Kernite Mineral Data

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General Kernite Information

Chemical Formula:

Na2B4O6(OH)2•3(H2O)

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 290.28 gm

Sodium 15.84 % Na 21.35 % Na₂O

Boron 14.90 % B 47.97 % B₂O₃

Hydrogen 3.13 % H 27.93 % H₂O

Oxygen 66.14 % O

______ ______

100.00 % 97.24 % = TOTAL OXIDE

Empirical Formula:

Na₂B₄O₆(OH)₃•3(H₂O)

Environment:

Continental sedimentary basins.

IMA Status:

Valid Species (Pre-IMA) 1927

Locality:

Boron, Kern County, California, the county that contains the fabulous borate deposits at Kramer. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

Named after it's locality.

Name Pronunciation:

Kernite

Synonym:

ICSD 10378

PDF 25-1322

Rasorite

Kernite Image

Images:

Kernite

Comments: Translucent kernite cleavage prism with white superficial dehydration coating.
Location: Pacific Coast Boron Mine, Boron, Kern County, California, USA. Scale: See Photo.
© Jeff Weissman / Photographic Guide to Mineral Species

Kernite Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:b:c =0.7666:1:1.713

Cell Dimensions:

a = 7.016, b = 9.152, c = 15.678, Z = 4; beta = 108.88° V = 952.53 Den(Calc)= 2.02

Crystal System:

Monoclinic - PrismaticH-M Symbol (2/m) Space Group: P 2₁/c

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

By Intensity(I/I_o): 7.4(1), 6.64(0.85), 3.25(0.35),

Forms:

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Forms: ( 1 1 0) ( 2 0 1) ( 1 1 0) ( 1 0 0) ( 0 0 1)

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Crystal Structure:

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Cooper W F , Larsen F K , Coppens P , Giese R F , American Mineralogist , 58 (1973) p.21-31, Electron population analysis of accurate diffraction data. V. Structure and, one-center charge refinement of the light-atom mineral kernite,, Na2B4O6(OH)2.3H2O, high order refinement

View Additional jPOWD Structure files for Kernite
[1]

Physical Properties of Kernite

Cleavage:

{100} Perfect, {001} Perfect, {201} Good

Color:

Colorless, White.

Density:

1.9 - 1.92, Average = 1.91

Diaphaneity:

Transparent to translucent

Fracture:

Brittle - Generally displayed by glasses and most non-metallic minerals.

Habit:

Acicular - Occurs as needle-like crystals.

Habit:

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

Habit:

Massive - Uniformly indistinguishable crystals forming large masses.

Hardness:

2.5-3 - Finger Nail-Calcite

Luminescence:

Non-fluorescent.

Luster:

Vitreous - Pearly

Streak:

white

Optical Properties of Kernite

Gladstone-Dale:

CI meas= -0.034 (Excellent) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC)
CI calc= 0.022 (Excellent) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.2333,KPDmeas= 0.2468,KC= 0.2386
Ncalc = 1.45 - 1.48

Optical Data:

Biaxial (-), a=1.454, b=1.472, g=1.488, bire=0.0340, 2V(Calc)=84, 2V(Meas)=80. Dispersion r > v distinct.

Pleochroism (x):

colorless.

Pleochroism (y):

colorless.

Pleochroism (z):

colorless.

Calculated Properties of Kernite

Electron Density:

Bulk Density (Electron Density)=2.05 gm/cc
note: Specific Gravity of Kernite =2.02 gm/cc.

Fermion Index:

Fermion Index = 0.02
Boson Index = 0.98

Photoelectric:

PE_Kernite= 0.51 barns/electron
U=PE_Kernite x rElectron Density= 1.05 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

GRapi = 0 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)
Kernite is Not Radioactive

Kernite Classification

Dana Class:

26.04.05.01 (26)Hydrated Borates Containing Hydroxyl or Halogen

(26.04)Dana Type

(26.04.05)Dana Group

26.04.05.01 Kernite Na2B4O6(OH)2•3(H2O) P 2₁/c 2/m

Strunz Class:

06.DB.05 06 - BORATES

06.D - Tetraborates

06.DB -Ino-tetraborates

06.DB.05 Kernite Na2B4O6(OH)2•3(H2O) P 2₁/c 2/m

Other Kernite Information

References:

NAME( MinRec) PHYS. PROP.(Enc. of Minerals,2nd ed.,1990) OPTIC PROP.(Sinkankas66)

See Also:

Links to other databases for Kernite :
1 - Am. Min. Crystal Structure Database
2 - Amethyst Galleries' Mineral Gallery
3 - Athena
4 - EUROmin Project
5 - Ecole des Mines de Paris
6 - GeoScienceWorld
7 - Google Images
8 - Google Scholar
9 - Handbook of Mineralogy (MinSocAm)
10 - Handbook of Mineralogy (UofA)
11 - MinDAT
12 - Mineral and Gemstone Kingdom
13 - Mineralienatlas (Deutsch)
14 - Online Mineral Museum
15 - QUT Mineral Atlas
16 - Ruff.Info
17 - WWW-MINCRYST

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

Kernite

Na2B4O6(OH)2•3(H2O)
Dana No: 26.04.05.01 Strunz No: 06.DB.05
Locality:

Notes: