Sapphirine Mineral Data

Sapphirine Mineral Data +

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General Sapphirine Information

Chemical Formula:

(Mg,Al)8(Al,Si)6O20

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 683.33 gm

Magnesium 21.34 % Mg 35.39 % MgO

Aluminum 25.67 % Al 48.49 % Al₂O₃

Silicon 6.17 % Si 13.19 % SiO₂

Oxygen 46.83 % O

______ ______

100.00 % 97.07 % = TOTAL OXIDE

Empirical Formula:

Mg₆Al_6.5Si_1.5O₂₀

Environment:

Magmatic and metamorphic rocks.

IMA Status:

Valid Species (Pre-IMA) 1819

Locality:

St. Urbain, Charlevoix Co., Quebec, Canada. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

Named after its blue color.

Sapphirine Image

Images:

Sapphirine

Comments: Large complex crystalline cluster of dark blue to black sapphirine.
Location: Betroka district, Toliara (Tul?ar) Province, Madagascar. Scale: 15x14x10 mm.
© John Betts - Fine Minerals

Sapphirine Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:b:c =0.9642:1:0.8336

Cell Dimensions:

a = 9.97, b = 10.34, c = 8.62, Z = 2; alpha = 107.4°, beta = 95.2°, gamma = 123.8° V = 701.75 Den(Calc)= 3.23

Crystal System:

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

Crystal Structure:

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Moore P B , American Mineralogist , 54 (1969) p.31-49, The crystal structure of sapphirine

View Additional jPOWD Structure files for Sapphirine
[1]

Physical Properties of Sapphirine

Cleavage:

[010] Perfect

Color:

Blue, Bluish gray, Greenish gray, Green.

Density:

3.42 - 3.48, Average = 3.45

Diaphaniety:

Transparent

Fracture:

Uneven - Flat surfaces (not cleavage) fractured in an uneven pattern.

Habit:

Granular - Generally occurs as anhedral to subhedral crystals in matrix.

Habit:

Tabular - Form dimensions are thin in one direction.

Hardness:

7.5 - Garnet

Luminescence:

Non-fluorescent.

Luster:

Vitreous (Glassy)

Magnetism:

Nonmagnetic

Streak:

white

Optical Properties of Sapphirine

Gladstone-Dale:

CI meas= -0.047 (Good) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC)
CI calc= -0.118 (Poor) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.2221,KPDmeas= 0.2079,KC= 0.1986

Optical Data:

Biaxial (-), a=1.701-1.729, b=1.703-1.732, g=1.705-1.734, bire=0.0040-0.0050, 2V(Calc)=78-88, 2V(Meas)=51-69. Dispersion r < v.

Pleochroism (y):

greenish blue, blue, or dark blue.

Pleochroism (z):

deep blue, yellowish green, or green.

Calculated Properties of Sapphirine

Electron Density:

r_electron=3.41 gm/cc
note: r_Sapphirine=3.45 gm/cc.

Fermion Index

Fermion Index = 0.02444
Boson Index = 0.97556

Photoelectric:

PE_Sapphirine= 1.47 barns/electron
U=PE_Sapphirine x r_electron= 5.01 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

GRapi = 0 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)

Sapphirine is Not Radioactive

Sapphirine Classification

Dana Class:

69.2.1b.1 (69)Inosilicate Chains with Side Branches or Loops

(69.2)with P>2

(69.2.1b)Aenigmatite and related species (Sapphirine subgroup)

69.2.1b.1 Sapphirine (Mg,Al)8(Al,Si)6O20 P1 1

69.2.1b.2 Surinamite (Mg,Fe)3Al4BeSi3O16 P 2₁/n 2/m

69.2.1b.3 Khmaralite! (Mg,Al,Fe)16(Al,Si,Be)12O40 P 2₁/c 2/m

Strunz Class:

VIII/F.15-10 VIII - Silicates

VIII/F - Inosilicates (chain and band) modified double chains

VIII/F.15 - Sapphirine - Surinamite series

VIII/F.15-10 Sapphirine (Mg,Al)8(Al,Si)6O20 P1 1

VIII/F.15-15 Khmaralite! (Mg,Al,Fe)16(Al,Si,Be)12O40 P 2₁/c 2/m

VIII/F.15-20 Surinamite (Mg,Fe)3Al4BeSi3O16 P 2₁/n 2/m

Other Sapphirine Information

References:

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

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Sapphirine

(Mg,Al)8(Al,Si)6O20
Dana No: 69.2.1b.1 Strunz No: VIII/F.15-10
Locality:

Notes: