Niahite Mineral Data

Niahite Mineral Data +

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General Niahite Information

Chemical Formula:

(NH4)(Mn++,Mg,Ca)PO4·(H2O)

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 180.15 gm

Calcium 2.22 % Ca 3.11 % CaO

Magnesium 2.70 % Mg 4.47 % MgO

Manganese 21.35 % Mn 27.56 % MnO

Phosphorus 17.19 % P 39.40 % P₂O₅

Hydrogen 2.01 % H - % Calc as (NH₄)₂O

Hydrogen 1.34 % H 12.00 % H₂O

Nitrogen 7.00 % N 13.01 % (NH₄)₂O

Oxygen 46.18 % O

______ ______

100.00 % 99.56 % = TOTAL OXIDE

Empirical Formula:

(NH₄)_0.9Mn²⁺_0.7Mg_0.2Ca_0.1(PO₄)·1.2(H₂O)

Environment:

Derived from the breakdown of bat guano.

IMA Status:

Approved IMA 1983

Locality:

Niah Great Cave, Sarawak, Malaysia. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

Named for the locality.

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Niahite Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:b:c =0.6469:1:0.5558

Cell Dimensions:

a = 5.68, b = 8.78, c = 4.88, Z = 2; V = 243.37 Den(Calc)= 2.46

Crystal System:

Orthorhombic - PyramidalH-M Symbol (mm2) Space Group: P mn2₁

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

By Intensity(I/I_o): 8.82(1), 2.832(0.9), 2.845(0.8),

Physical Properties of Niahite

Color:

Light orange, Colorless.

Density:

2.39

Diaphaniety:

Transparent

Habit:

Aggregates - Made of numerous individual crystals or clusters.

Habit:

Radial - Crystals radiate from a center without producing stellar forms (e.g. stibnite)

Hardness:

1-2 - Between Talc and Gypsum

Streak:

white

Optical Properties of Niahite

Gladstone-Dale:

CI meas= -0.37 (Poor) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC)
CI calc= -0.331 (Poor) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.2432,KPDmeas= 0.2503,KC= 0.1827

Optical Data:

Biaxial (-), a=1.582, b=1.604, g=1.609, bire=0.0270, 2V(Calc)=50, 2V(Meas)=54.

Calculated Properties of Niahite

Electron Density:

r_electron=2.48 gm/cc
note: r_Niahite=2.46 gm/cc.

Fermion Index

Fermion Index = 0.07267
Boson Index = 0.92733

Photoelectric:

PE_Niahite= 6.44 barns/electron
U=PE_Niahite x r_electron= 15.97 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

GRapi = 0 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)

Niahite is Not Radioactive

Niahite Classification

Dana Class:

40.1.2.2 (40)Hydrated Phosphates, etc

(40.1)where A++ B++ (XO4) · x(H2O)

(40.1.2)Dana Group

40.1.2.1 Dittmarite (NH4)Mg(PO4)·(H2O) P mn2₁ mm2

40.1.2.2 Niahite (NH4)(Mn,Mg,Ca)PO4·(H2O) P mn2₁ mm2

Strunz Class:

VII/C.23-30 VII - Phosphates, Arsenates and Vanadates

VII/C - Water-bearing phosphates without unfamiliar anions, cations of medium and big size: Fe, Mn, Zn, Mg and Ca, (NH4)1+

VII/C.23 - Struvite - Mundrabillaite series

VII/C.23-10 Struvite (NH4)MgPO4·6(H2O) P mn2₁ mm2

VII/C.23-20 Dittmarite (NH4)Mg(PO4)·(H2O) P mn2₁ mm2

VII/C.23-30 Niahite (NH4)(Mn,Mg,Ca)PO4·(H2O) P mn2₁ mm2

VII/C.23-40 Hannayite (NH4)2Mg3H4(PO4)4·8(H2O) P1 1

VII/C.23-50 Schertelite (NH4)2MgH2(PO4)2·4(H2O) P bca 2/m 2/m 2/m

VII/C.23-60 Stercorite H(NH4)Na(PO4)·4(H2O) P1 1

VII/C.23-65 Swaknoite (NH4)2Ca(HPO4)2·(H2O) Unk Ortho

VII/C.23-70 Mundrabillaite (NH4)2Ca(HPO4)2·(H2O) Pm,P 2,P 2/m Mono

Other Niahite Information

References:

NAME( AntBidBlaNic4) PHYS. PROP.(Enc. of Minerals,2nd ed.,1990) OPTIC PROP.(Enc. of Minerals,2nd ed.,1990)

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Niahite

(NH4)(Mn++,Mg,Ca)PO4·(H2O)
Dana No: 40.1.2.2 Strunz No: VII/C.23-30
Locality:

Notes: