Mindat Logo
Home Page Log In Message Board The Mindat Directory
Register Search Pages Chat Now! (2 online) Mindat Auctions

Laumontite

Big Photo

La Cabrera, Madrid, Spain
© David Soler

Show Laumontite Photos (122)
Formula:
CaAl
 
2
Si
 
4
O
 
12
·4H
 
2
O
System:MonoclinicColour:Colorless to Pink, ...
Hardness:3½ - 4
Name:Named Laumonite by Huäy in 1808 honoring Gillet de Laumont (1747-1834). Changed to Laumontite in 1821.


Zeolite Group. Laumontite Subgroup.

Normally it dehydrates in air to form a white powder. Specimens should be kept moist to prevent decomposition.

Classification of Laumontite

IMA status:Approved 1805
Strunz 8th edition ID:8/J.22-50
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:9.GB.10

9 : SILICATES (Germanates)
G : Tektosilicates with zeolitic H2O; zeolite family
B : Chains of single connected 4-membered rings
Dana 8th edition ID:77.1.1.4

77 : TECTOSILICATES Zeolites
1 : Zeolite group - True zeolites
Hey's CIM Ref.:16.9.23

16 : Silicates Containing Aluminum and other Metals
9 : Aluminosilicates of Ca
mindat.org URL:http://www.mindat.org/min-2340.html
Please feel free to link to this page.

Type Occurrence of Laumontite

Type Locality:Huelgoat, Finistère, Brittany, France
Year of Discovery:1805

Occurrences of Laumontite

Geological Setting:Hydrothermal origin, decomposition of analcime, sandstone cement.

Physical Properties of Laumontite

Lustre:Vitreous, Pearly
Diaphaneity (Transparency):Transparent, Translucent
Comment:Pearly on cleavage
Colour:Colorless to Pink, white, gray, yellowish, brownish, golden brown
Streak:White
Hardness (Mohs):3½ - 4
Tenacity:Brittle
Cleavage:Perfect
on {010}{110}
Fracture:Irregular/Uneven
Density (measured):2.23 - 2.41 g/cm3
Density (calculated):2.25 g/cm3

Crystallography of Laumontite

Crystal System:Monoclinic
Class (H-M):2/m - Prismatic
Space Group:B2/m {B1 1 2/m} {C2/m} {C1 2/m 1}
Cell Parameters:a = 14.724(9) Å, b = 13.075(6) Å, c = 7.559(2) Å
β = 112.01(3)°
Ratio:a:b:c = 1.126 : 1 : 0.578
Unit Cell Volume:V 1,349.17 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:4
Morphology:Square prisms with steep oblique terminations, radiating, columnar, fibrous, massive
Twinning:On {100}
Crystal Atlas:
Image Loading
Click on an icon to view
Laumontite no.49 - Goldschmidt (1913-1926)

About Crystal Atlas

You may need to scroll this box using your mouse to view the full instructions.

The mindat.org Crystal Atlas allows you to view a selection of crystal drawings of real and idealised crystal forms for this mineral and, in certain cases, 3d rotating crystal objects. You need Java to see these. You can download Java for free - click here to download Java

The 3d models and java code are kindly provided by www.smorf.nl. You can control the movement of the models by holding down the left mouse-button over the 3d model and moving your mouse. Keyboard controls are:

: default positions
t/T: decrease/increase transparency x/X: next/previous texture
b/B: next/previous background w: toggle wireframe
s: toggle sticks m: toggle miller indices
k: toggle crystallographic axes =/-: zoom in/out
r: stop/start rotation 1/2/3
X-Ray Powder Diffraction:
Image Loading

Radiation - Copper Kα
Data Set:
Horizontal Axis: ° to ° Vertical Axis: % Source Data: Filtered Data: Peaks:
Data courtesy of RRUFF project at University of Arizona, used with permission.

Optical Data of Laumontite

Type:Biaxial (-)
RI values: nα = 1.502 - 1.514 nβ = 1.512 - 1.522 nγ = 1.514 - 1.525
2V:Measured: 26° to 47°, Calculated: 34° to 44°
Maximum Birefringence:δ = 0.012

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

Chemical Properties of Laumontite

Formula:
CaAl
 
2
Si
 
4
O
 
12
·4H
 
2
O
Essential elements:Al, Ca, H, O, Si
All elements listed in formula:Al, Ca, H, O, Si
Common Impurities:Na,K,Fe

Relationship of Laumontite to other Species

Member of Group:
Laumontite Subgroup:
Zeolite Group:
Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):

- +
9.GB.05Ammonioleucite
(NH
 
4
,K)AlSi
 
2
O
 
6
9.GB.05Analcime
Na
 
2
[Al
 
2
Si
 
4
O
 
12
] · 2H
 
2
O
9.GB.05Hsianghualite
Ca
 
3
Li
 
2
Be
 
3
[F
 
2
|(SiO
 
4
)
 
3
]
9.GB.05Lithosite
K
 
6
Al
 
4
Si
 
8
O
 
25
·2H
 
2
O
9.GB.05Leucite
KAlSi
 
2
O
 
6
9.GB.05Pollucite
(Cs,Na)
 
2
[Al
 
2
Si
 
4
O
 
12
] · 2H
 
2
O
9.GB.05Wairakite
Ca[Al
 
2
Si
 
4
O
 
12
] · 2H
 
2
O
9.GB.15Yugawaralite
CaAl
 
2
Si
 
6
O
 
16
·4H
 
2
O
9.GB.20Roggianite
Ca
 
2
Be(OH)
 
2
Al
 
2
Si
 
4
O
 
13
·2.5H
 
2
O
9.GB.25Goosecreekite
Ca[Al
 
2
Si
 
6
O
 
16
] · 5H
 
2
O
9.GB.30Montesommaite
(K,Na)
 
9
Al
 
9
Si
 
23
O
 
64
·10H
 
2
O
9.GB.35Parthéite
CaAl
 
2
Si
 
2
O
 
8
·2H
 
2
O
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:

- +
16.9.1Gehlenite
Ca
 
2
Al[AlSiO
 
7
]
16.9.2Anorthite
Ca[Al
 
2
Si
 
2
O
 
8
]
16.9.3Yoshiokaite
(Ca,Na)[Al(Al,Si)O
 
4
]
16.9.4Svyatoslavite
Ca[Al
 
2
Si
 
2
O
 
8
]
16.9.5Dmisteinbergite
Ca[Al
 
2
Si
 
2
O
 
8
]
16.9.6Grossular
Ca
 
3
Al
 
2
[SiO
 
4
]
 
3
16.9.7Vuagnatite
CaAl[OH|SiO
 
4
]
16.9.8Zoisite
{Ca
 
2
}{Al
 
3
}[O|OH|SiO
 
4
|Si
 
2
O
 
7
]
16.9.9Clinozoisite
{Ca
 
2
}{Al
 
3
}[O|OH|SiO
 
4
|Si
 
2
O
 
7
]
16.9.10Prehnite
Ca
 
2
Al
 
2
Si
 
3
O
 
12
(OH)
16.9.11Kamaishilite
Ca
 
2
[(OH)
 
2
|Al
 
2
SiO
 
6
]
16.9.12Bicchulite
Ca
 
2
[(OH)
 
2
|Al
 
2
SiO
 
6
]
16.9.13Margarite
CaAl
 
2
[(OH)
 
2
|Al
 
2
Si
 
2
O
 
10
]
16.9.14Chantalite
CaAl
 
2
[(OH)
 
4
|SiO
 
4
]
16.9.15Cebollite
Ca
 
5
Al
 
2
Si
 
3
O
 
12
(OH)
 
4
 or near
16.9.17Katoite
Ca
 
3
Al
 
2
[(OH)
 
8-6
|(SiO
 
4
)
 
1-1.5
]
16.9.18Lawsonite
CaAl
 
2
[(OH)
 
2
|Si
 
2
O
 
7
] · H
 
2
O
16.9.19Parthéite
CaAl
 
2
Si
 
2
O
 
8
·2H
 
2
O
16.9.20Wairakite
Ca[Al
 
2
Si
 
4
O
 
12
] · 2H
 
2
O
16.9.21Vertumnite
Ca
 
4
Al
 
4
Si
 
4
O
 
6
(OH)
 
24
·3H
 
2
O
16.9.22Scolecite
Ca[Al
 
2
Si
 
3
O
 
10
] · 3H
 
2
O
16.9.24Yugawaralite
CaAl
 
2
Si
 
6
O
 
16
·4H
 
2
O
16.9.25Gismondine-Ca
CaAl
 
2
Si
 
2
O
 
8
·4H
 
2
O
16.9.26Epistilbite
CaAl
 
2
Si
 
6
O
 
16
·5H
 
2
O
16.9.27Goosecreekite
Ca[Al
 
2
Si
 
6
O
 
16
] · 5H
 
2
O
16.9.28Cowlesite
CaAl
 
2
Si
 
3
O
 
10
·6H
 
2
O
16.9.30Stellerite
Ca[Al
 
2
Si
 
7
O
 
18
] · 7H
 
2
O
16.9.31Strätlingite
Ca
 
2
Al
 
2
SiO
 
7
·8H
 
2
O
16.9.32Amstallite
CaAl(Si,Al)
 
4
O
 
8
(OH)
 
4
·(H
 
2
O,Cl)

Other Names for Laumontite

Synonyms:
LeonharditeSchneiderite
Other Languages:
Catalan:Laumontita
Dutch:Laumontiet
German:Ädelforsit
Laumontit
Hungarian:Laumontit
Italian:Laumontite
Luxembourgish:Laumontit
Polish:Laumontyt
Russian:Ломонтит
Slovak:Laumontit
Spanish:Laumontita
Varieties:
Vanadio-laumontite

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 Laumontite

Reference List:Madsen, B.M. & K.J. Murata (1970), Occurrence of Laumontite in the Tertiary sandstones of the central Coast Ranges of California USGS PP 700-D: 188-195.

Neues Jahrbuch für Mineralogie, Monatshefte (1970): 298-310.

Thompson, A.B. (1970) Laumontite equilibria and the zeolite facies. American Journal of Science: 269: 267-275.

Journal of Petrology (1971): 12: 379.

Neues Jahrbuch für Mineralogie, Monatshefte (1992): 385.

Zeolites (1993): 13: 249.

European Journal of Mineralogy (1993): 5: 851.

Physics and Chemistry of Minerals (1996): 23: 328.

Canadian Mineralogist (1997): 35: 1571.

Reviews in Mineralogy and Geochemistry (2001): 45: 1.

Reviews in Mineralogy and Geochemistry (2001): 45: 69.

Reviews in Mineralogy and Geochemistry (2001): 45: 117.

American Mineralogist (2003): 88 (2003), 277.

Lee, Y., J.A. Hriljac, & T. Vogt (2004a), Pressure-induced migration of zeolitic water in laumontite: Physics and Chemistry of Minerals: 31: 421-428.

Internet Links for Laumontite

Search Engines:
  • Look for Laumontite on Google
  • Look for Laumontite images on Google
    • External Links:
  • Look for Laumontite on Webmineral
  • Look for Laumontite on Athena Mineralogy
  • Look for Laumontite on Wikipedia
  • Look for Laumontite on Mineralien Atlas
  • Raman and XRD data at RRUFF project
  • American Mineralogist Crystal Structure Database
  • Search for Laumontite in the Natural History Museum (London) online catalogue
  • Laumontite details from Handbook of Mineralogy (PDF)
    • Mineral Dealers:
  • Lapis Mineral Magazin
  • The Arkenstone - Fine Minerals
  • High-end worldwide specimens & outstanding customer service
  • DAKOTA MATRIX offers Cabinet and Rare Species from Worldwide Localities.
  • Top quality minerals from Kristalle of California
  • Buy Fine Minerals from mineralsweb.com
  • rare and unusual minerals mainly crystallized
  • Buy fine minerals and gemstones from Pala International
  • Find Laumontite on www.crystalclassics.co.uk
  • Wendel Minerals - Auktion & Shop
  • Edwards Minerals - Fine Specimens
  • Buy from David K Joyce minerals
    • Jobs:
  • Mining & Geology Jobs

    • Page Sponsor

    Sponsorship:This page is currently not sponsored. Click here to sponsor this page.

    Localities for Laumontite

    Show Locality List (876 Items)
    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.
    Mineral and/or Locality
    Google
     
    www.mindat.org Web
    Copyright © Jolyon Ralph and Ida Chau 1993-2009. 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. If you would like to add information to improve the quality of our database, then click here to register. Current server date and time: 28th Oct 2009 23:30:20