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Magnesite

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Minas Gerais, Southeast Region, Brazil
© Rob Lavinsky

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Formula:
MgCO
 
3
System:TrigonalColour:Colourless, white, ...
Lustre:VitreousHardness:3½ - 4½
Name:In allusion to the composition, containing principally MAGNESium.


Calcite Group. Gaspéite-Magnesite Series and Magnesite-Siderite Series.

Classification of Magnesite

IMA status:Approved
Strunz 8th edition ID:5/B.02-30
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:5.AB.05

5 : CARBONATES (NITRATES)
A : Carbonates without additional anions, without H2O
B : Alkali-earth (and other M2+) carbonates
Dana 8th edition ID:14.1.1.2

14 : ANHYDROUS NORMAL CARBONATES
1 : A(XO3)
Hey's CIM Ref.:11.3.1

11 : Carbonates
3 : Carbonates of Mg
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Type Occurrence of Magnesite

Co-type Localities:Magnisía (Magnesia) Prefecture, Thessalia (Thessaly) Department, Greece
Bettolino, Baldissero Canavese, Canavese District, Torino Province, Piedmont, Italy
Year of Discovery:1808

Occurrences of Magnesite

Geological Setting:Primary mineral in igneous and sedimentary rocks. Rarely as a gangue mineral in hydrothermal ore veins, and in oceanic salt deposits. Metamorphism of serpentinites and peridotites.

Physical Properties of Magnesite

Lustre:Vitreous
Diaphaneity (Transparency):Transparent, Translucent, Translucent on thin edges
Colour:Colourless, white, greyish-white, yellowish, brown, faintly pink, lilac-rose; colourless in transmitted light.
Streak:White
Hardness (Mohs):3½ - 4½
Tenacity:Brittle
Cleavage:Perfect
On {1011}.
Fracture:Conchoidal
Density (measured):2.98 - 3.02 g/cm3
Density (calculated):3.01 g/cm3

Crystallography of Magnesite

Crystal System:Trigonal
Class (H-M):3m (3 2/m) - Hexagonal Scalenohedral
Space Group:R3c (R3 2/c)
Cell Parameters:a = 4.6632Å, c = 15.015Å
Ratio:a:c = 1 : 3.22
Unit Cell Volume:V 282.76 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:6
Morphology:Crystals usually rhombohedral {1011}, also {0112}; prismatic rare [0001] with {1120} and {0001}, or tabular {0001}. Scalenohedral rare. Massive, coarse- to fine-granular, very compact and porcelainous; earthy to rather chalky; lamellar; coarsely fibrous.
Twinning:Unproven.
Crystal Atlas:
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Magnesite no.1 - Goldschmidt (1913-1926)
Magnesite no.5 - Goldschmidt (1913-1926)

About Crystal Atlas

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X-Ray Powder Diffraction:
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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 Magnesite

Type:Uniaxial (-)
RI values: nω = 1.700 nε = 1.509
Maximum Birefringence:δ = 0.191

Chart shows birefringence interference colour range (at 30µm thickness) and does not take into account mineral colouration.
Surface Relief:Moderate
Dispersion:Very strong
Pleochroism:Visible
Comments:Cobaltian material dichroic:
E = Violet-red
O = Flesh-red

Chemical Properties of Magnesite

Formula:
MgCO
 
3
Essential elements:C, Mg, O
All elements listed in formula:C, Mg, O
Common Impurities:Fe,Mn,Ca,Co,Ni,ORG

Relationship of Magnesite to other Species

Series:Forms a series with Gaspéite (see here)
Forms a series with Siderite (see here)
Related to:
  • Calcite Group
    • Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):
    5.AB.05Calcite
    CaCO
     
    3
    5.AB.05Gaspéite
    (Ni,Mg,Fe)CO
     
    3
    5.AB.05Otavite
    CdCO
     
    3
    5.AB.05Rhodochrosite
    MnCO
     
    3
    5.AB.05Siderite
    FeCO
     
    3
    5.AB.05Smithsonite
    ZnCO
     
    3
    5.AB.05Spherocobaltite
    CoCO
     
    3
    5.AB.10Ankerite
    Ca(Fe
    2+
     
    		 ,Mg,Mn
    2+
     
    		)(CO
     
    3
    		)
     
    2
    5.AB.10Dolomite
    CaMg(CO
     
    3
    		)
     
    2
    5.AB.10Kutnohorite
    Ca(Mn,Mg,Fe)(CO
     
    3
    		)
     
    2
    5.AB.10Minrecordite
    CaZn(CO
     
    3
    		)
     
    2
    5.AB.15Aragonite
    CaCO
     
    3
    5.AB.15Cerussite
    PbCO
     
    3
    5.AB.15Strontianite
    SrCO
     
    3
    5.AB.15Witherite
    BaCO
     
    3
    5.AB.20Vaterite
    CaCO
     
    3
    5.AB.25Huntite
    CaMg
     
    3
    		(CO
     
    3
    		)
     
    4
    5.AB.30Norsethite
    BaMg(CO
     
    3
    		)
     
    2
    5.AB.35Alstonite
    BaCa(CO
     
    3
    		)
     
    2
    5.AB.40Olekminskite
    Sr(Sr,Ba)(CO
     
    3
    		)
     
    2
    5.AB.40Paralstonite
    BaCa(CO
     
    3
    		)
     
    2
    5.AB.45Barytocalcite
    BaCa(CO
     
    3
    		)
     
    2
    5.AB.50Carbocernaite
    (Ca,Na)(Sr,Ce,Ba)(CO
     
    3
    		)
     
    2
    5.AB.55Benstonite
    (Ba,Sr)
     
    6
    		(Ca,Mn)
     
    6
    		Mg(CO
     
    3
    		)
     
    13
    5.AB.60Juangodoyite
    Na
     
    2
    		Cu(CO
     
    3
    		)
     
    2
    Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:
    11.3.2Barringtonite
    MgCO
     
    3
    		·2H
     
    2
    		O
    11.3.3Nesquehonite
    MgCO
     
    3
    		·3H
     
    2
    		O
    11.3.4Lansfordite
    MgCO
     
    3
    		·5H
     
    2
    		O
    11.3.5Pokrovskite
    Mg
     
    2
    		[(OH)
     
    2
    		|CO
     
    3
    		]
    11.3.6Artinite
    Mg
     
    2
    		[(OH)
     
    2
    		|CO
     
    3
    		] · 3H
     
    2
    		O
    11.3.7Hydromagnesite
    Mg
     
    5
    		[(CO
     
    3
    		)
     
    4
    		(OH)
     
    2
    		] · 4H
     
    2
    		O
    11.3.8Giorgiosite
    Mg
     
    5
    		[(CO
     
    3
    		)
     
    4
    		(OH)
     
    2
    		] · 4H
     
    2
    		O
    11.3.9Dypingite
    Mg
     
    5
    		[OH|(CO
     
    3
    		)
     
    2
    		]
     
    2
    		 · 5H
     
    2
    		O
    11.3.10Eitelite
    Na
     
    2
    		Mg(CO
     
    3
    		)
     
    2
    11.3.11Mcguinnessite
    (Mg,Cu)
     
    2
    		[(OH)
     
    2
    		|CO
     
    3
    		]

    Other Names for Magnesite

    Synonyms:
    BaldissériteBandisseriteBaudisseriteCarbonate of MagnesiaGiobertite
    MagnesianiteMagnesite (of Karsten)MesititeRoubschite
    French names:
    Magnésie carbonatée
    German names:
    MagnesitBaldisséritBandisseritBaudisseritBitterspat
    GiobertitKohlensaurer TalkerdeMagnesianitMesititReine Talkerde
    RoubschitTalkspat
    Japanese names:
    菱苦土鉱
    Latin names:
    Talcum carbonatum
    Russian names:
    Магнезит
    Spanish names:
    BaldisséritaBandisseritaBaudisseritaGiobertitaMagnesianita
    MagnesitaMesititaRoubschita
    Varieties:
    BreunneriteFerroan MagnesiteGelmagnesiteKolloid-magnesiteMesitine Spar
    Nickeloan Magnesite

    Other Information

    Fluorescence in UV light:May exhibit pale green to pale blue fluorescence and phosphorescence.
    Other Information:Triboluminescent at times.

    Slightly affected by cold acids. Readily soluble in warm HCl with effervescence. Slightly soluble in water with the solubility increasing with the presence of NaCl, Na2SO4, or CO2.
    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 Magnesite

    Reference List:Mitchell and Lampadius (1800): 3: 241 (as Kohlensaurer Talkerde).

    Werner: Ludwig, C.F. (1803-1804) Handbuch der Mineralogie nach A.G. Werner. 2 volumes, Leipzig: 2: 154 (as Reine Talkerde, Talcum carbonatum).

    Koksharov, N. von (1875) Materialien zur Mineralogie Russlands. 11 volumes with atlas: vol. 7: 181.

    Weiss (1885) Jb. Preuss. Geol. Landesanst.: 113.

    Hintze, Carl (1889) Handbuch der Mineralogie. Berlin and Leipzig. 6 volumes: 1 [3A]: 3113.

    Johnsen (1902) Neues Jahrbuch für Mineralogie, Geologie und Paleontologie, Heidelberg, Stuttgart: II: 133, 142.

    Johnsen (1903) Centralblatt für Mineralogie, Geologie und Paleontologie, StuttgartP: 13.

    Ratz analysis in: Redlich and Cornu (1908) Zeitschrift für praktische Geologie, Berlin, hale a.S.: 16: 145.

    Bucking (1911) Kali: 5: 221.

    Doelter, C. (1911-1931) Handbuch der Mineral-chemie (in 4 volumes divided into parts): 1: 220.

    Ford (1917) Trans. Conn. Ac. Arts Sc.: 22: 211.

    Gaubert (1917) Comptes rendu de l’Académie des sciences de Paris: 164: 46.

    Goldschmidt, V. (1918) Atlas der Krystallformen. 9 volumes, atlas, and text, vol. 5: 175.

    Honess (1918) American Mineralogist: 45: 210.

    Gaubert (1919) Bulletin de la Société française de Minéralogie: 42: 88.

    Niggli (1921) Zeitschrift für Kristallographie, Mineralogie und Petrographie, Leipzig: 56: 230.

    Dobbel (1923) American Mineralogist: 8: 223.

    Rogers (1923) American Mineralogist: 8: 138.

    Pardillo (1924) Treballs mus. cienc. nat. Barcelona: 9: 5.

    Bradley (1925) California Bureau of Mines Bulletin 79.

    Niinomy (1925) Economic Geology: 20: 25.

    Barth (1927) Norsk Geologisk Tidsskrift, Oslo: 9: 271.

    Lonsdale (1930) American Mineralogist: 15: 238.

    Pavlovitch (1931) Bulletin de la Société française de Minéralogie: 54: 95.

    Du Rietz (1935) Geologiska Föeningens I Stockholm. Förhandlinger, Stockholm: 57: 133.

    Koch and Zombory (1935) Földtani Közlöny, Budapest (Magyarhone Földtani Torsulat): 64: 160.

    Schoklitsch (1935) Zeitschrift für Kristallographie, Mineralogie und Petrographie, Leipzig: 90: 433.

    Petrascheck (1936) Forschritte der Mineralogie, Kristallographie und Petrographie, Jena: 20: 77.

    Fenoglio and Sanero (1941) Periodico de Mineralogia-Roma: 12: 83.

    Fornaseri (1941) Rend. Soc. min. ital.: 1: 60.

    Lacroix (1941) Comptes rendu de l’Académie des sciences de Paris: 213: 261.

    Wayland (1942) American Mineralogist: 27: 614.

    Faust and Callaghan (1948) Bulletin of the Geological Society of America: 59: 11.

    Murdoch and Webb (1948) California Division of Mines Bulletin 136: 196.

    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: 162-166.

    Goldsmith, J.R., D.L. Graf, J. Witters & D.A. Northrop (1962), Studies in the system CaCO3•MgCO3•FeCO3: (1) Phase relations; (2) A method for major element spectrochemical analyses; and (3) Composition of some ferroan dolomites: Journal of Geology: 70: 659-688.

    Irving, A.J. and Wyllie, P.J. (1975) Subsolidus and melting relationships for calcite, magnesite and the join CaCO3 - MgCO3 to 36 kbar. Geochimica et Cosmochmica Acta: 39: 35-53.

    Zeitschrift für Kristallographie (1981): 156: 233-243.

    Reviews in Mineralogy, Mineralogical Society of America: 11.

    Katsura, T., Tsuchida, Y., Ito, E., Yagi, T., Utsumi, W., and Akimoto, S. (1991) Stability of magnesite under lower mantle conditions. Proceedings of the Japan Academy: 67: 57-60.

    Gillet, P. (1993) Stability of magnesite (MgCO3) at mantle pressure and temperature condition: A Raman spectroscopic study. American Mineralogist: 78: 1328-1331.

    Schroll, E. (2002) Genesis of magnesites in the view of isotope geochemistry- IGCP 443 Magnesite and Talc. Bole de Ciencias, Special Issue 54, Newsletter No. 2, Curitiba, Brazil (2002): 59-68.

    Anthony, J.W., Bideaux, R.A., Bladh, K.W., and Nichols, M.C. (2003) Handbook of Mineralogy, Volume V. Borates, Carbonates, Sulfates. Mineral Data Publishing, Tucson, AZ, 813pp.: 421.

    Internet Links for Magnesite

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  • Raman and XRD data at RRUFF project
  • American Mineralogist Crystal Structure Database
  • Search for Magnesite in the Natural History Museum (London) online catalogue
  • Magnesite details from Handbook of Mineralogy (PDF)
    • Mineral Dealers:
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    Localities for Magnesite

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