electron= 3.87 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

GRapi = 0 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)

Kaolinite is Not Radioactive

Kaolinite Classification

Dana Class:

71.1.1.2 (71)Phyllosilicate Sheets of Six-Membered Rings

(71.1)with 1:1 layers

(71.1.1)Kaolinite group

71.1.1.1 Dickite Al2Si2O5(OH)4 Cc m

71.1.1.2 Kaolinite Al2Si2O5(OH)4 P1 1

71.1.1.3 Nacrite Al2Si2O5(OH)4 Cc m

71.1.1.4 Halloysite Al2Si2O5(OH)4 Cc m

71.1.1.4a Endellite? Al2Si2O5(OH)4·2(H2O) Cc m

71.1.1.5 Odinite (Fe,Mg,Al,Fe,Ti,Mn)2.5(Si,Al)2O5(OH)4 Cm m

Strunz Class:

VIII/H.25-10 VIII - Silicates

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

VIII/H.25 - Kaolinite group

VIII/H.25-10 Kaolinite Al2Si2O5(OH)4 P1 1

VIII/H.25-20 Dickite Al2Si2O5(OH)4 Cc m

VIII/H.25-30 Nacrite Al2Si2O5(OH)4 Cc m

VIII/H.25-40 Halloysite Al2Si2O5(OH)4 Cc m

Other Kaolinite Information

References:

NAME( Duda&Rejl90) PHYS. PROP.(Enc. of Minerals,2nd ed.,1990) OPTIC PROP.(Heinrich65)

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Kaolinite

Al2Si2O5(OH)4
Dana No: 71.1.1.2 Strunz No: VIII/H.25-10
Locality:

Notes: