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Liberite

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Xianghualing Mine (Hsianghualing Mine), Xianghualing Sn-polymetallic ore field, Linwu Co., Chenzhou Prefecture, Hunan Province, China
© R.Kristiansen

Formula:
Li
 
2
Be[SiO
 
4
]
System:MonoclinicColour:Pale yellow to brown
Hardness:7
Name:Named in 1964 by Chao for the component elements: lithium and beryllium.
This page provides mineralogical data about Liberite.

Classification of Liberite

IMA status:Approved
Strunz 8th edition ID:8/A.02-10
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:9.AA.10

9 : SILICATES (Germanates)
A : Nesosilicates
A : Nesosilicates without additional anions; cations in tetrahedral [4] coordination
Dana 7th edition ID:51.1.2.1
Dana 8th edition ID:51.1.2.1

51 : NESOSILICATES Insular SiO4 Groups Only
1 : Insular SiO4 Groups Only with cations in [4] coordination
Hey's CIM Ref.:14.3.4

14 : Silicates not Containing Aluminum
3 : Silicates of Be
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Type Occurrence of Liberite

Type Locality:Xianghualing Mine (Hsianghualing Mine), Xianghualing Sn-polymetallic ore field, Linwu Co., Chenzhou Prefecture, Hunan Province, China
Place of Conservation of Type Material:Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts; National Museum of Natural History, Washington, D.C.
Year of Discovery:1964
Geological Setting of type material:In veins cutting lepidolite-fluorite-magnetite "ribbon rock" in tactite

Physical Properties of Liberite

Lustre:Vitreous, Greasy
Colour:Pale yellow to brown
Hardness (Mohs):7
Tenacity:Brittle
Cleavage:Distinct/Good
Perfect on {010}, distinct on {100} and {001}
Density (measured):2.6875 - 2.6885 g/cm3
Density (calculated):2.69 g/cm3

Crystallography of Liberite

Crystal System:Monoclinic
Class (H-M):m - Domatic
Space Group:Pm (P1 1m) [Pm] {P1m1}
Cell Parameters:a = 4.68Å, b = 4.95Å, c = 6.13Å
β = 90.5°
Ratio:a:b:c = 0.945 : 1 : 1.238
Unit Cell Volume:V 142.00 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:2
Morphology:Minute aggregates occasionally display pinnacoidal faces.
X-Ray Powder Diffraction:
d-spacingIntensity
3.82 (100)
3.71 (100)
3.40 (70)
2.59 (100)
2.47 (90)
2.35 (90)
2.27 (90)
Comments:Made on synthetic material

Optical Data of Liberite

Type:Biaxial (-)
RI values: nα = 1.622 nβ = 1.633 nγ = 1.638
2V:Measured: 66° , Calculated: 66° to 66.3°
Maximum Birefringence:δ = 0.016

Chart shows birefringence interference colour range (at 30µm thickness) and does not take into account mineral colouration.
Surface Relief:Moderate
Dispersion:r > v to r < v strong
Comments:Z^c(a in structure cell)=41 degrees

Chemical Properties of Liberite

Formula:
Li
 
2
Be[SiO
 
4
]
Essential elements:Be, Li, O, Si
All elements listed in formula:Be, Li, O, Si
Analyical Data:Chemical data based on type locality material
SiO2 (48.39)
Al2O3 (0.26)
Fe2O3 (0.11)
BeO (25.47)
MgO (0.49)
CaO (0.29)
Li2O (23.43)
Na2O (0.25)
K2O (0.10)
H2O (0.65)
Common Impurities:Al,Fe,Mg,Ca,Na,K,H2O

Relationship of Liberite to other Species

Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):

- +
9.AA.05Eucryptite
LiAl[SiO
 
4
]
9.AA.05Phenakite
Be
 
2
[SiO
 
4
]
9.AA.05Willemite
Zn
 
2
[SiO
 
4
]
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:

- +
14.3.1Phenakite
Be
 
2
[SiO
 
4
]
14.3.2Bertrandite
Be
 
4
[(OH)
 
2
|Si
 
2
O
 
7
]
14.3.3Beryllite
Be
 
3
[(OH)
 
2
|SiO
 
4
] · H
 
2
O
14.3.5Chkalovite
Na
 
2
BeSi
 
2
O
 
6
14.3.6Eudidymite
Na
 
2
Be
 
2
Si
 
6
O
 
15
·H
 
2
O
14.3.7Epididymite
Na
 
2
Be
 
2
Si
 
6
O
 
15
·H
 
2
O
14.3.8Gugiaite
Ca
 
2
Be[Si
 
2
O
 
7
]
14.3.9Jeffreyite
(Ca,Na)
 
2
(Be,Al)[Si
 
2
O
 
6
(O,OH)]
14.3.10Semenovite-(Ce)
(Na,Ca)
 
9
Fe
2+
 
(Ce,La)
 
2
[(Si,Be)
 
5
(O,OH,F)
 
12
]
 
4
14.3.11Barylite
BaBe
 
2
[Si
 
2
O
 
7
]
14.3.12Hingganite-(Ce)
Ce
 
2
□Be
 
2
Si
 
2
O
 
8
(OH)
 
2
14.3.13Hingganite-(Yb)
(Yb,Y)Be[OH|SiO
 
4
]
14.3.14Hingganite-(Y)
(Y,Yb,Er)Be[OH|SiO
 
4
]
14.3.15Minasgeraisite-(Y)
Y
 
2
CaBe
 
2
[O|SiO
 
4
]
 
2
14.3.16Sørensenite
Na
 
4
SnBe
 
2
Si
 
6
O
 
16
(OH)
 
4
14.3.17Trimerite
CaMn
2+
2
Be
 
3
[SiO
 
4
]
 
3
14.3.18Chiavennite
CaMnBe
 
2
Si
 
5
O
 
13
(OH)
 
2
·2H
 
2
O
14.3.19Tvedalite
(Ca,Mn)
 
4
Be
 
3
Si
 
6
O
 
17
(OH)
 
4
·3H
 
2
O
14.3.20Harstigite
Ca
 
6
(Mn,Mg)Be
 
4
Si
 
6
(O,OH)
 
24
14.3.21Sverigeite
NaMnMgSnBe
 
2
Si
 
3
O
 
12
(OH)
14.3.22Joesmithite
[(Ca,Pb)][(Ca,Pb)
 
2
][(Mg,Fe
2+
 
)
 
5
][(OH)
 
2
|BeSi
 
7
O
 
22
]
14.3.23Gadolinite-(Y)
Y
 
2
Fe
2+
 
Be
 
2
[O|SiO
 
4
]
 
2
14.3.24Gadolinite-(Ce)
(Ce,La,Nd,Y)
 
2
Fe
2+
 
Be
 
2
[O|SiO
 
4
]
 
2
14.3.25Calciogadolinite
(Y,Ca)
 
2
(Fe,Fe)Be
 
2
Si
 
2
(O,OH)
 
10

Other Names for Liberite

Other Languages:
German:Liberit
Russian:Либерит
Spanish:Liberita

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 Liberite

Reference List:Chao Ch'un-lin (1964): Liberite Li2BeSiO4, a new lithium-beryllium silicate mineral from the Nanling Ranges, South China. Acta Geologica Sinica 44(3), 334-342 (in Chinese with English abstract). - American Mineralogist (1965), 50, 519 (abstract).

Bulletin de la Société française de Minéralogie et de Cristallographie (1975), 98, 6-10.

Articles/Blogs about Liberite

Internet Links for Liberite

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

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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.
    China
     
    • Hunan Province
      • Chenzhou Prefecture
        • Linwu Co.
          • Xianghualing Sn-polymetallic ore field
    		Chao Ch'un-lin (1964): Acta Geologica Sinica 44(3), 334-342 [TL see: Anthony, J.W. et al.: Handbook of Mineralogy]
    Mineral and/or Locality
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