Vertumnite Mineral Data

Vertumnite Mineral Data +

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General Vertumnite Information

Chemical Formula:

Ca8Al4(Al4Si5)O12[(OH)36·10(H2O)

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 1,683.36 gm

Strontium 0.52 % Sr 0.62 % SrO

Calcium 18.57 % Ca 25.98 % CaO

Aluminum 13.46 % Al 25.44 % Al₂O₃

Silicon 8.51 % Si 18.20 % SiO₂

Hydrogen 3.34 % H 29.80 % H₂O

Oxygen 55.60 % O

______ ______

100.00 % 100.05 % = TOTAL OXIDE

Empirical Formula:

Ca_7.8Sr_0.1Al_8.4Si_5.1O_12.6(OH)_36.1·9.8(H₂O)

Environment:

As a late-forming crystals inside a small cavity in phonolite.

IMA Status:

Approved IMA 1977

Locality:

Found in a quarry at Campomorto, Montalto di Castro, Lazio, Italy. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

For Vertumnus, the god worshipped by the ancient Etruscan people who inhabited the region where the mineral was found.

Synonym:

ICSD 100407

PDF 29-291

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Vertumnite Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:b:c =0.9961:1:4.3565

Cell Dimensions:

a = 5.744, b = 5.766, c = 25.12, Z = 1; beta = 119.72° V = 722.53 Den(Calc)= 3.87

Crystal System:

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

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

By Intensity(I/I_o): 4.187(1), 12.51(0.7), 6.275(0.65),

Crystal Structure:

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Galli E , Passaglia E , Tschermaks Mineralogische und Petrographische Mitteilungen , 25 (1978) p.33-46, Vertumnite: its crystal structure and relationship with natural and synthetic phases, Locality: Campomorto, Montalto di Castro

Physical Properties of Vertumnite

Cleavage:

None

Color:

Colorless.

Density:

2.15

Diaphaniety:

Transparent

Fracture:

Brittle - Conchoidal - Very brittle fracture producing small, conchoidal fragments.

Habit:

Prismatic - Crystals Shaped like Slender Prisms (e.g. tourmaline).

Habit:

Pseudo Hexagonal - Crystals show a hexagonal outline.

Hardness:

5 - Apatite

Luster:

Vitreous (Glassy)

Streak:

white

Optical Properties of Vertumnite

Gladstone-Dale:

CI meas= -0.007 (Superior) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC)
CI calc= 0.44 (Poor) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.1384,KPDmeas= 0.2491,KC= 0.2473

Optical Data:

Biaxial (-), a=1.531, b=1.535, g=1.541, bire=0.0100, 2V(Calc)=80, 2V(Meas)=62.

Calculated Properties of Vertumnite

Electron Density:

r_electron=2.21 gm/cc
note: r_Vertumnite=2.15 gm/cc.

Fermion Index

Fermion Index = 0.00486
Boson Index = 0.99514

Photoelectric:

PE_Vertumnite= 3.55 barns/electron
U=PE_Vertumnite x r_electron= 7.85 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

GRapi = 0 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)

Vertumnite is Not Radioactive

Vertumnite Classification

Dana Class:

73.1.6.1 (73)Phyllosilicate Condensed Tetrahedral Sheets

(73.1)with double layers

(73.1.6)Dana Group

73.1.6.1 Vertumnite Ca8Al4(Al4Si5)O12[(OH)36·10(H2O) P 2₁/a 2/m

Strunz Class:

VIII/H.39-40 VIII - Silicates

VIII/H - Phyllosilicates (layered) Mica minerals with tetrahedral-double layers and related structures

VIII/H.39 - Silhydrite - Vertumnite series

VIII/H.39-10 Silhydrite 3SiO2·(H2O) P??? Ortho

VIII/H.39-20 Magadiite NaSi7O13(OH)3·4(H2O) Unk Mono

VIII/H.39-30 Stratlingite Ca2Al[(OH)6AlSiO2-3(OH)4-3]·2,5(H2O) R 3m 3 2/m

VIII/H.39-40 Vertumnite Ca8Al4(Al4Si5)O12[(OH)36·10(H2O) P 2₁/a 2/m

Other Vertumnite Information

References:

NAME( AntBidBlaNic2) PHYS. PROP.(Enc. of Minerals,2nd ed.,1990) OPTIC PROP.(Enc. of Minerals,2nd ed.,1990)

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Vertumnite

Ca8Al4(Al4Si5)O12[(OH)36·10(H2O)
Dana No: 73.1.6.1 Strunz No: VIII/H.39-40
Locality:

Notes: