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Gainesite

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Nevel Quarry (Twin tunnels; United Feldspar Quarry), Newry, Oxford Co., Maine, USA

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Formula:
Na(Na,K)(Be,Li)Zr
 
2
(PO
 
4
)
 
4
 · 1.5-2H
 
2
O
System:TetragonalColour:Lavender to pale purple
Hardness:4
Member of:Gainesite Group
Name:
In honor of the US American Richard V. Gaines (1917-1994), economic geologist, mineralogist and collector of pegmatite, especially Be minerals.


Minute steeply pyramidal, pale lilac to slightly blue purple crystals usually about 0.1-0.2 mm.

Classification of Gainesite

IMA status:Approved 1978
Strunz 8th edition ID:7/C.02-20
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:8.CA.20

8 : PHOSPHATES, ARSENATES, VANADATES
C : Phosphates without additional anions, with H2O
A : With small and large/medium cations
Dana 8th edition ID:40.5.4.1

40 : HYDRATED NORMAL PHOSPHATES,ARSENATES AND VANADATES
5 : AXO4·xH2O
Hey's CIM Ref.:19.3.11

19 : Phosphates
3 : Phosphates of Be and Mg
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Type Occurrence of Gainesite

Type Locality:Nevel Quarry (Twin tunnels; United Feldspar Quarry), Newry, Oxford Co., Maine, USA
Place of Conservation of Type Material:Smithsonian Institution
Year of Discovery:1941
Geological Setting of type material:Late stage granite pegmatite mineralization.
Associated Minerals at type locality:
EosphoriteCleavelandite

Physical Properties of Gainesite

Lustre:Sub-Adamantine, Vitreous
Diaphaneity (Transparency):Transparent
Comment:Very bright
Colour:Lavender to pale purple
Comment:Not a blue mineral.
Streak:white
Hardness (Mohs):4
Tenacity:Brittle
Cleavage:None Observed
Fracture:Irregular/Uneven, Sub-Conchoidal
Density (measured):2.94 g/cm3
Density (calculated):2.84 g/cm3

Crystallography of Gainesite

Crystal System:Tetragonal
Class (H-M):4mm - Ditetragonal Pyramidal
Space Group:I41md
Cell Parameters:a = 6.567Å, c = 17.119Å
Ratio:a:c = 1 : 2.607
Unit Cell Volume:V 738.27 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:2
Morphology:{111}, {001}
X-Ray Powder Diffraction:
d-spacingIntensity
6.07 (100)
4.24 (30)
3.27 (90)
3.02 (50)
2.88 (40)
2.17 (30)
2.01 (30)
1.673 (30)
Comments:35-604

Optical Data of Gainesite

Type:Uniaxial (+)
RI values: nω = 1.618 nε = 1.630
Birefringence:0.045
Maximum Birefringence:δ = 0.012

Chart shows birefringence interference colour range (at 30µm thickness) and does not take into account mineral colouration.
Surface Relief:Moderate
Optical Extinction:Parallel
Pleochroism:Non-pleochroic

Chemical Properties of Gainesite

Formula:
Na(Na,K)(Be,Li)Zr
 
2
(PO
 
4
)
 
4
 · 1.5-2H
 
2
O
Essential elements:Be, H, Na, O, P, Zr
All elements listed in formula:Be, H, K, Li, Na, O, P, Zr

Relationship of Gainesite to other Species

Member of:Gainesite Group
Other Members of Group:

- +
Mccrillisite
NaCs(Be,Li)Zr
 
2
(PO
 
4
)
 
4
 · 1-2H
 
2
O
Selwynite
NaK(Be,Al)Zr
 
2
(PO
 
4
)
 
4
 · 2H
 
2
O
Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):

- +
8.CA.05Fransoletite
Ca
 
3
Be
 
2
(PO
 
4
)
 
2
(HPO
 
4
)
 
2
 · 4H
 
2
O
8.CA.05Parafransoletite
Ca
 
3
Be
 
2
(PO
 
4
)
 
2
(HPO
 
4
)
 
2
 · 4H
 
2
O
8.CA.10Ehrleite
Ca
 
4
Be
 
3
Zn
 
2
(PO
 
4
)
 
6
 · 9H
 
2
O
8.CA.15Faheyite
(Mn,Mg,Na)Be
 
2
Fe
 
2
(PO
 
4
)
 
4
 · 6H
 
2
O
8.CA.20Mccrillisite
NaCs(Be,Li)Zr
 
2
(PO
 
4
)
 
4
 · 1-2H
 
2
O
8.CA.20Selwynite
NaK(Be,Al)Zr
 
2
(PO
 
4
)
 
4
 · 2H
 
2
O
8.CA.25Pahasapaite
Li
 
8
(Ca,Li,K)
 
10.5
Be
 
24
(PO
 
4
)
 
24
 · 38H
 
2
O
8.CA.30Hopeite
Zn
 
3
(PO
 
4
)
 
2
 · 4H
 
2
O
8.CA.30Arsenohopeite
Zn
 
3
(AsO
 
4
)
 
2
 · 4H
 
2
O
8.CA.35Warikahnite
Zn
 
3
(AsO
 
4
)
 
2
 · 2H
 
2
O
8.CA.40Phosphophyllite
Zn
 
2
Fe(PO
 
4
)
 
2
 · 4H
 
2
O
8.CA.45Parascholzite
CaZn
 
2
(PO
 
4
)
 
2
 · 2H
 
2
O
8.CA.45Scholzite
CaZn
 
2
(PO
 
4
)
 
2
 · 2H
 
2
O
8.CA.50Keyite
Cu
2+
3
Zn
 
4
Cd
 
2
(AsO
 
4
)
 
6
 · 2H
 
2
O
8.CA.55Pushcharovskite
K
 
0.6
Cu
 
18
(AsO
 
4
)(HAsO
 
4
)
 
10
(H
 
2
AsO
 
4
)
 
4
(OH)
 
9.6
·18.6H
 
2
O
8.CA.60Prosperite
CaZn
 
2
(AsO
 
4
)(HAsO
 
4
)(OH)
8.CA.65Gengenbachite
KFe
3+
3
(HPO
 
4
)
 
4
(H
 
2
PO
 
4
)
 
2
 · 6H
 
2
O
8.CA.70Parahopeite
Zn
 
3
(PO
 
4
)
 
2
 · 4H
 
2
O
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:

- +
19.3.1Moraesite
Be
 
2
(PO
 
4
)(OH) · 4H
 
2
O
19.3.2Beryllonite
NaBePO
 
4
19.3.3Hurlbutite
CaBe
 
2
(PO
 
4
)
 
2
19.3.4Hydroxylherderite
CaBe(PO
 
4
)(OH,F)
19.3.5Glucine
CaBe
 
4
(PO
 
4
)
 
2
(OH)
 
4
 · 0.5H
 
2
O
19.3.6Fransoletite
Ca
 
3
Be
 
2
(PO
 
4
)
 
2
(HPO
 
4
)
 
2
 · 4H
 
2
O
19.3.7Uralolite
Ca
 
2
Be
 
4
(PO
 
4
)
 
3
(OH)
 
3
 · 5H
 
2
O
19.3.9Pahasapaite
Li
 
8
(Ca,Li,K)
 
10.5
Be
 
24
(PO
 
4
)
 
24
 · 38H
 
2
O
19.3.10Tiptopite
K
 
2
(Na,Ca)
 
2
Li
 
3
Be
 
6
(PO
 
4
)
 
6
(OH)
 
2
 · H
 
2
O
19.3.12Roscherite
Ca
 
2
Mn
2+
5
Be
 
4
(PO
 
4
)
 
6
(OH)
 
4
 · 6H
 
2
O
19.3.13Faheyite
(Mn,Mg,Na)Be
 
2
Fe
 
2
(PO
 
4
)
 
4
 · 6H
 
2
O
19.3.14Farringtonite
Mg
 
3
(PO
 
4
)
 
2
19.3.15Holtedahlite
Mg
 
2
(PO
 
4
)(OH)
19.3.16Althausite
Mg
 
2
(PO
 
4
)(OH,F)
19.3.17Newberyite
Mg(HPO
 
4
) · 3H
 
2
O
19.3.18Phosphorrösslerite
Mg(HPO
 
4
) · 7H
 
2
O
19.3.19Bobierrite
Mg
 
3
(PO
 
4
)
 
2
 · 8H
 
2
O
19.3.20Barićite
(Mg,Fe)
 
3
(PO
 
4
)
 
2
 · 8H
 
2
O
19.3.21Panethite
(Na,Ca)
 
2
(Mg,Fe
2+
 
)
 
2
(PO
 
4
)
 
2
19.3.22Dittmarite
(NH
 
4
)Mg(PO
 
4
) · H
 
2
O
19.3.23Struvite
(NH
 
4
)Mg(PO
 
4
) · 6H
 
2
O
19.3.24Hannayite
(NH
 
4
)
 
2
Mg
 
3
H
 
4
(PO
 
4
)
 
4
 · 8H
 
2
O

Other Names for Gainesite

Synonyms:
IMA1978-020
Other Languages:
German:Gainesit
Russian:Гайнесит
Spanish:Gainesita

Other Information

Fluorescence in UV light:Not fluorescent
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 Gainesite

Reference List:

- +
Moore, P. B., Araki, T., Steele, I. M., Swihart, G. H. and Kampf, A. R. (1983): Gainesite, sodium zirconium beryllophosphate: a new mineral and its crystal structure. Am. Mineral. 68, 1022-1028.

American Mineralogist: 80: 1074.

Foord, E. E., Brownfield, M. E., Lichte, F. E., Davis, A. M. and Sutley, S. J. (1994): Mccrillisite, NaCs(Be,Li)Zr2(PO4)4.1-2H2O, a new mineral species from Mount Mica, Oxford County, Maine, and new data for gainesite. Can. Mineral. 32, 839-42.

Internet Links for Gainesite

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    • Localities for Gainesite

    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.
    USA
     
    • Maine
      • Oxford Co.
        • Newry
    		Amer.Min.(1983) 68, 1022-1028; "Mineralogy of Maine, Vol. 1" by King, V.T. & Foord, E.E., Maine Geologic Survey, 1994
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