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Defernite

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Big Photo

Kombat Mine, Kombat, Grootfontein District, Otjozondjupa Region, Namibia
© Elmar Lackner

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Formula:
Ca
 
6
(CO
 
3
)
 
2-x
(SiO
 
4
)
 
x
(OH)
 
7
(Cl,OH)
 
1-2x
 (x=0.5)
System:OrthorhombicColour:Colourless, deep red, ...
Lustre:VitreousHardness:3
Name:
For Jacques Deferne, Curator of Mineralogy, Museum of Natural History, Geneva, Switzerland.
This page provides mineralogical data about Defernite.

Classification of Defernite

IMA status:Approved 1978
Strunz 8th edition ID:5/0.0-30
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:5.BA.25

5 : CARBONATES (NITRATES)
B : Carbonates with additional anions, without H2O
A : With Cu, Co, Ni, Zn, Mg, Mn
Dana 8th edition ID:16b.4.2.1

16b : HYDRATED CARBONATES CONTAINING HYDROXYL OR HALOGEN
4 : AmBn(XO3)pZqxH2O & with (m+n):p = 3:1
Hey's CIM Ref.:12.1.5

12 : Carbonates with other anions
1 : Carbonates with halides
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Type Occurrence of Defernite

Type Locality:Güneyce-Ikizdere, Rize Province, Black Sea Region, Turkey
Place of Conservation of Type Material:Museum of Natural History, Geneva, Switzerland, 435/30; National Museum of Natural History, Washington, D.C., USA, 163241. Cotype material in NHM Vienna collection (M 5134).
Year of Discovery:1980
Geological Setting of type material:Secondary alteration product of high-temperature calc-silicates

Occurrences of Defernite

Geological Setting:Primary, glassy subhedral grains intergrown primarily with hausmannite

Physical Properties of Defernite

Lustre:Vitreous
Diaphaneity (Transparency):Transparent
Colour:Colourless, deep red, rose-brown
Streak:Pink
Hardness (Mohs):3
Cleavage:Perfect
perfect {010} and distinct {100}
Fracture:Splintery, Conchoidal
Density (measured):2.34 g/cm3
Density (calculated):2.31 g/cm3

Crystallography of Defernite

Crystal System:Orthorhombic
Cell Parameters:a = 17.86Å, b = 22.77Å, c = 3.65Å
Ratio:a:b:c = 0.784 : 1 : 0.16
Unit Cell Volume:V 1,484.35 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Morphology:idiomorphic "porphyroblastic" laths
Comment:space group Pna2, or Pnam

Optical Data of Defernite

Type:Biaxial (-)
RI values: nα = 1.546 nβ = 1.572 nγ = 1.576
2V:Measured: 42° , Calculated: 42°
Maximum Birefringence:δ = 0.030

Chart shows birefringence interference colour range (at 30µm thickness) and does not take into account mineral colouration.
Surface Relief:Low
Dispersion:weak r > v
Pleochroism:Strong
Comments:X = ochre-brown,
Y= brownish-orange to ochre-brown,
Z= colorless to yellow

Chemical Properties of Defernite

Formula:
Ca
 
6
(CO
 
3
)
 
2-x
(SiO
 
4
)
 
x
(OH)
 
7
(Cl,OH)
 
1-2x
 (x=0.5)
Essential elements:C, Ca, Cl, H, O, Si
All elements listed in formula:C, Ca, Cl, H, O, Si
Common Impurities:Fe,Mn,Mg

Relationship of Defernite to other Species

Common Associates:
Hausmannite
Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):

- +
5.BA.05Azurite
Cu
 
3
(CO
 
3
)
 
2
(OH)
 
2
5.BA.10Georgeite
Cu
 
2
(CO
 
3
)(OH)
 
2
 · 6H
 
2
O
5.BA.10Glaukosphaerite
(Cu,Ni)
 
2
(CO
 
3
)(OH)
 
2
5.BA.10Kolwezite
(Cu,Co)
 
2
(CO
 
3
)(OH)
 
2
5.BA.10Malachite
Cu
 
2
(CO
 
3
)(OH)
 
2
5.BA.10Mcguinnessite
(Mg,Cu)
 
2
(CO
 
3
)(OH)
 
2
5.BA.10Nullaginite
Ni
 
2
(CO
 
3
)(OH)
 
2
5.BA.10Pokrovskite
Mg
 
2
(CO
 
3
)(OH)
 
2
5.BA.10Rosasite
(Cu,Zn)
 
2
(CO
 
3
)(OH)
 
2
5.BA.10Zincrosasite
(Zn,Cu)
 
2
(CO
 
3
)(OH)
 
2
5.BA.10Chukanovite
Fe
2+
2
(CO
 
3
)(OH)
 
2
5.BA.15Aurichalcite
(Zn,Cu)
 
5
(CO
 
3
)
 
2
(OH)
 
6
5.BA.15Hydrozincite
Zn
 
5
(CO
 
3
)
 
2
(OH)
 
6
5.BA.20Holdawayite
Mn
 
6
(CO
 
3
)
 
2
(OH)
 
7
(Cl,OH)
5.BA.25UM1977-03-COSiO:CaClH
Ca
 
10
(SiO
 
4
)(CO
 
3
)
 
7
(Cl,OH)
 
2
5.BA.30Loseyite
(Zn,Mn
2+
 
)
 
7
(CO
 
3
)
 
2
(OH)
 
10
5.BA.30Sclarite
(Zn,Mg,Mn
2+
 
)
 
4
Zn
 
3
(CO
 
3
)
 
2
(OH)
 
10
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:

- +
12.1.1Northupite
Na
 
3
Mg(CO
 
3
)
 
2
Cl
12.1.2Barentsite
Na
 
7
AlH
 
2
(CO
 
3
)
 
4
F
 
4
12.1.3Rouvilleite
Na
 
3
(Ca,Mn,Fe)
 
2
(CO
 
3
)
 
3
F
12.1.4Chlormagaluminite
(Mg,Fe
2+
 
)
 
4
Al
 
2
(Cl
 
2
,CO
 
3
)(OH)
 
12
 · 2H
 
2
O
12.1.6Brenkite
Ca
 
2
(CO
 
3
)F
 
2
12.1.7Stenonite
(Sr,Ba,Na)
 
2
Al(CO
 
3
)F
 
5
12.1.8Bastnäsite-(Ce)
(Ce,La)(CO
 
3
)F
12.1.9Bastnäsite-(La)
(La,Ce)(CO
 
3
)F
12.1.10Bastnäsite-(Y)
(Y,Ce)(CO
 
3
)F
12.1.11Parisite-(Ce)
Ca(Ce,La)
 
2
(CO
 
3
)
 
3
F
 
2
12.1.12Parisite-(Nd)
Ca(Nd,Ce,La)
 
2
(CO
 
3
)
 
3
F
 
2
12.1.13Synchysite-(Ce)
Ca(Ce,La)(CO
 
3
)
 
2
F
12.1.14Synchysite-(Y)
Ca(Y,Ce)(CO
 
3
)
 
2
F
12.1.15Synchysite-(Nd)
Ca(Nd,Y,Gd)(CO
 
3
)
 
2
F
12.1.16Röntgenite-(Ce)
Ca
 
2
(Ce,La)
 
3
(CO
 
3
)
 
5
F
 
3
12.1.17Cordylite-(Ce)
NaBaCe
 
2
(CO
 
3
)
 
4
F
12.1.19Huanghoite-(Ce)
BaCe(CO
 
3
)
 
2
F
12.1.20Zhonghuacerite-(Ce)
Ba
 
2
Ce(CO
 
3
)
 
3
F
12.1.21Cebaite-(Ce)
Ba
 
3
Ce
 
2
(CO
 
3
)
 
5
F
 
2
12.1.22Thorbastnäsite
Th(Ca,Ce)(CO
 
3
)
 
2
F
 
2
 · 3H
 
2
O
12.1.23Phosgenite
Pb
 
2
CO
 
3
Cl
 
2
12.1.24Barstowite
Pb
 
4
Cl
 
6
(CO
 
3
) · H
 
2
O
12.1.25Albrechtschraufite
Ca
 
4
Mg(UO
 
2
)
 
2
(CO
 
3
)
 
6
F
 
2
 · 17 H
 
2
O
12.1.26Kettnerite
CaBiCO
 
3
OF

Other Names for Defernite

Synonyms:
IMA1978-057
Other Languages:
German:Defernit
Russian:Дефернит
Spanish:Defernita

Other Information

Other Information:Dissolves in l:l HCl with effervescence
Special Storage/
Display Requirements:		On exposure, the cleavage surfaces of defernite laths develop a whitish patina.
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 Defernite

Reference List:

- +
Sarp, H., M.F. Taner, J. Deferne, H. Bizouard, and B.W. Liebich (1980): La defernite, Ca6(CO3)2(OH;Cl)8 nH2O; un nouveau carbonate de calcium chloro-hydroxylé. Bull. Minéral., 103, 185-189 (in French).

American Mineralogist: 65: 1066.

Liebich, B. W. & Sarp, H. (1985): La structure cristalline de la defernite. Schweizerische Mineralogische und Petrographische Mitteilungen, 65, 153-158 (in French).

Peacor, D.R., H. Sarp, P.J. Dunn, J. Innes, and J.A. Nelen (1988): Defernite from the Kombat mine, Namibia: a second occurrence, structure refinement, and crystal chemistry. Amer. Mineral., 73, 888-893.

Armbruster, T., Yang, P., Liebich, B. W. (1996): Mechanism of the SiO4 for CO3 substitution in defernite, Ca6(CO3)1.58(Si2O7)0.21(OH)7[Cl0.50(OH)0.08(H2O)0.42]: a single-crystal X-ray study at 100 K. American Mineralogist, 81, 625-631.

Internet Links for Defernite

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

    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.
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    (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.
    Namibia
     
    • Otjozondjupa Region
      • Grootfontein District
        • Kombat
    		Mineralogical Record: 22: 421.; American Mineralogist, Volume 73, pages 888-893, 1988
    Turkey
     
    • Black Sea Region
      • Rize Province
    		Bull.Soc.fr.Min.Crist.(1980) 103, 185-189
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