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Antarcticite

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Bristol Dry Lake, San Bernardino Co., California, USA
© Marek Patúš

Formula:
CaCl
 
2
 · 6H
 
2
O
System:TrigonalColour:Colourless
Hardness:2 - 3
Name:For its occurrence on the continent of Antarctica.


A highly hygroscopic mineral.
A synthetic Sr analogue is known.

Classification of Antarcticite

IMA status:Approved
Strunz 8th edition ID:3/A.12-80
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:3.BB.30

3 : HALIDES
B : Simple halides, with H2O
B : M:X = 1:2
Dana 8th edition ID:9.2.6.1

9 : NORMAL HALIDES
2 : AX2
Hey's CIM Ref.:8.4.9

8 : Halides - Fluorides, Chlorides, Bromides and Iodides; also Fluoborates and Fluosilicates
4 : Halides of the alkaline earths and Mg
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Type Occurrence of Antarcticite

Type Locality:Don Juan Pond, Wright Valley, Victoria Land, Eastern Antarctica, Antarctica
General Appearance of Type Material:Aggregates of acicular crystals with poor terminations, to 15 cm
Year of Discovery:1965
Geological Setting of type material:Precipitate from highly saline brines under very arid conditions

Occurrences of Antarcticite

Geological Setting:Stratified fresh to brackish to salt water columns in onshore "blue holes" (Bahamas);
Component of inclusions in quartz in a zoned mafic pegmatoid (Bushveld Complex)

Physical Properties of Antarcticite

Lustre:Vitreous
Diaphaneity (Transparency):Transparent
Colour:Colourless
Streak:White
Hardness (Mohs):2 - 3
Tenacity:Brittle
Cleavage:Perfect
on {0001}, good to perfect on one prism face
Density (measured):1.715 g/cm3
Density (calculated):1.7 g/cm3

Crystallography of Antarcticite

Crystal System:Trigonal
Class (H-M):3 2 - Trapezohedral
Space Group:P3 2 1
Cell Parameters:a = 7.9Å, c = 3.95Å
Ratio:a:c = 1 : 0.5
Unit Cell Volume:V 213.49 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:1
X-Ray Powder Diffraction:
d-spacingIntensity
3.44 (24)
2.80 (23)
2.16 (23)
2.60 (22)
3.98 (18)
2.28 (13)
Comments:Recorded on material from the type locality

Optical Data of Antarcticite

Type:Uniaxial (-)
RI values: nω = 1.550 nε = 1.490 - 1.500
Maximum Birefringence:δ = 0.060

Chart shows birefringence interference colour range (at 30µm thickness) and does not take into account mineral colouration.
Surface Relief:Low

Chemical Properties of Antarcticite

Formula:
CaCl
 
2
 · 6H
 
2
O
Essential elements:Ca, Cl, H, O
All elements listed in formula:Ca, Cl, H, O
Analytical Data:Analysis of material from the type locality
Na (0.34)
K (0.008)
Mg (0.41)
Ca (17.5)
Cl (32.7)
H2O (49.2)

sum 100.1 wt.-%
Empirical Formula:
Ca
 
1.00
Mg
 
0.04
Na
 
0.03
Cl
 
2.11
 · 6.25H
 
2
O

Relationship of Antarcticite to other Species

Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):

- +
3.BB.05Eriochalcite
CuCl
 
2
·2H
 
2
O
3.BB.10Rokühnite
FeCl
 
2
·2H
 
2
O
3.BB.15Bischofite
MgCl
 
2
 · 6H
 
2
O
3.BB.20Nickelbischofite
NiCl
 
2
·6H
 
2
O
3.BB.25Sinjarite
CaCl
 
2
·2H
 
2
O
3.BB.35Tachyhydrite
CaMg
 
2
Cl
 
6
·12H
 
2
O
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:

- +
8.4.1Sellaite
MgF
 
2
8.4.2Neighborite
NaMgF
 
3
8.4.3Bischofite
MgCl
 
2
 · 6H
 
2
O
8.4.4Korshunovskite
Mg
 
2
[(OH)
 
3
|Cl] · 4H
 
2
O
8.4.5Carnallite
KMgCl
 
3
·6H
 
2
O
8.4.6Tachyhydrite
CaMg
 
2
Cl
 
6
·12H
 
2
O
8.4.7Fluorite
CaF
 
2
8.4.8Sinjarite
CaCl
 
2
·2H
 
2
O
8.4.10Chlorocalcite
KCaCl
 
3
8.4.11Rorisite
CaFCl
8.4.12Jarlite
Na(Sr,Na)
 
7
MgAl
 
6
F
 
32
(OH,H
 
2
O)
 
2
8.4.13Calcjarlite
Na(Ca,Sr)
 
3
Al
 
3
(OH)
 
2
F
 
14
8.4.14Tikhonenkovite
Sr[AlF
 
4
(OH)(H
 
2
O)]
8.4.15Acuminite
Sr[AlF
 
4
(OH)(H
 
2
O)]
8.4.16Frankdicksonite
BaF
 
2
8.4.17Usovite
Ba
 
2
CaMgAl
 
2
F
 
14
8.4.18Bøgvadite
Na
 
2
SrBa
 
2
[Al
 
4
F
 
20
]

Other Names for Antarcticite

Synonyms:
AntarkticiteIMA1965-015
Other Languages:
German:Antarcticit
Antarkticit
Russian:Антарктицит
Spanish:Antarcticita
Antarkticita

Other Information

Health Warning:No information on health risks for this material has been entered into the database. You should always treat mineral specimens with care.

References for Antarcticite

Reference List:Torii, T. and Ossaka, J. (1965): Antarcticite: a new mineral, calcium chloride hexahydrate, dicovered in Antarctica. Science 149, 975-977. - American Mineralogist (1965), 50, 2095 (abstract).

Dunning, G. E. and Cooper, J. F., Jr. (1969): A second occurrence of antarcticite, from Bristol Dry Lake, California. American Mineralogist 54, 1018-1025.

Agron, P. A. and Busing, W. R. (1986): Calcium and strontium dichloride hexahydrates by neutron diffraction. Acta Crystallographica C42, 141-143.

Schiffries, C. M. (1990): Liquid-absent aqueous fluid inclusions and phase equilibria in the system CaCl2 - NaCl - H2O. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 54, 611-619.

Eckstein, Y., Manecki, M., Matyjasik, M. and Rosenthal, E. (1994): Hydrochemical stratification and processes in three "blue holes" on North Andros Island, Bahamas. Geol. Soc. Amer. Prog. and Abs. 26, 360 (abstract).

Anthony, J. W., et al. (1997): Handbook of Mineralogy, Vol. 3, 16.

Internet Links for Antarcticite

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  • Raman and XRD data at RRUFF project
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  • Antarcticite details from Handbook of Mineralogy (PDF)
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    Localities for Antarcticite

    Hide Locality List
    The map shows a selection of localities that have latitude and longitude coordinates recorded. Click on the symbol to view information about a locality. The symbol next to localities in the list can be used to jump to that position on the map.
    (TL) indicates type locality. ? indicates mineral may be doubtful at this locality. All other localities listed without reference should be considered as uncertain and unproven until references can be found.
    Antarctica
     
    • Eastern Antarctica
      • Victoria Land
    		J. W. Anthony et al.: Handbook of Mineralogy, Vol. 3 (1997)
    J. W. Anthony et al.: Handbook of Mineralogy, Vol. 3 (1997)
    Australia
     
    • Queensland
      • Mt Isa - Cloncurry area
        • Mary Kathleen district
    		T. Kwak & P. Abeysinghe (1987): Rare earth and uranium minerals present as daughter crystals in fluid inclusions, Mary Kathleen U-REE skarn, Queensland, Australia. Mineral. Mag. 51, 665-670.
    Bahamas
     
    • North Andros District
    		J. W. Anthony et al.: Handbook of Mineralogy, Vol. 3 (1997)
    Canada
     
    • Québec
      • Abitibi-Témiscamingue
        • Abitibi RCM
          • Preissac
    		Taner, H., Williams-Jones, A.E., and Wood, S.A. (1998): Mineralium Deposita 34, 579-590.
    Russia
     
    • Eastern-Siberian Region
      • Prebaikalia (Pribaikal'e)
        • Irkutskaya Oblast'
          • Zheleznogorsk
    		Mazurov, M.P., Grishina, S.N., Istomin, V.E., and Titov, A.T. (2007): Geology of Ore Deposits 49(4), 271-284.
    South Africa
     
    • Limpopo Province
      • Bushveld Complex
        • Burgersfort
          • Sekhukhuneland
    		J. W. Anthony et al.: Handbook of Mineralogy, Vol. 3 (1997)
    USA
     
    • California
      • San Bernardino Co.
    		Am.Min.54:1018
    Mineral and/or Locality
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