COLEMANITE, 2 CaO 3BP3 5 Hp. FROM SIJES DISTRICT. SALTA, ARGENTINA.

Authors

  • Lorenzo Francisco Aristarain

Keywords:

Mineralogy, Borates, Colemanite, Tincalayu,

Abstract

Idiomorphic crystals of colemanite from Monte Verde mine, Sijes district, Salta, Argentina, were used for this study. The mineral is monoclinic, c1ass Prismatic, space group P 2/a; a = 8.732 Á , b = 11.258 Á, e = 6.101Á, B=110° 08' ; a: b: e = 0.7556: 1 : 0.5419, cell volume 563.11 Á3; Z = 4, cell content4 [Ca B3 04 (OH)3 HP] or 2 (2 CaO 3 B2 03 5 ~O). . Colorless, transparent crysta1s with very intense vitreous luster, measuring 4 to 5 mm. 111 lenght and 2 to 3 mm. across, show pseudo-rhombohedral habit with the forms (110) and (301) very well developed plus {OO1}, {100}, {021} and {121}, also short prismatic habit along c. The strongest peaks in the X-ray powder diagram are in Á.: 5,64 (100); 2.807 (68); 3.137 (54); 2.864 (32); 2.011 (31); 3.85 (26); 2.549 (26); 5.72 (21) and 4.00 (20). Colemanite is biaxial (+), X = b. Y ti e = - 8° , o< = 1.586; B= 1.592; ¡¡ = 1.615 ± 0.001 (Na light); 2 V = 57° ;r >v very weak. Cleavages {O1O} and {OO1} very good, fragile, hardness 4 1/2; density 2.424 (meas), 2.425 (calc.) g cm-3 . A chemical analysis gives Wt % : CaO 27.29; B2 03 50.50; Hp 22.07; total 99.86. G.TA ,D.T.A. and infrared absorption data are presented.

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