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Cryptohalite

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Kladno, Central Bohemia Region, Bohemia (Böhmen; Boehmen), Czech Republic
© Thomas Witzke

Show Cryptohalite Photos (2)
Formula:
(NH
 
4
)
 
2
[SiF
 
6
]
System:IsometricColour:Colourless, white, grey; ...
Lustre:VitreousHardness:2½
Name:From the Greek κρυπτός, concealed, and άλς, salt, in allusion to its intimate mixture with salammoniac in the type locality occurrence.
Dimorph of:Bararite
Isostructural with:Hieratite
This page provides mineralogical data about Cryptohalite.

Classification of Cryptohalite

IMA status:Valid - first described prior to 1959 (pre-IMA) - "Grandfathered"
Strunz 8th edition ID:3/B.02-30
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:3.CH.15

3 : HALIDES
C : Complex halides
H : Silicofluorides
Dana 8th edition ID:11.5.1.2

11 : HALIDE COMPLEXES
5 : AmBX6
Hey's CIM Ref.:8.12.5

8 : Halides - Fluorides, Chlorides, Bromides and Iodides; also Fluoborates and Fluosilicates
12 : Fluorborates (BF'4) and fluosilicates (SiF''6)
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Physical Properties of Cryptohalite

Lustre:Vitreous
Colour:Colourless, white, grey; colourless in transmitted light
Hardness (Mohs):2½
Cleavage:Perfect
on {111}
Density (measured):2.004 g/cm3
Density (calculated):2.029 g/cm3

Crystallography of Cryptohalite

Crystal System:Isometric
Class (H-M):m3m (4/m 3 2/m) - Hexoctahedral
Space Group:Fm3m {F4/m 3 2/m}
Cell Parameters:a = 8.39Å
Unit Cell Volume:V 590.59 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Morphology:Artificial crystals are cubo-octahedral and octahedral. Massive, as lumps with a mammillary surface or crusts; arborescent.

Optical Data of Cryptohalite

Type:Isotropic

Chemical Properties of Cryptohalite

Formula:
(NH
 
4
)
 
2
[SiF
 
6
]
Essential elements:F, H, N, Si
All elements listed in formula:F, H, N, Si

Relationship of Cryptohalite to other Species

Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):

- +
3.CH.05Malladrite
Na
 
2
[SiF
 
6
]
3.CH.10Bararite
(NH
 
4
)
 
2
[SiF
 
6
]
3.CH.15Hieratite
K
 
2
[SiF
 
6
]
3.CH.20Demartinite
K
 
2
[SiF
 
6
]
3.CH.25Knasibfite
K
 
3
Na
 
4
[SiF
 
6
]
 
3
[BF
 
4
]
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:

- +
8.12.1Ferruccite
Na[BF
 
4
]
8.12.2Avogadrite
(K,Cs)[BF
 
4
]
8.12.3Malladrite
Na
 
2
[SiF
 
6
]
8.12.4Hieratite
K
 
2
[SiF
 
6
]
8.12.6Bararite
(NH
 
4
)
 
2
[SiF
 
6
]

Other Names for Cryptohalite

Synonyms:
Criptoalite
Other Languages:
German:Kryptohalit
Russian:Криптогалит

Other Information

Other Information:Soluble in cold water, more so in hot 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 Cryptohalite

Reference List:Scacchi (1873) Reale accademia delle scienze fisische e matematiche, Naples, Att,: 6, no. 9 (as Criptoalite).

Topsøe (1874) Annales de chimie et de physique, Paris: 1: 22.

Gossner (1903) Zeitschrift für Kristallographie, Mineralogie und Petrographie, Leipzig: 38: 147.

Bozorth (1922) American Chemical Society Journal: 44: 1066.

Christie (1926) Rec. Geol. Survey India: 59: 233.

Ketelaar (1935) Zeitschrift für Kristallographie, Mineralogie und Petrographie, Leipzig: 92: 155.

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: Halides, Nitrates, Borates, Carbonates, Sulfates, Phosphates, Arsenates, Tungstates, Molybdates, Etc. John Wiley and Sons, Inc., New York, 7th edition, revised and enlarged: 104-105.

Journal of Chemical Physics: 44: 2499-2505.

Internet Links for Cryptohalite

Search Engines:
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  • Look for Cryptohalite on Wikipedia
  • Look for Cryptohalite on Mineralien Atlas
  • Raman and XRD data at RRUFF project
  • American Mineralogist Crystal Structure Database
  • Search for Cryptohalite in the Natural History Museum (London) online catalogue
  • Cryptohalite details from Handbook of Mineralogy (PDF)
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    Localities for Cryptohalite

    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.
    Czech Republic
     
    • Bohemia (Böhmen; Boehmen)
      • Central Bohemia Region
        • Kladno
    		Palache, Charles, Harry Berman & Clifford Frondel (1951), The System of Mineralogy of James Dwight Dana and Edward Salisbury Dana Yale University 1837-1892, Volume 2: 105.
    David Parfitt collection
      • Hradec Králové Region
        • Trutnov (Trautenau)
          • Radvanice
    		Žáček, V., Ondruš, P.: Mineralogy of recently formed sublimates from Kateřina colliery in Radvanice, Eastern Bohemia, Czech Republic. Bulletin of the Czech geological survey, 1998, vol. 73, no. 2, s. 289-302.
    Germany
     
    • Baden-Württemberg
      • Black Forest
        • Wolfach
          • Oberwolfach
            • Rankach valley
    		Walenta, K. (1992): Die Mineralien des Schwarzwaldes. Chr. Weise Verlag, München, 336 pp. (in German)
    India
     
    • Bihar
      • Jharia Coalfield
    		Palache, Charles, Harry Berman & Clifford Frondel (1951), The System of Mineralogy of James Dwight Dana and Edward Salisbury Dana Yale University 1837-1892, Volume 2: 105.
    Italy
     
    • Campania
      • Naples Province
        • Somma-Vesuvius Complex
    		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: 105; Lapis (1994): 5: 13-23, 58.
    Tajikistan
     
    • Viloyati Sogd (Viloyati Sughd)
      • joint of Zeravshan and Gissar Range
        • Yagnob River
    		PXRD
    USA
     
    • Pennsylvania
      • Columbia Co.
      • Schuylkill Co.
        • Shenandoah
    		Reed, Juliet C. (1976), Annotated Biblio. of Minerals New to the Pennsylvania List 1965-1974, The Mineralogical Society of PA, Inc.: 29-30; Finkelman, et al, Geol. Soc. Am. Abstracts with Programs, Vol. 5(1): 27-28.
    Mineral and/or Locality
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