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Earlandite

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Formula:
Ca
 
3
[CH
 
2
(COO)-CHOH(COO)-CH
 
2
(COO)]
 
2
 · 4H
 
2
O
System:MonoclinicColour:White, pale yellow
Name:For Arthur Earland (1866-1958), British oceanographer.


Chemically identical to calcium citrate tetrahydrate - a citric acid salt.

Occurs in unconsolidated ocean floor sediment at 2,580 meters in depth.

Classification of Earlandite

IMA status:Valid - first described prior to 1959 (pre-IMA) - "Grandfathered"
Strunz 8th edition ID:9/A.02-30
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:10.AC.10

10 : ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
A : Salts of organic acids
C : Benzine Salts
Dana 8th edition ID:50.2.2.1

50 : ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
2 : Mellitates, Citrates, Cyanates, Acetates and Formates
Hey's CIM Ref.:31.2.1

31 : Oxalates, Citrates, Mellitates and Acetates
2 : Citrates
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Type Occurrence of Earlandite

Type Locality:71°22'S; 16°34'W, Weddell Sea, Western Antarctica, Antarctica
General Appearance of Type Material:Warty,fine-grained nodules.
Place of Conservation of Type Material:The Natural History Museum, London, England: #1936,978, 1936,979. Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA: #134573.U.S. National Museum of Natural History, Washington, D.C., USA: #105859, 162618.
Year of Discovery:1936
Geological Setting of type material:Unconsolidated ocean sediments.
Associated Minerals at type locality:
Quartz

Physical Properties of Earlandite

Diaphaneity (Transparency):Translucent
Colour:White, pale yellow
Comment:Hardness not determined.
Density (measured):1.80 - 1.95 g/cm3
Density (calculated):1.96 g/cm3

Crystallography of Earlandite

Crystal System:Monoclinic
Cell Parameters:a = 30.94Å, b = 5.93Å, c = 10.56Å
β = 93.74°
Ratio:a:b:c = 5.218 : 1 : 1.781
Unit Cell Volume:V 1,933.36 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:4
Morphology:Veruginous, fine-grained nodules.
Comment:Crystal System determination based on observations on synthetic material. Class and Space Group not determined.

Optical Data of Earlandite

Type:Biaxial (+)
RI values: nα = 1.515 nβ = 1.530 nγ = 1.580
2V:Measured: 60° , Calculated: 50°
Maximum Birefringence:δ = 0.065

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

Chemical Properties of Earlandite

Formula:
Ca
 
3
[CH
 
2
(COO)-CHOH(COO)-CH
 
2
(COO)]
 
2
 · 4H
 
2
O
Essential elements:C, Ca, H, O
All elements listed in formula:C, Ca, H, O

Relationship of Earlandite to other Species

Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):

- +
10.AC.05Mellite
Al
 
2
[C
 
6
(COO)
 
6
] · 16H
 
2
O
10.AC.15Pigotite
Al
 
4
C
 
6
H
 
5
O
 
10
 · 13H
 
2
O (?)

Other Names for Earlandite

Other Languages:
German:Earlandit
Spanish:Earlandita

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 Earlandite

Reference List:

- +
Bannister (1936) Discovery Reports: 13: 67.

American Mineralogist (1937): 22: 71.

Palache, Charles, Harry Berman & Clifford Frondel (1951), The System of Mineralogy of James Dwight Dana and Edward Salisbury Dana Yale University 1837-1892, Volume II. John Wiley and Sons, Inc., New York, 7th edition, revised and enlarged, 1124 pp.: 1105–1106.

Pogainis, E.M. and E.H. Shaw (1957) The unit cell dimensions of tricalcium citrate tetrahydrate. Proc. South Dakota Academy of Science, 36, 56–59.

Herdtweck, E., Kornprobst, T., Sieber, R., Straver, L., Plank, J. (2011): Crystal structure, synthesis, and properties of tri-calcium di-citrate
tetra-hydrate [Ca3(C6H5O7)2(H2O)2]·2H2O. Zeitschrift für Anorganische und Allgemeine Chemie, 637, 655–659

Internet Links for Earlandite

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    • Localities for Earlandite

    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.
    Antarctica
     
    • Western Antarctica
      • Weddell Sea
    		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: 1106.
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