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Hieratite

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Shamokin, Northumberland Co., Pennsylvania, USA
© 2008, JGW

Formula:
K
 
2
[SiF
 
6
]
System:IsometricColour:Colourless, white, grey; ...
Hardness:2½
Name:After the type locality (Hiera is an ancient name for the island of Vulcano), Italy.
Dimorph of:Demartinite
Isostructural with:Cryptohalite
This page provides mineralogical data about Hieratite.

Classification of Hieratite

IMA status:Valid - first described prior to 1959 (pre-IMA) - "Grandfathered"
Strunz 8th edition ID:3/B.02-20
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:3.CH.15

3 : HALIDES
C : Complex halides
H : Silicofluorides
Dana 8th edition ID:11.5.1.1

11 : HALIDE COMPLEXES
5 : AmBX6
Hey's CIM Ref.:8.12.4

8 : Halides - Fluorides, Chlorides, Bromides and Iodides; also Fluoborates and Fluosilicates
12 : Fluorborates (BF'4) and fluosilicates (SiF''6)
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Type Occurrence of Hieratite

Type Locality:La Fossa Crater, Vulcano Island, Eolie Islands (Aeolian Islands), Lipari, Messina Province, Sicily, Italy
Year of Discovery:1882
Geological Setting of type material:Active volcanic fumaroles.
Associated Minerals at type locality:
Selenian SulphurSassoliteRealgarMirabiliteGlauberite

Physical Properties of Hieratite

Lustre:Vitreous
Diaphaneity (Transparency):Transparent
Colour:Colourless, white, grey; Colourless in transmitted light.
Hardness (Mohs):2½
Cleavage:Perfect
on {111}
Density (measured):2.665 g/cm3
Density (calculated):2.668 g/cm3

Crystallography of Hieratite

Crystal System:Isometric
Class (H-M):m3m (4/m 3 2/m) - Hexoctahedral
Space Group:Fm3m (F4/m 3 2/m)
Cell Parameters:a = 8.13Å
Unit Cell Volume:V 537.37 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Morphology:Crystals cubo-octahedral and octahedral. Stalactitic concretions, spongy to dense.

Optical Data of Hieratite

Type:Isotropic

Chemical Properties of Hieratite

Formula:
K
 
2
[SiF
 
6
]
Essential elements:F, K, Si
All elements listed in formula:F, K, Si

Relationship of Hieratite to other Species

Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):

- +
3.CH.05Malladrite
Na
 
2
[SiF
 
6
]
3.CH.10Bararite
(NH
 
4
)
 
2
[SiF
 
6
]
3.CH.15Cryptohalite
(NH
 
4
)
 
2
[SiF
 
6
]
3.CH.20Demartinite
K
 
2
[SiF
 
6
]
3.CH.25Knasibfite
K
 
3
Na
 
4
[SiF
 
6
]
 
3
[BF
 
4
]
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:

- +
8.12.1Ferruccite
Na[BF
 
4
]
8.12.2Avogadrite
(K,Cs)[BF
 
4
]
8.12.3Malladrite
Na
 
2
[SiF
 
6
]
8.12.5Cryptohalite
(NH
 
4
)
 
2
[SiF
 
6
]
8.12.6Bararite
(NH
 
4
)
 
2
[SiF
 
6
]

Other Names for Hieratite

Other Languages:
German:Hieratit
Russian:Хайратит
Spanish:Hieratita

Other Information

Other Information:Soluble in cold water; more so in hot water.
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 Hieratite

Reference List:Stolba (1865) Journal für praktische Chemie, Leipzig: 96: 26

Stolba (1867) Journal für praktische Chemie, Leipzig: 102: 1.

Cossa, A. (1881-1882): Sulla hieratite, nuova specie mineralogica. Transunti dell'Accademia dei Lincei, Serie 3, 6, 141-142.

Cossa, A. (1882) Bulletin de la Société française de Minéralogie: 5: 61.

Bozarth (1922) Journal of the American Chemical Society: 44: 1066.

Christie (1926) Geological Survey of India, Calcutta, Records: 59: 233.

Zambonini, F. & Carobbi, G. (1926): Sulla presenza del fluosilicato sodico e di quello di potassio tra i prodotti dell’attuale attività del Vesuvio. Rendiconti della Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei, Serie VI, 4, 171-175.

Gossner and Kraus (1934) Zeitschrift für Kristallographie, Mineralogie und Petrographie, Leipzig: 88: 223.

Ketelaar, J.A.A. (1935): Die Kristallstruktur von K-, Rb-, Cs-, und Tl- silico-fluoride und von LiMnO4•3H2O. Zeitschrift für Kristallographie, 92, 155-156.

Carobbi, G. (1936): Fluoruro di alluminio, magnesio e calcio, bisolfato sodico, mercallite ed hieratite fra i prodotti dell'attivita fumarolica vesuviana del 1934. Atti della Regia Accademia di Scienze, Lettere ed Arti di Modena, Serie V, 1, 33-48.

Carobbi, G. (1940): Ricerche vesuviane. Bulletin Volcanologique, Série 2, 7, 42 pp.

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: Halides, Nitrates, Borates, Carbonates, Sulfates, Phosphates, Arsenates, Tungstates, Molybdates, Etc. John Wiley and Sons, Inc., New York, 7th edition, revised and enlarged: 103-104.

Denaeyer, M.E. & Ledent, D. (1952): Sur la présence de la modification hexagonale de la hieratite (camermanite) dans des incrustations de sels potassiques d'une cheminée d'usine. Bulletin de la Société Française de Minéralogie et de Cristallographie, 75, 231-236.

Sclar, C.B. & Fahey, J.J. (1972): The staining mechanism of potassium feldspar and the origin of hieratite. American Mineralogist, 57, 287-291.

Boer, R.H., Beuker, G.J, Meyer, F.M., Smith, C.B. (1993): Fluoride precipitates in silicate wet-chemistry: implications on REE fractionation. Chemical Geology, 104, 93-98.

Articles/Blogs about Hieratite

Internet Links for Hieratite

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  • Raman and XRD data at RRUFF project
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  • Hieratite details from Handbook of Mineralogy (PDF)
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    Localities for Hieratite

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    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.
    Italy
     
    • Campania
      • Naples Province
        • Somma-Vesuvius Complex
    		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: 99, 104.
    • Sicily
      • Messina Province
        • Lipari
          • Eolie Islands (Aeolian Islands)
            • Vulcano Island
    		COSSA, A. (1881-1882): Sulla hieratite, nuova specie mineralogica. Transunti dell'Accademia dei Lincei - Serie 3, 6, 141-142.
    USA
     
    • Pennsylvania
      • Schuylkill Co.
        • Shenandoah
    		M.E. Ciriotti, 2006, probed
    Mineral and/or Locality
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