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Ericaite

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Bischofferode, Bleicherode, Thuringia, Germany
© Thomas Witzke

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Formula:
Fe
2+
3
[Cl|B
 
7
O
 
13
]
System:OrthorhombicHardness:7 - 7½
Name:From the flower known in English as heather, for its typical reddish color.
Dimorph of:Congolite


Boracite Group. Boracite-Ericaite Series. The Fe2+ analogue of Boracite and Chambersite. The orthorhombic dimorph of Congolite.

Classification of Ericaite

IMA status:Valid - first described prior to 1959 (pre-IMA) - "Grandfathered"
Strunz 8th edition ID:5/L.04-20
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:6.GA.05

6 : BORATES
G : Heptaborates and other megaborates
A : Tekto-heptaborates
Dana 8th edition ID:25.6.1.2

25 : ANHYDROUS BORATES CONTAINING HYDROXYL OR HALOGEN
6 : Hexaborates
Hey's CIM Ref.:10.1.20

10 : Borates with other anions
1 : Borates with halide
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Type Occurrence of Ericaite

Type Locality:Riedel Potash Works, Hänigsen, Celle, Lower Saxony, Germany
Year of Discovery:1950
Geological Setting of type material:Evaporite.

Occurrences of Ericaite

Geological Setting:Salt diapirs.

Physical Properties of Ericaite

Hardness (Mohs):7 - 7½

Crystallography of Ericaite

Crystal System:Orthorhombic
Cell Parameters:a = 8.58Å, b = 8.65Å, c = 12.17Å
Ratio:a:b:c = 0.992 : 1 : 1.407
Unit Cell Volume:V 903.22 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)

Optical Data of Ericaite

Type:Biaxial (-)
RI values: nα = 1.731 nβ = 1.755 nγ = 1.755
Maximum Birefringence:δ = 0.024

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

Chemical Properties of Ericaite

Formula:
Fe
2+
3
[Cl|B
 
7
O
 
13
]
Essential elements:B, Cl, Fe, O
All elements listed in formula:B, Cl, Fe, O
Common Impurities:Mg,Mn(II)

Relationship of Ericaite to other Species

Series:Forms a series with Boracite (see here)
Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):

- +
6.GA.05Boracite
Mg
 
3
[Cl|B
 
7
O
 
13
]
6.GA.05Chambersite
Mn
2+
3
[Cl|B
 
7
O
 
13
]
6.GA.10Congolite
(Fe
2+
 
,Mg)
 
3
B
 
7
O
 
13
Cl
6.GA.10Trembathite
(Mg,Fe)
 
3
B
 
7
O
 
13
Cl
6.GA.30Korzhinskite
CaB
 
2
O
 
4
·H
 
2
O
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:

- +
10.1.1Teepleite
Na
 
2
[Cl|B(OH)
 
4
]
10.1.2Bandylite
Cu[Cl|B(OH)
 
4
]
10.1.3Berborite
Be
 
2
[(OH,F)|BO
 
3
] · H
 
2
O
10.1.4Fluoborite
Mg
 
3
[(F,OH)
 
3
|BO
 
3
]
10.1.5Boracite
Mg
 
3
[Cl|B
 
7
O
 
13
]
10.1.6Karlite
Mg
 
7
[(OH,Cl)
 
5
|(BO
 
3
)
 
3
]
10.1.7Shabynite
Mg
 
5
[(Cl,OH)
 
2
|(OH)
 
5
|BO
 
3
] · 4H
 
2
O
10.1.8/9/10Hilgardite
Ca
 
2
B
 
5
O
 
9
Cl·H
 
2
O
10.1.11Solongoite
Ca
 
2
(H
 
3
B
 
3
O
 
7
)(OH)Cl
10.1.12Hydrochlorborite
Ca
 
4
B
 
8
O
 
15
Cl
 
2
·21H
 
2
O
10.1.13Ekaterinite
Ca
 
2
[(Cl,OH)
 
2
|B
 
4
O
 
7
] · 2H
 
2
O
10.1.14Volkovskite
KCa
 
4
[B
 
5
O
 
8
OH]
 
4
[B(OH)
 
3
]
 
2
Cl·4H
 
2
O
10.1.15Chelkarite
CaMgB
 
2
O
 
4
(Cl,OH)
 
2
·5H
 
2
O Or near, with Cl:OH = 3:1
10.1.16Johachidolite
CaAlB
 
3
O
 
7
10.1.17Satimolite
KNa
 
2
Al
 
4
[Cl|B
 
2
O
 
5
]
 
3
 · 13H
 
2
O
10.1.18Chambersite
Mn
2+
3
[Cl|B
 
7
O
 
13
]
10.1.19Congolite
(Fe
2+
 
,Mg)
 
3
B
 
7
O
 
13
Cl

Other Names for Ericaite

Other Languages:
German:Ericait
Spanish:Ericaita

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.
Industrial Uses:none

References for Ericaite

Reference List:American Mineralogist (1956): 41: 372.

Grew, E.S., and Anovitz, L.M. (1996) BORON: Mineralogy, Petrology and Geochemistry, second edition, as revised (2002).

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    Localities for Ericaite

    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.
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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.
    Bolivia
     
    • Cochabamba Department
      • Chapare Province
    		[MinRec 32:461] XRD and wet chemical analysis by Dr. Jaroslav Hyrsl, Karlovy Univ., Prague
    Germany
     
    • Lower Saxony
      • Celle
        • Hänigsen
    		Aufschluss 1987(4), 120
        • Wathlingen
    		Weiss: "Mineralfundstellen, Deutschland West", Weise (Munich), 1990
    • Saxony-Anhalt
    		Wittern: "Mineralfundorte in Deutschland", 2001
    • Thuringia
      • Bleicherode
    UK
     
    • England
      • Cleveland
        • Loftus
    		[UK Journal of Mines and Minerals, No. 14 p7]
    USA
     
    • Louisiana
      • Plaquemines Parish
    		R&M 72:3 p 192
    Mineral and/or Locality
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