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Franconite

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Poudrette quarry (Demix quarry; Uni-Mix quarry; Desourdy quarry; Carrière Mont Saint-Hilaire), Mont Saint-Hilaire, Rouville RCM, Montérégie, Québec, Canada
© 11/12 DM

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Formula:
Na
 
2
Nb
 
4
O
 
11
 · 9H
 
2
O
System:MonoclinicHardness:4
This page provides mineralogical data about Franconite.

Classification of Franconite

IMA status:Approved
Strunz 8th edition ID:4/D.06-40
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:4.FM.15

4 : OXIDES (Hydroxides, V[5,6] vanadates, arsenites, antimonites, bismuthites, sulfites, selenites, tellurites, iodates)
F : Hydroxides (without V or U)
M : Hydroxides with H2O +- (OH); unclassified
Dana 8th edition ID:8.6.1.1

8 : MULTIPLE OXIDES CONTAINING NIOBIUM,TANTALUM OR TITANIUM
6 : (AB)6O11·nH2O
Hey's CIM Ref.:18.1.4

18 : Niobates and Tantalates
1 : Niobates and tantalates containing neither rare earths nor U
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Type Occurrence of Franconite

Type Locality:Francon quarry, Montréal, Québec, Canada
Year of Discovery:1984

Physical Properties of Franconite

Hardness (Mohs):4

Crystallography of Franconite

Crystal System:Monoclinic
Cell Parameters:a = 22.21Å, b = 12.87Å, c = 6.35Å
β = 92.24°
Ratio:a:b:c = 1.726 : 1 : 0.493
Unit Cell Volume:V 1,813.71 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)

Optical Data of Franconite

Type:Biaxial (-)
RI values: nα = 1.720 nβ = 1.780 nγ = 1.790
Maximum Birefringence:δ = 0.070

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

Chemical Properties of Franconite

Formula:
Na
 
2
Nb
 
4
O
 
11
 · 9H
 
2
O
Essential elements:H, Na, Nb, O
All elements listed in formula:H, Na, Nb, O

Relationship of Franconite to other Species

Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):

- +
4.FM.15Hochelagaite
(Ca,Na,Sr)(Nb,Ti,Si,Al)
 
4
O
 
11
 · 8H
 
2
O
4.FM.15Ternovite
(Mg,Ca)Nb
 
4
O
 
11
 · nH
 
2
O
4.FM.25Belyankinite
Ca
 
1-2
(Ti,Nb)
 
5
O
 
12
 · 9H
 
2
O (?)
4.FM.25Gerasimovskite
(Mn,Ca)(Nb,Ti)
 
5
O
 
12
 · 9H
 
2
O
4.FM.25Manganbelyankinite
(Mn,Ca)(Ti,Nb)
 
5
O
 
12
 · 9H
 
2
O
4.FM.30Silhydrite
3SiO
 
2
 · H
 
2
O
4.FM.35Cuzticite
Fe
3+
2
(TeO
 
6
) · 3H
 
2
O
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:

- +
18.1.1Lithiotantite
Li(Ta,Nb)
 
3
O
 
8
18.1.2Lueshite
NaNbO
 
3
18.1.3Natroniobite
NaNbO
 
3
18.1.5Natrotantite
Na
 
2
Ta
 
4
O
 
11
18.1.6Irtyshite
Na
 
2
(Ta,Nb)
 
4
O
 
11
18.1.7Rankamaite
(Na,K)
 
3
(Ta,Nb,Al)
 
11
(O,OH)
 
31
18.1.8Hydropyrochlore
(H
 
2
O,□)
 
2
Nb
 
2
(O,OH)
 
6
(H
 
2
O)
18.1.9Calciotantite
CaTa
 
4
O
 
11
18.1.10Rynersonite
Ca(Ta,Nb)
 
2
O
 
6
18.1.11Microlite Group
18.1.12Belyankinite
Ca
 
1-2
(Ti,Nb)
 
5
O
 
12
 · 9H
 
2
O (?)
18.1.13Latrappite
(Ca,Na)(Nb,Ti,Fe)O
 
3
18.1.14Hochelagaite
(Ca,Na,Sr)(Nb,Ti,Si,Al)
 
4
O
 
11
 · 8H
 
2
O
18.1.15Bariomicrolite (of Hogarth 1977)
18.1.16Parabariomicrolite
BaTa
 
4
O
 
10
(OH)
 
2
 · 2H
 
2
O
18.1.17Bariopyrochlore (of Hogarth 1977)
18.1.18Alumotantite
AlTaO
 
4
18.1.19Simpsonite
Al
 
4
(Ta,Nb)
 
3
O
 
13
(OH,F)
18.1.20Sosedkoite
(K,Na)
 
5
Al
 
2
(Ta,Nb)
 
22
O
 
60
18.1.21Thoreaulite
(Sn
2+
 
,Pb)(Ta,Nb)
 
2
O
 
6
18.1.22Stannomicrolite (of Hogarth 1977)
18.1.23Foordite
(Sn,Pb)(Nb,Ta)
 
2
O
 
6
18.1.24Changbaiite
PbNb
 
2
O
 
6
18.1.25Plumbopyrochlore (of Skorobogatova et al.)
18.1.26Plumbomicrolite (of Hogarth 1977)
18.1.27Stibiocolumbite
Sb(Nb,Ta)O
 
4
18.1.28Stibiotantalite
Sb(Ta,Nb)O
 
4
18.1.29Natrobistantite
18.1.30Cesplumtantite
(Cs,Na)
 
2
(Pb,Sb
3+
 
)
 
3
Ta
 
8
O
 
24
18.1.31Stibiomicrolite (of Groat et al.)
18.1.32Cesstibtantite
18.1.34Bismutotantalite
Bi(Ta,Nb)O
 
4
18.1.35Bismutomicrolite (of Hogarth 1977)
18.1.36Tantalite-(Mn)
MnTa
 
2
O
 
6
18.1.37Gerasimovskite
(Mn,Ca)(Nb,Ti)
 
5
O
 
12
 · 9H
 
2
O
18.1.38Tapiolite-(Mn)
(Mn,Fe)(Ta,Nb)
 
2
O
 
6
18.1.39Columbite-(Mn)
(Mn,Fe)(Nb,Ta)
 
2
O
 
6
18.1.40Wodginite
Mn(Sn,Ta)Ta
 
2
O
 
8
18.1.41Ixiolite
(Ta,Nb,Sn,Fe,Mn)
 
4
O
 
8
18.1.42Columbite-(Fe)
FeNb
 
2
O
 
6
18.1.43Tantalite-(Fe)
FeTa
 
2
O
 
6
18.1.44Columbite
(Fe,Mn)(Nb,Ta)
 
2
O
 
6
18.1.45Tantalite
(Fe,Mn)(Ta,Nb)
 
2
O
 
6
18.1.46Tapiolite
(Fe,Mn)(Ta,Nb)
 
2
O
 
6
18.1.47Tapiolite-(Fe)
(Fe,Mn)(Ta,Nb)
 
2
O
 
6
18.1.48Columbite-(Mg)
(Mg,Fe,Mn)(Nb,Ta)
 
2
O
 
6
18.1.50Strüverite
(Ti,Ta,Fe)O
 
2
18.1.51 Staringite
(Fe,Mn)
 
x
(Ta,Nb)
 
2x
Sn
 
6-3x
O
 
12

Other Names for Franconite

Synonyms:
IMA1981-006IMA1981-006a
Other Languages:
German:Franconit
Spanish:Franconita

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 Franconite

Reference List:

- +
JAMBOR, J.L., SABINA, A.P., ROBERTS, A.C., BONARDI, M., RAMIK, R.A., and STURMAN,B.D. (1984) Franconite, a new hydrated Na Nb oxide mineral from Montreal Island, Quebec. Canadian Mineralogist, 22, 239-243.
TARASSOFF, P., HORVÁTH, L. and PFENNINGER-HORVÁTH, E. (2006) Famous mineral localities: the Francon quarry, Montréal, Québec. Mineralogical Record, 37, 5-60.

Internet Links for Franconite

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  • Franconite details from Handbook of Mineralogy (PDF)
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    • Localities for Franconite

    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.
    Bolivia
     
    • Santa Cruz Department
      • Velasco Province
    		?? Perhaps error for "francolite"?
    Canada
     
    • Québec
      • Montérégie
        • Lajemmerais RCM
          • Varennes & St-Amable
            • Saint-Amable sill
    		Horváth, L., Pfenninger-Horváth, E., Gault, R. A., & Tarassoff, P. (1998): Mineralogy of the Saint-Amable Sill, Varennes and Saint-Amable, Québec. Mineralogical Record, 29: 83-118.
        • Rouville RCM
          • Mont Saint-Hilaire
    		Horváth, L. & Gault, R.A. (1990), The mineralogy of Mont Saint-Hilaire Quebec. Mineralogical Record, 21, 284-359.
      • Montréal
    		JAMBOR, J.L., SABINA, A.P., ROBERTS, A.C., BONARDI, M., RAMIK, R.A., and STURMAN,B.D. (1984) Franconite, a new hydrated Na Nb oxide mineral from Montreal Island, Quebec. Canadian Mineralogist, 22, 239-243. TARASSOFF, P., HORVÁTH, L. and PFENNINGER-HORVÁTH, E. (2006) Famous mineral localities: the Francon quarry, Montréal, Québec. Mineralogical Record, 37, 5-60.
    Russia
     
    • Northern Region
      • Murmanskaja Oblast'
        • Kola Peninsula
          • Khibiny Massif
    		Pekov, I.V. & Podlesnyi, A.S. (2004): Kukisvumchorr Deposit: Mineralogy of Alkaline Pegmatites and Hydrotermalites. Mineralogical Almanac, vol. 7, 140 pages + xxiv photo's pages
        • Northern Karelia
    		New Data on Minerals (2004): 39: 50-64
    • Urals Region
      • Southern Urals
        • Chelyabinsk Oblast'
    		New Data on Minerals (2004): 39: 50-64
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    Copyright © Jolyon Ralph and Ida Chau 1993-2013. Site Map. Locality, mineral & photograph data are the copyright of the individuals who submitted them. Further information contact the Site hosted & developed by Jolyon Ralph. Mindat.org is an online information resource dedicated to providing free mineralogical information to all. Mindat relies on the contributions of hundreds of members and supporters. Mindat does not offer minerals for sale. If you would like to add information to improve the quality of our database, then click here to register.
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