Mindat Logo
Home Page Log In Message Board The Mindat Directory
Register Search Pages Chat Now! (7 online) Mindat Auctions

Antarcticite

Big Photo

Bristol Dry Lake, San Bernardino Co., California, USA
© Marek Patus

Formula:
CaCl
 
2
 · 6H
 
2
O
System:TrigonalColour:Colourless
Hardness:2 - 3
Name:For its occurrence on the continent of Antarctica.


A highly hygroscopic mineral.

Classification of Antarcticite

IMA status:Approved
Strunz 8th edition ID:3/A.12-80
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:3.BB.30

3 : HALIDES
B : Simple halides, with H2O
B : M:X = 1:2
Dana 8th edition ID:9.2.6.1

9 : NORMAL HALIDES
2 : AX2
Hey's CIM Ref.:8.4.9

8 : Halides - Fluorides, Chlorides, Bromides and Iodides; also Fluoborates and Fluosilicates
4 : Halides of the alkaline earths and Mg
mindat.org URL:http://www.mindat.org/min-251.html
Please feel free to link to this page.

Type Occurrence of Antarcticite

Type Locality:Don Juan Pond, Victoria Land, Eastern Antarctica, Antarctica
General Appearance of Type Material:Aggregates of acicular crystals with poor terminations, to 15 cm
Year of Discovery:1965
Geological Setting of type material:Precipitate from highly saline brines under very arid conditions

Occurrences of Antarcticite

Geological Setting:Stratified fresh to brackish to salt water columns in onshore "blue holes" (Bahamas);
Component of inclusions in quartz in a zoned mafic pegmatoid (Bushveld Complex)

Physical Properties of Antarcticite

Lustre:Vitreous
Diaphaneity (Transparency):Transparent
Colour:Colourless
Streak:White
Hardness (Mohs):2 - 3
Tenacity:Brittle
Cleavage:Perfect
on {0001}, good to perfect on one prism face
Density (measured):1.715 g/cm3
Density (calculated):1.7 g/cm3

Crystallography of Antarcticite

Crystal System:Trigonal
Class (H-M):3 2 - Trapezohedral
Space Group:P3 2 1
Cell Parameters:a = 7.9Å, c = 3.95Å
Ratio:a:c = 1 : 0.5
Unit Cell Volume:V 213.49 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:1
X-Ray Powder Diffraction:
d-spacingIntensity
3.44 (24)
2.80 (23)
2.16 (23)
2.60 (22)
3.98 (18)
2.28 (13)
Comments:Recorded on material from the type locality

Optical Data of Antarcticite

Type:Uniaxial (-)
RI values: nω = 1.550 nε = 1.490 - 1.500
Maximum Birefringence:δ = 0.060

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

Chemical Properties of Antarcticite

Formula:
CaCl
 
2
 · 6H
 
2
O
Essential elements:Ca, Cl, H, O
All elements listed in formula:Ca, Cl, H, O
Analyical Data:Analysis of material from the type locality
Na (0.34)
K (0.008)
Mg (0.41)
Ca (17.5)
Cl (32.7)
H2O (49.2)

sum 100.1 wt.-%
Empirical Formula:
Ca
 
1.00
Mg
 
0.04
Na
 
0.03
Cl
 
2.11
 · 6.25H
 
2
O

Relationship of Antarcticite to other Species

Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):
3.BB.05Eriochalcite
CuCl
 
2
·2H
 
2
O
3.BB.10Rokühnite
FeCl
 
2
·2H
 
2
O
3.BB.15Bischofite
MgCl
 
2
 · 6H
 
2
O
3.BB.20Nickelbischofite
NiCl
 
2
·6H
 
2
O
3.BB.25Sinjarite
CaCl
 
2
·2H
 
2
O
3.BB.35Tachyhydrite
CaMg
 
2
Cl
 
6
·12H
 
2
O
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:
8.4.1Sellaite
MgF
 
2
8.4.2Neighborite
NaMgF
 
3
8.4.3Bischofite
MgCl
 
2
 · 6H
 
2
O
8.4.4Korshunovskite
Mg
 
2
[(OH)
 
3
|Cl] · 4H
 
2
O
8.4.5Carnallite
KMgCl
 
3
·6H
 
2
O
8.4.6Tachyhydrite
CaMg
 
2
Cl
 
6
·12H
 
2
O
8.4.7Fluorite
CaF
 
2
8.4.8Sinjarite
CaCl
 
2
·2H
 
2
O
8.4.10Chlorocalcite
KCaCl
 
3
8.4.11Rorisite
CaFCl
8.4.12Jarlite
Na(Sr,Ca)
 
3
Al
 
3
F
 
16
8.4.13Calcjarlite
Na(Ca,Sr)
 
3
Al
 
3
(OH)
 
2
F
 
14
8.4.14Tikhonenkovite
Sr[AlF
 
4
(OH)(H
 
2
O)]
8.4.15Acuminite
Sr[AlF
 
4
(OH)(H
 
2
O)]
8.4.16Frankdicksonite
BaF
 
2
8.4.17Usovite
Ba
 
2
CaMgAl
 
2
F
 
14
8.4.18Bøgvadite
Na
 
2
SrBa
 
2
[Al
 
4
F
 
20
]

Other Names for Antarcticite

Synonyms:
AntarkticiteIMA1965-015
German names:
AntarcticitAntarkticit
Russian names:
Антарктицит
Spanish names:
AntarcticitaAntarkticita

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 Antarcticite

Reference List:Torii, T. and Ossaka, J. (1965): Antarcticite: a new mineral, calcium chloride hexahydrate, dicovered in Antarctica. Science 149, 975-977. - American Mineralogist (1965), 50, 2095 (abstract).

Dunning, G. E. and Cooper, J. F., Jr. (1969): A second occurrence of antarcticite, from Bristol Dry Lake, California. American Mineralogist 54, 1018-1025.

Agron, P. A. and Busing, W. R. (1986): Calcium and strontium dichloride hexahydrates by neutron diffraction. Acta Crystallographica C42, 141-143.

Schiffries, C. M. (1990): Liquid-absent aqueous fluid inclusions and phase equilibria in the system CaCl2 - NaCl - H2O. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 54, 611-619.

Eckstein, Y., Manecki, M., Matyjasik, M. and Rosenthal, E. (1994): Hydrochemical stratification and processes in three "blue holes" on North Andros Island, Bahamas. Geol. Soc. Amer. Prog. and Abs. 26, 360 (abstract).

Anthony, J. W., et al. (1997): Handbook of Mineralogy, Vol. 3, 16.

Internet Links for Antarcticite

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

    • Page Sponsor

    Sponsorship:This page is currently not sponsored. Click here to find out how you can sponsor this page.

    Localities for Antarcticite

    Hide Locality List
    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.
    These maps work faster with Firefox!
    (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.
    Antarctica
     
    • Eastern Antarctica
      • Victoria Land
    		J. W. Anthony et al.: Handbook of Mineralogy, Vol. 3 (1997)
    J. W. Anthony et al.: Handbook of Mineralogy, Vol. 3 (1997)
    Australia
     
    • Queensland
      • Mt Isa - Cloncurry area
        • Mt Isa
    		T.Kwak & P.Abeysinghe: "Rare earth and uranium minera;s present as daughter crystals in fluid inclusions, Mary Kathleen U-REE skarn, Queensland, Australia: Min. Mag. 51,665-670(1987)
    Bahamas
     
    • North Andros District
    		J. W. Anthony et al.: Handbook of Mineralogy, Vol. 3 (1997)
    Canada
     
    • Québec
      • Abitibi Co.
        • Malartic Township
          • Malartic District
            • Cadillac
    		Mineralium Deposita 33:579-590 (1998)
    South Africa
     
    • Limpopo Province
      • Bushveld Complex
        • Burgersfort
          • Sekhukhuneland
    		J. W. Anthony et al.: Handbook of Mineralogy, Vol. 3 (1997)
    USA
     
    • California
      • San Bernardino Co.
    		Am.Min.54:1018
    Mineral and/or Locality
    Google
     
    www.mindat.org Web
    Copyright © Jolyon & Ida Ralph 1993-2008. 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.