Nikischerite Mineral Data

Nikischerite Mineral Data +

General Nikischerite Information

Chemical Formula:

NaFe++6Al3(SO4)2(OH)18(H2O)12

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 1,165.46 gm

Sodium 1.78 % Na 2.39 % Na₂O

Aluminum 6.95 % Al 13.12 % Al₂O₃

Iron 31.63 % Fe 40.69 % FeO

Hydrogen 3.63 % H 32.46 % H₂O

Sulfur 4.95 % S 12.37 % SO₃

Oxygen 51.07 % O

______ ______

100.00 % 101.03 % = TOTAL OXIDE

Empirical Formula:

Na_0.9Fe²⁺_6.6Al₃(SO₄)_1.8(OH)₁₈(H₂O)₁₂

Environment:

Secondary mineral formed from oxidizing sulfide deposits.

IMA Status:

Approved IMA 2001 (Dana # Added)

Locality:

Huanuni Tin Mine, Dalence Province, Oruro Department, Bolivia. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

Named for Anthony (Tony) J. Nikischer (1949-), geologist (Excalibur Minerals) who discovered the mineral.

Synonym:

IMA2001-039

Nikischerite Image

Images:

Nikischerite

Comments: Yellowish green nikischerite on matrix.
Location: Huanuni Mine, Dalence Province, Bolivia. Scale: Crystal size 5 mm.
© Tom Loomis / Dakota Matrix

Images:

Nikischerite

Comments: Tony Nikischer, Chairman of the Board of The Hudson Institute of Mineralogy, president of Excalibur Mineral Corporation, and the person whom nikischerite is named for, kindly provided the pronunciation of the mineral nikischerite.
Location: Executive Inn hotel, Room 128, Tucson, Feburary 9, 2004. Scale: NA.
© Dave Barthelmy

Nikischerite Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:c = 1:3.53721

Cell Dimensions:

a = 9.352, c = 33.08, Z = 3; V = 2,505.56 Den(Calc)= 2.32

Crystal System:

Trigonal - RhombohedralH-M Symbol ( 3) Space Group: R 3

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

By Intensity(I/I_o): 10.98(1)(003), 5.539(0.6)(006), 3.674(0.5)(009),1.932(0.3), 2.425(0.3)(036), 2.624(0.25)(033), 2.176(0.2), 4.311(0.2)(113), 2.7(0.1)(030),

Forms:

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Crystal Structure:

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Huminicki D M C , Hawthorne F C , The Canadian Mineralogist , 41 (2003) p.79-82, The crystal structure of nikischerite, NaFeAl3(SO4)2(OH)18(H2O)12,, a mineral of the shigaite group

Physical Properties of Nikischerite

Cleavage:

[001] Perfect

Color:

Green.

Density:

2.33

Diaphaniety:

Transparent

Fracture:

Friable - The crumbly disintegration of earthy materials or highly fractured minerals.

Habit:

Micaceous - Platy texture with "flexible" plates.

Habit:

Platy - Sheet forms (e.g. micas).

Habit:

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

Hardness:

2 - Gypsum

Luster:

Earthy (Dull)

Streak:

pale grayish green

Optical Properties of Nikischerite

Gladstone-Dale:

CI meas= 0 (Superior) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC)
CI calc= -0.004 (Superior) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.2414,KPDmeas= 0.2403,KC= 0.2405

Optical Data:

Uniaxial (-), w=1.56.

Calculated Properties of Nikischerite

Electron Density:

r_electron=2.35 gm/cc
note: r_Nikischerite=2.33 gm/cc.

Fermion Index

Fermion Index = 0.00732
Boson Index = 0.99268

Photoelectric:

PE_Nikischerite= 9.73 barns/electron
U=PE_Nikischerite x r_electron= 22.90 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

GRapi = 0 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)

Nikischerite is Not Radioactive

Nikischerite Classification

Dana Class:

31.1.2.2 (31)Hydrated Sulfates Containing Hydroxyl or Halogen

(31.1)where (A+ B++)m (XO4)p Zq·x(H2O), where m:p>6:1

(31.1.2)Dana Group

31.1.2.1 Shigaite Mn7Al4(SO4)2(OH)22·8(H2O) R 3 3

31.1.2.2 Nikischerite ! NaFe6Al3(SO4)2(OH)18(H2O)12 R 3 3

Strunz Class:

VI/D.14-22 VI - Sulfates,Chromates,Molybdates and Tungstates

VI/D - Water-bearing sulfates with unfamiliar anions. cations of medium and very big size

VI/D.14 - Metavoltine - Slavikite series

VI/D.14-10 Metavoltine K4Na4(Fe,Zn)Fe6(SO4)12O2·20(H2O) P 3 3

VI/D.14-20 Motukoreaite Na2Mg38Al24(CO3)13(SO4)8(OH)108·56(H2O) R 3m 3 2/m

VI/D.14-22 Nikischerite NaFe6Al3(SO4)2(OH)18(H2O)12 R 3 3

VI/D.14-23 Shigaite Mn7Al4(SO4)2(OH)22·8(H2O) R 3 3

VI/D.14-25 Wermlandite (Ca,Mg)Mg7(Al,Fe)2(SO4)2(OH)18·12(H2O) P 3c1 3 2/m

VI/D.14-30 Lannonite HCa4Mg2Al4(SO4)8F9·32(H2O) Unk Tetra

VI/D.14-40 Slavikite NaMg2Fe5(SO4)7(OH)6·33(H2O) R 3 3

Other Nikischerite Information

References:

NAME( MinRec, Vol 34, p 155) PHYS. PROP.(MinRec, Vol 34, p 155) OPTIC PROP.(MinRec, Vol 34, p 155)

See Also:

Links to other databases for Nikischerite :
1 -Am. Min. Crystal Structure Database 2 -Athena 3 -Google Images 4 -Google Scholar 5 -MinDAT 6 -MinMax(Deutsch) 7 -MinMax(English) 8 -Mineralienatlas (Deutsch) 9 -QUT Mineral Atlas

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

Nikischerite

NaFe++6Al3(SO4)2(OH)18(H2O)12
Dana No: 31.1.2.2 Strunz No: VI/D.14-22
Locality:

Notes: