Mellite Mineral Data

General Mellite Information

Chemical Formula:

Al2[C6(COO)6]•16(H2O)

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 534.47 gm

Aluminum 10.10 % Al 19.08 % Al₂O₃

Hydrogen 9.05 % H 80.90 % H₂O

Carbon 26.97 % C

Oxygen 53.88 % O

______ ______

100.00 % 99.97 % = TOTAL OXIDE

Empirical Formula:

Al₂C₁₂H₁₂•18(H₂O)

IMA Status:

Valid Species (Pre-IMA) 1793

Locality:

Arten, Thüringen, Germany Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

From the Latin mel - "honey."

Name Pronunciation:

Mellite

Synonym:

ICSD 41122

PDF 42-1501

Mellite Image

Images:

Mellite

Comments: Specimen of crystalline mellite. Mellite is a naturally occurring organic mineral species.
Location: Csordakhut, Tatabanya, Hungary. Scale: 4 x 3 cm.
© John Veevaert

Mellite Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:c = 1:1.05887

Cell Dimensions:

a = 21.91, c = 23.2, Z = 16; V = 11,137.12 Den(Calc)= 1.27

Crystal System:

Tetragonal - TrapezohedralH-M Symbol (4 2 2) Space Group: P 4₁22,P 4₃22

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

By Intensity(I/I_o): 7.99(1), 4.23(0.7), 5.8(0.55),

Crystal Structure:

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Robl C , Kuhs W F , Journal of Solid State Chemistry , 92 (1991) p.101-109, A neutron diffraction study on hydrogen bonding in the mineral mellite (Al2[C6(COO)6]*16H2O) at 15 K, Sample: T = 15 K, Locality: Tatabanya, Hungary

Physical Properties of Mellite

Cleavage:

{011} Imperfect

Color:

Brown, Brownish white, Colorless, Yellow, Golden brown.

Density:

1.55 - 1.65, Average = 1.6

Diaphaneity:

Transparent to Translucent

Fracture:

Conchoidal - Fractures developed in brittle materials characterized by smoothly curving surfaces, (e.g. quartz).

Habit:

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

Habit:

Massive - Granular - Common texture observed in granite and other igneous rock.

Hardness:

2-2.5 - Gypsum-Finger Nail

Luminescence:

Fluorescent and Phosphorescent, Short UV=blue, Long UV=blue.

Luster:

Vitreous (Glassy)

Streak:

white

Optical Properties of Mellite

Dichroism (e):

none.

Dichroism (w):

none.

Gladstone-Dale:

CI meas= -0.043 (Good) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC)
CI calc= -0.314 (Poor) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.4134,KPDmeas= 0.3281,KC= 0.3145
Ncalc = 1.4 - 1.52

Optical Data:

Uniaxial (-), e=1.511, w=1.539, bire=0.0280.

Calculated Properties of Mellite

Electron Density:

Bulk Density (Electron Density)=1.74 gm/cc
note: Specific Gravity of Mellite =1.60 gm/cc.

Fermion Index:

Fermion Index = 0.0032386455
Boson Index = 0.9967613545

Photoelectric:

PE_Mellite= 0.49 barns/electron
U=PE_Mellite x rElectron Density= 0.85 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

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

Mellite Classification

Dana Class:

50.02.01.01 (50)Salts of Organic Acids

(50.02)(Mellitates, Citrates, Cyanates, and Acetates)

(50.02.01)Dana Group

50.02.01.01 Mellite Al2[C6(COO)6]•16(H2O) P 4₁22,P 4₃22 4 2 2

Strunz Class:

10.AC.05 10 - ORGANIC COMPOUNDS

10.A - Salts of Organic Acids

10.AC -Benzene Salts

10.AC.05 Mellite Al2[C6(COO)6]•16(H2O) P 4₁22,P 4₃22 4 2 2

Other Mellite Information

References:

NAME( Duda&Rejl90) PHYS. PROP.(Enc. of Minerals,2nd ed.,1990) OPTIC PROP.(Ford32)

See Also:

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

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Ask about Mellite 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 Mellite Specimen Label here :

Mellite

Al2[C6(COO)6]•16(H2O)
Dana No: 50.02.01.01 Strunz No: 10.AC.05
Locality:

Notes: