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Humberstonite

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Oficina Alemania, Santa Catalina, Antofagasta Province, Antofagasta Region, Chile
© 2008, J. Weissman

Formula:
Na
 
7
K
 
3
Mg
 
2
(SO
 
4
)
 
6
(NO
 
3
)
 
2
·6H
 
2
O
System:TrigonalHardness:2½
Name:For chemist James Thomas Humberstone (1850-1939).
This page provides mineralogical data about Humberstonite.

Classification of Humberstonite

IMA status:Approved 1967
Strunz 8th edition ID:6/D.16-40
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:7.DG.10

7 : SULFATES (selenates, tellurates, chromates, molybdates, wolframates)
D : Sulfates (selenates, etc.) with additional anions, with H2O
G : With large and medium-sized cations; with NO3, CO3, B(OH)4, SiO4 or IO3
Dana 8th edition ID:32.2.2.1

32 : COMPOUND SULFATES
2 : Hydrated Compound Sulfates
Hey's CIM Ref.:13.10

13 : Nitrates
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Type Occurrence of Humberstonite

Type Locality:Oficina Alemania, Santa Catalina, Antofagasta Province, Antofagasta Region, Chile
Year of Discovery:1970

Physical Properties of Humberstonite

Hardness (Mohs):2½

Crystallography of Humberstonite

Crystal System:Trigonal
Cell Parameters:a = 10.9Å, c = 24.39Å
Ratio:a:c = 1 : 2.238
Unit Cell Volume:V 2,509.55 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)

Optical Data of Humberstonite

Type:Uniaxial (-)
RI values: nω = 1.474 nε = 1.436
Maximum Birefringence:δ = 0.038

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

Chemical Properties of Humberstonite

Formula:
Na
 
7
K
 
3
Mg
 
2
(SO
 
4
)
 
6
(NO
 
3
)
 
2
·6H
 
2
O
Essential elements:H, K, Mg, N, Na, O, S
All elements listed in formula:H, K, Mg, N, Na, O, S

Relationship of Humberstonite to other Species

Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):
7.DG.05Darapskite
Na
 
3
NO
 
3
SO
 
4
·H
 
2
O
7.DG.10Clinoungemachite
(Na, K, Fe, SO
 
4
)
7.DG.10Ungemachite
K
 
3
Na
 
8
Fe(SO
 
4
)
 
6
(NO
 
3
)
 
2
·6H
 
2
O
7.DG.15Bentorite
Ca
 
6
(Cr
3+
 
,Al)
 
2
[(OH)
 
4
|SO
 
4
]
 
3
 · 26H
 
2
O
7.DG.15Charlesite
Ca
 
6
(Al,Si)
 
2
[(OH,O)
 
12
|B(OH)
 
4
|(SO
 
4
)
 
2
] · 26H
 
2
O
7.DG.15Ettringite
Ca
 
6
Al
 
2
[(OH)
 
4
|SO
 
4
]
 
3
 · 26H
 
2
O
7.DG.15Jouravskite
Ca
 
6
Mn
3+
2
[(OH)
 
4
|(SO
 
4
,CO
 
3
)]
 
3
 · 26H
 
2
O
7.DG.15Sturmanite
Ca
 
6
(Fe
3+
 
,Al,Mn
3+
 
)
 
2
[(OH)
 
12
|B(OH)
 
4
|(SO
 
4
)
 
2
] · 25H
 
2
O
7.DG.15Thaumasite
Ca
 
3
[CO
 
3
|SO
 
4
|Si(OH)
 
6
] · 12H
 
2
O
7.DG.15Carraraite
Ca
 
3
Ge(OH)
 
6
(SO
 
4
)(CO
 
3
)·12H
 
2
O
7.DG.15Buryatite
Ca
 
3
(Si,Fe,Al)[SO
 
4
][B(OH)
 
4
](OH)
 
5
O•
 
12
H
 
2
O
7.DG.15Korkinoite
7.DG.20Rapidcreekite
Ca
 
2
[CO
 
3
|SO
 
4
] · 4H
 
2
O
7.DG.25Tatarskite
Ca
 
6
Mg
 
2
(SO
 
4
)
 
2
(CO
 
3
)
 
2
Cl
 
4
(OH)
 
4
·7H
 
2
O
7.DG.25Chelyabinskite
(Ca,Mg)
 
3
[(SO
 
4
,CO
 
3
)
 
2
|Si(OH)
 
6
] · 9H
 
2
O (?)
7.DG.30Nakauriite
Cu
 
8
[(OH)
 
6
|CO
 
3
|(SO
 
4
)
 
4
] · 48H
 
2
O
7.DG.35Chessexite
(Na,K)
 
4
Ca
 
2
(Mg,Zn)
 
3
Al
 
8
[(SO
 
4
)
 
10
|(SiO
 
4
)
 
2
] · 40H
 
2
O
7.DG.40Carlosruizite
K
 
6
(Na,K)
 
4
Na
 
6
Mg
 
10
(SeO
 
4
)
 
12
(IO
 
3
)
 
12
·12H
 
2
O
7.DG.40Fuenzalidaite
K
 
6
(Na,K)
 
4
Na
 
6
Mg
 
10
(SO
 
4
)
 
12
(IO
 
3
)
 
12
·12H
 
2
O
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:
13.1Nitratine
NaNO
 
3
13.2Niter
KNO
 
3
13.3Gerhardtite
Cu
 
2
[(OH)
 
3
|NO
 
3
]
13.4Nitromagnesite
Mg(NO
 
3
)
 
2
·6H
 
2
O
13.5Nitrocalcite
Ca(NO
 
3
)
 
2
·4H
 
2
O
13.6Nitrobarite
Ba(NO
 
3
)
 
2
13.7Buttgenbachite
Cu
 
19
[(OH)
 
32
|(NO
 
3
)
 
2
|Cl
 
4
] · 2H
 
2
O
13.8Sveite
KAl
 
7
[Cl|(OH)
 
8
|(NO
 
3
)
 
2
]
 
2
 · 8H
 
2
O
13.9Darapskite
Na
 
3
NO
 
3
SO
 
4
·H
 
2
O
13.11Mbobomkulite
(Ni,Cu)Al
 
4
[(OH)
 
12
|{(NO
 
3
)
 
2
,SO
 
4
}] · 3H
 
2
O
13.12Hydrombobomkulite
(Ni,Cu)Al
 
4
[(OH)
 
12
|{(NO
 
3
)
 
2
,SO
 
4
}] · 13-14H
 
2
O
13.13Nickelalumite
(Ni,Cu)Al
 
4
[(OH)
 
12
|{SO
 
4
,(NO
 
3
)
 
2
}] · 3H
 
2
O

Other Names for Humberstonite

Synonyms:
IMA1967-015
German names:
Humberstonit
Russian names:
Хумберстонит
Spanish names:
Humberstonita

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 Humberstonite

Reference List:American Mineralogist: 55: 1518-1533.

Canadian Mineralogist: 32: 381-385.

Articles/Blogs about Humberstonite

Internet Links for Humberstonite

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    Localities for Humberstonite

    (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.
    Chile
     
    • Antofagasta Region
      • Antofagasta Province
        • Santa Catalina
    		Geol.Soc.Amer., Progr. annual meeting (1967) p. 59
      • Tocopilla Province
        • Pedro de Valdivia
    		Pueyo, J. J., Chong, G. & Vega, M. (1998): Mineralogy and parental brine evolution in the Pedro de Valdivia nitrate deposit, Antofagasta, Chile. Revista Geologica de Chile 25, 3-15. (in Spanish)
    No reference listed
    Mineral and/or Locality
    Google
     
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