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Schairerite

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Searles Lake, San Bernardino Co., California, USA
© Caltech




Formula:
Na
 
3
(SO
 
4
)(F,Cl)
System:TrigonalColour:Colourless; colourless ...
Hardness:3½
Name:Named after John Frank Schairer (1904-1970), physical chemist, Geophysical Laboratory, Washington.
This page provides mineralogical data about Schairerite.

Classification of Schairerite

IMA status:Valid - first described prior to 1959 (pre-IMA) - "Grandfathered"
Strunz 8th edition ID:6/B.12-30
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:7.BD.10

7 : SULFATES (selenates, tellurates, chromates, molybdates, wolframates)
B : Sulfates (selenates, etc.) with additional anions, without H2O
D : With only large cations
Dana 8th edition ID:30.1.9.1

30 : ANHYDROUS SULFATES CONTAINING HYDROXYL OR HALOGEN
1 : (AB)m(XO4)pZq, where m:p>2:1
Hey's CIM Ref.:26.3

26 : Sulphates with Halide
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Type Occurrence of Schairerite

Type Locality:Searles Lake, San Bernardino Co., California, USA
Year of Discovery:1931

Physical Properties of Schairerite

Lustre:Vitreous
Diaphaneity (Transparency):Transparent
Colour:Colourless; colourless in transmitted light.
Hardness (Mohs):3½
Tenacity:Brittle
Fracture:Conchoidal
Density (measured):2.612 g/cm3
Density (calculated):2.67 g/cm3

Crystallography of Schairerite

Crystal System:Trigonal
Class (H-M):3m (3 2/m) - Hexagonal Scalenohedral
Cell Parameters:a = 12.17Å, c = 19.29Å
Ratio:a:c = 1 : 1.585
Unit Cell Volume:V 2,474.25 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Morphology:Crystals rhombohedral with {03_32} prominent. Artificial crystals are tabular {0001}.
Twinning:Common on {0001}.

Optical Data of Schairerite

Type:Uniaxial (+)
RI values: nω = 1.440 nε = 1.445
Maximum Birefringence:δ = 0.005

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

Chemical Properties of Schairerite

Formula:
Na
 
3
(SO
 
4
)(F,Cl)
Essential elements:F, Na, O, S
All elements listed in formula:Cl, F, Na, O, S

Relationship of Schairerite to other Species

Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):

- +
7.BD.05Sulphohalite
Na
 
6
(SO
 
4
)
 
2
FCl
7.BD.05Sulfohalite
7.BD.10Galeite
Na
 
15
(SO
 
4
)
 
5
F
 
4
Cl
7.BD.15Kogarkoite
Na
 
3
(SO
 
4
)F
7.BD.20Caracolite
Na
 
3
Pb
 
2
(SO
 
4
)
 
3
Cl
7.BD.20Cesanite
Na
 
3
Ca
 
2
(SO
 
4
)
 
3
(OH)
7.BD.25Burkeite
Na
 
6
(CO
 
3
)(SO
 
4
)
 
2
7.BD.30Hanksite
Na
 
22
K(SO
 
4
)
 
9
(CO
 
3
)
 
2
Cl
7.BD.35Cannonite
Bi
 
2
(SO
 
4
)O(OH)
 
2
7.BD.40Lanarkite
Pb
 
2
(SO
 
4
)O
7.BD.45Grandreefite
Pb
 
2
(SO
 
4
)F
 
2
7.BD.50Itoite
Pb
 
3
Ge
4+
 
(SO
 
4
)
 
2
O
 
2
(OH)
 
2
7.BD.55Chiluite
Bi
 
3
Te
6+
 
Mo
6+
 
O
 
10.5
7.BD.60Hectorfloresite
Na
 
9
(SO
 
4
)
 
4
(IO
 
3
)
7.BD.65Pseudograndreefite
Pb
 
6
(SO
 
4
)F
 
10
7.BD.70Sundiusite
Pb
 
10
(SO
 
4
)O
 
8
Cl
 
2
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:

- +
26.1Kogarkoite
Na
 
3
(SO
 
4
)F
26.2Sulphohalite
Na
 
6
(SO
 
4
)
 
2
FCl
26.4Galeite
Na
 
15
(SO
 
4
)
 
5
F
 
4
Cl
26.5Connellite
Cu
 
19
(SO
 
4
)(OH)
 
32
Cl
 
4
 · 3H
 
2
O
26.6Chlorothionite
K
 
2
Cu(SO
 
4
)Cl
 
2
26.7Kamchatkite
KCu
 
3
(SO
 
4
)
 
2
OCl
26.8Spangolite
Cu
 
6
Al(SO
 
4
)(OH)
 
12
Cl · 3H
 
2
O
26.9Aubertite
CuAl(SO
 
4
)
 
2
Cl · 14H
 
2
O
26.10Magnesioaubertite
(Mg,Cu)Al(SO
 
4
)
 
2
Cl · 14H
 
2
O
26.11Svyazhinite
(Mg,Mn
2+
 
,Ca)(Al,Fe
3+
 
)(SO
 
4
)
 
2
F · 14H
 
2
O
26.12D'Ansite
Na
 
21
Mg(SO
 
4
)
 
10
Cl
 
3
26.13Anhydrokainite
KMg(SO
 
4
)Cl
26.14Kainite
KMg(SO
 
4
)Cl · 3H
 
2
O
26.15Mosesite
(Hg
 
2
N)(Cl,SO
 
4
,MoO
 
4
) · H
 
2
O
26.16Kleinite
(Hg
 
2
N)(Cl,SO
 
4
) · nH
 
2
O
26.17Wilcoxite
MgAl(SO
 
4
)
 
2
F · 18H
 
2
O
26.18Creedite
Ca
 
3
SO
 
4
Al
 
2
F
 
8
(OH)
 
2
 · 2H
 
2
O
26.19Lannonite
HCa
 
4
Mg
 
2
Al
 
4
(SO
 
4
)
 
8
F
 
9
 · 32H
 
2
O
26.20Chukhrovite-(Y)
Ca
 
3
(Y,Ce)[F|SO
 
4
|(AlF
 
6
)
 
2
] · 10H
 
2
O
26.21Chukhrovite-(Ce)
Ca
 
3
(Ce,Y)[F|SO
 
4
|(AlF
 
6
)
 
2
] · 10H
 
2
O
26.22Grandreefite
Pb
 
2
(SO
 
4
)F
 
2
26.23Pseudograndreefite
Pb
 
6
(SO
 
4
)F
 
10
26.24Sundiusite
Pb
 
10
(SO
 
4
)O
 
8
Cl
 
2
26.25Caracolite
Na
 
3
Pb
 
2
(SO
 
4
)
 
3
Cl
26.26Mammothite
Pb
 
6
Cu
 
4
AlSb(SO
 
4
)
 
2
(OH)
 
18
Cl
 
4
26.27Atlasovite
K(BiO)Cu
 
6
Fe
3+
 
(SO
 
4
)
 
5
O
 
3
Cl
26.28Xitieshanite
Fe
3+
 
(SO
 
4
)Cl · 6H
 
2
O
26.29Nabokoite
KCu
 
7
(SO
 
4
)
 
5
(Te
4+
 
O
 
3
)OCl

Other Names for Schairerite

Other Languages:
German:Schairerit
Russian:Шайрерит
Spanish:Schairerita

Other Information

Other Information:Slowly but completely soluble in water.
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 Schairerite

Reference List:

- +
Foshag, W.F. (1931), Schairerite, a new mineral from Searles Lake, California, American Mineralogist: 16: 133-139.

Frondel, C. (1940) American Mineralogist: 25: 352.

Palache, Charles, Harry Berman & Clifford Frondel (1951), The System of Mineralogy of James Dwight Dana and Edward Salisbury Dana Yale University 1837-1892, Seventh edition, Volume II: 547-548.

Wolfe, C.W.& Alice Caras (1951), Unit cell of schairerite: (abstract) Geological Society of America Bull.: 62: 1491; …American Mineralotgist: 36: 912-915.

Brown, F.H. and A. Pabst (1971), New data on galeite and schairerite: American Mineralogist: 56: 174-178.

Mineralogical Magazine (1975): 40: 131-139.

Internet Links for Schairerite

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  • Raman and XRD data at RRUFF project
  • American Mineralogist Crystal Structure Database
  • Schairerite details from Handbook of Mineralogy (PDF)
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    • Localities for Schairerite

    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.
    Hide Locality List
    (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.
    Canada
     
    • Québec
      • Montérégie
        • Rouville RCM
          • Mont Saint-Hilaire
    		No reference listed
    Tanzania
     
    • Arusha Region
    		Mitchell, R.H. (2006) Mineralogy of stalactites formed by subaerial weathering of natrocarbonatite hornitos at Oldoinyo Lengai, Tanzania. Mineralogical Magazine: 70: 437-444
    USA
     
    • California
      • San Bernardino Co.
    		Foshag, William Frederick (1931a), Schairerite, a new mineral from Searles Lake, California: American Mineralogist: 16: 133; Pabst, Adolf, Dwight L. Sawyer, Jr. & George S. Switzer (1963), Galeite and related phases in the system Na2SO4.NaF.NaCl: American Mineralogist: 48: 485; Smith, George Irving & D.V. Haines (1964), Character and distribution of nonclastic minerals in the Searles Lake evaporite deposit, California: USGS Bulletin 1181-P: 27, 32; Pemberton, H. Earl (1983), Minerals of California; Van Nostrand Reinholt Press: 280; Palache, C., Berman, H., & Frondel, C. (1951), The System of Mineralogy of James Dwight Dana and Edward Salisbury Dana, Yale University 1837-1892, Volume II: 340, 548.
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