Mirabilite Mineral Data (original) (raw)

General Mirabilite Information

Help on Chemical Formula: Chemical Formula:

Na2SO4•10(H2O)

Help on Composition: Composition:

Molecular Weight = 322.20 gm

Sodium 14.27 % Na 19.24 % Na2O

Hydrogen 6.26 % H 55.91 % H2O

Sulfur 9.95 % S 24.85 % SO3

Oxygen 69.52 % O

______ ______

100.00 % 100.00 % = TOTAL OXIDE

Help on Empirical Formula: Empirical Formula:

Na2(SO4)•10(H2O)

Help on Environment: Environment:

Saline mineral deposited from sodium sulfate-chloride brines. Very prominent in cold weather in such brines.

Help on IMA Status: IMA Status:

Valid Species (Pre-IMA) 1845

Help on Locality: Locality:

Vulcano Island, Messina Province, Sicily. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Help on Name Origin: Name Origin:

Named after the Latin, sal mirabile - "miracle salt" expressing Glauber's surprise on its synthesis.

Help on Name Pronunciation: Name Pronunciation:

Mirabilite + Pronunciation Say MIRABILITE

Help on Synonym: Synonym:

ICSD 30505

PDF 11-647

Mirabilite Image

Click Here for Larger Mirabilite Image in a New Browser Window Images:

Click Here for Larger Mirabilite Image Mirabilite Comments: Colorless grains and indistinct crystals of mirabilite. The mineral dehydrates quickly in dry air and must be preserved in a closed box. Location: Willi Agatz Mine, Dresden, Saxony, Germany.Scale: Picture size 4 mm. © Thomas Witzke / Abraxas-Verlag

Mirabilite Crystallography

Help on Axial Ratios: Axial Ratios:

a:b:c =1.2386:1:1.1091

Help on Cell Dimensions: Cell Dimensions:

a = 12.82, b = 10.35, c = 11.48, Z = 4; beta = 107.66° V = 1,451.46 Den(Calc)= 1.47

Help on Crystal System: Crystal System:

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

Help on X Ray Diffraction: X Ray Diffraction:

By Intensity(I/Io): 5.49(1), 3.21(0.75), 3.26(0.6),

Help on Forms: Forms:

Mouse
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Help on Above

| | Forms:( 1 0 1) ( 0 1 0) ( 1 1 0) ( 0 2 1) ( 1 1 1) ( 1 0 0) ( 1 1 1) ( 0 0 1) Warning: this large pop-up is very compute intensive and may not work well with some computers. | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |

Click Here for Large Mirabilite Structure Window Crystal Structure:

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Help on Above

| | Levy H A , Lisensky G C , Acta Crystallographica, Section B , 34 (1978) p.3502-3510, Crystal structures of sodium sulfate decahydrate (Glauber s salt) and, sodium tetraborate decahydrate (borax). Redetermination by neutron diffraction, Locality: synthetic, Note: anisoU s from ICSD | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |

Physical Properties of Mirabilite

Help on Cleavage: Cleavage:

{100} Perfect, {001} Poor, {010} Poor

Help on Color: Color:

Colorless, White, Yellowish white, Greenish white.

Help on Density: Density:

1.49

Help on Diaphaneity: Diaphaneity:

Transparent to translucent to opaque

Help on Fracture: Fracture:

Conchoidal - Fractures developed in brittle materials characterized by smoothly curving surfaces, (e.g. quartz).

Help on Habit: Habit:

Crystalline - Coarse - Occurs as well-formed coarse sized crystals.

Help on Habit: Habit:

Efflorescences - Crystals covering matrix, generally produced from transpiro-evaporation.

Help on Habit: Habit:

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

Help on Hardness: Hardness:

1.5-2 - Talc-Gypsum

Help on Luminescence: Luminescence:

Non-fluorescent.

Help on Luster: Luster:

Vitreous (Glassy)

Help on Streak: Streak:

white

Optical Properties of Mirabilite

Help on Gladstone-Dale: Gladstone-Dale:

CI meas= -0.013 (Superior) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC)
CI calc= -0.027 (Excellent) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.2778,KPDmeas= 0.2741,KC= 0.2706
Ncalc = 1.4

Help on Optical Data: Optical Data:

Biaxial (-), a=1.396, b=1.4103, g=1.419, bire=0.0230, 2V(Calc)=74, 2V(Meas)=75.93. Dispersion none.

Help on Pleochroism (x): Pleochroism (x):

none.

Help on Pleochroism (y): Pleochroism (y):

non.

Calculated Properties of Mirabilite

Help on Electron Density: Electron Density:

Bulk Density (Electron Density)=1.57 gm/cc
note: Specific Gravity of Mirabilite =1.49 gm/cc.

Help on Fermion Index: Fermion Index:

Fermion Index = 0.0010895072
Boson Index = 0.9989104928

Help on Photoelectric: Photoelectric:

PEMirabilite = 0.98 barns/electron
U=PEMirabilite x rElectron Density= 1.55 barns/cc.

Help on Radioactivity: Radioactivity:

GRapi = 0 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)
Mirabilite is Not Radioactive

Mirabilite Classification

Help on Dana Class: Dana Class:

29.02.02.01 (29)Hydrated Acid and Sulfates

(29.02)where (A+)2 XO4 � x(H2O)

(29.02.02)Dana Group

29.02.02.01 Mirabilite Na2SO4•10(H2O) P 21/a 2/m

Help on Strunz Class: Strunz Class:

07.CD.10 07 - SULFATES (SELENATES, TELLURATES)

07.C - Sulfates (selenates, etc.) without Additional Anions, with H2O

07.CD -With only large cations

07.CD.10 Mirabilite Na2SO4•10(H2O) P 21/a 2/m

Other Mirabilite Information

Help on References: References:

NAME( AntBidBlaNic5) PHYS. PROP.(Enc. of Minerals,2nd ed.,1990) OPTIC PROP.(Enc. of Minerals,2nd ed.,1990)

Help on See Also: See Also:

Links to other databases for Mirabilite :
1 - Am. Min. Crystal Structure Database
2 - Athena
3 - EUROmin Project
4 - Ecole des Mines de Paris
5 - GeoScienceWorld
6 - Glendale Community College
7 - Google Images
8 - Google Scholar
9 - Handbook of Mineralogy (MinSocAm)
10 - Handbook of Mineralogy (UofA)
11 - MinDAT
12 - Mineralienatlas (Deutsch)
13 - Online Mineral Museum
14 - QUT Mineral Atlas
15 - Ruff.Info

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Ask about Mirabilite here :
Ask-A-Mineralogist from the Mineralogical Society of America
Mindat.org's Discussion Groups
Original Rockhounds Discussion Group
Rockhounds Discussion Group on Yahoo Groups
Mineral Discussion Forum from Fabre Minerals - also available in Espa�ol

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

Mirabilite

Na2SO4•10(H2O)
Dana No: 29.02.02.01 Strunz No: 07.CD.10
Locality:

Notes: