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Mellite

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Csordakúti Mine, Bicske-Csordakút, Bicske-Zsámbéki Basin, Fejér Co., Hungary
© Rob Lavinsky

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Formula:
Al
 
2
[C
 
6
(COO)
 
6
] · 16H
 
2
O
System:TetragonalColour:Honey to wax yellow, ...
Hardness:2 - 2½
Name:From the Greek μέλ˘ι for "melis" = honey, in allusion to the colour.


Aluminium mellitate (benzene hexacarboxylate) hydrate.

A rare secondary mineral in lignite deposits.

Classification of Mellite

IMA status:Valid - first described prior to 1959 (pre-IMA) - "Grandfathered"
Strunz 8th edition ID:9/A.02-10
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:10.AC.05

10 : ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
A : Salts of organic acids
C : Benzine Salts
Dana 7th edition ID:50.2.1.1
Dana 8th edition ID:50.2.1.1

50 : ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
2 : Mellitates, Citrates, Cyanates, Acetates and Formates
Hey's CIM Ref.:31.3.1

31 : Oxalates, Citrates, Mellitates and Acetates
3 : Mellitates
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Type Occurrence of Mellite

Type Locality:Artern, Unstrut Valley, Thuringia, Germany
Year of Discovery:1789

Physical Properties of Mellite

Lustre:Vitreous, Resinous, Greasy
Diaphaneity (Transparency):Transparent, Translucent
Colour:Honey to wax yellow, brown to reddish, gray, seldom white; colourless to pale yellow in transmitted light.
Streak:White
Hardness (Mohs):2 - 2½
Tenacity:Sectile
Cleavage:Poor/Indistinct
On {023}, indistinct
Fracture:Conchoidal
Density (measured):1.64 g/cm3
Density (calculated):1.65 g/cm3

Crystallography of Mellite

Crystal System:Tetragonal
Class (H-M):4/mmm (4/m 2/m 2/m) - Ditetragonal Dipyramidal
Space Group:I41/acd (I41/a 2/c 2/d)
Cell Parameters:a = 15.53Å, c = 23.19Å
Ratio:a:c = 1 : 1.493
Unit Cell Volume:V 5,592.99 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:8
Morphology:Crystals dipyramidal {023}, also prismatic,elongated [001], modified by {001},{010}, and {113}; also occurs as nodules and coatings; fine-grained massive.
Crystal Atlas:
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Mellite no.2 - Goldschmidt (1913-1926)

About Crystal Atlas

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Optical Data of Mellite

Type:Uniaxial (-)
RI values: nω = 1.539 nε = 1.511
Maximum Birefringence:δ = 0.028

Chart shows birefringence interference colour range (at 30µm thickness) and does not take into account mineral colouration.
Surface Relief:Low
Pleochroism:Weak
Comments:O = yellowish brown
E = Yellow
Comments:May be anomalously biaxial.
2V (measured)= Small.

Chemical Properties of Mellite

Formula:
Al
 
2
[C
 
6
(COO)
 
6
] · 16H
 
2
O
Essential elements:Al, C, H, O
All elements listed in formula:Al, C, H, O

Relationship of Mellite to other Species

Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):

- +
10.AC.10Earlandite
Ca
 
3
[CH
 
2
(COO)-CHOH(COO)-CH
 
2
(COO)]
 
2
 · 4H
 
2
O
10.AC.15Pigotite
Al
 
4
C
 
6
H
 
5
O
 
10
·13H
 
2
O (?)

Other Names for Mellite

Synonyms:
Honey-stoneMelliliteXylocryptite
Other Languages:
French:Pierre de miel
Succin transparent en cristaux octaèdres
German:Mellit
Honigstein
Honigsteinsäure
Latin:Melilithus
Russian:Меллит
Spanish:Mellita

Other Information

Fluorescence in UV light:Paleyellow to blue (LW & SW UV).
Electrical:Pyroelectric
Other Information:Insoluble in water and alcohol but soluble in HNO3.
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 Mellite

Reference List:Werner, A.G. & C.A.S. Hoffmann (1789): Mineralsystem des Herrn Inspektor Werners mit dessen Erlaubnis herausgegeben von C.A.S. Hoffmann.- Bergmännisches Journal 2, Vol. 1, p. 369-398 (as Honigstein).

Karsten, D.L.G. (1789): Des Herrn Nathanael Gottfried Leske hinterlassenes Mineralienkabinett, systematisch geordnet und beschrieben, auch mit vielen wissenschaftlichen Anmerkungen und mehreren äussern Beschreibungen der Fossilien begleitet.- Leipzig, Vol. 1, p. 334-335 (as Honigstein).

Born, I. von (1790) Catalogue méthodique et raisonné de la collection des fossils de Mlle. Eleonore de Raab. 4 volumes, 8vo, Vienna: 2: 90 (as Succin transparent en cristaux octaèdres; as Pierre de miel).

Kirwan, R. (1796) Elements of Mineralogy. second edition: 2: 68 (as Mellilite).

Klaproth, M.H. (1802): Untersuchung des Honigsteins, Beiträge zur chemischen Kenntniss der Mineralkörper, Dritter Band, Rottmann Berlin, 114-134

Becquerel (1819) Le Journal de physique et le radium, Paris: 89: 237 (as Xylocryptite).

Haüy, R.J. (1822) Traité de minéralogie. second edition, 4 volumes, with fol. Atlas: 4: 445.

Dauber (1855) Annalen der Physik, Halle, Leipzig: 94: 410.

Schrauf (1860) Konigliche Akademie der Wissenschaften, Vienna, Sitzber.: 41.

Des Cloizeaux, A. (1867) Nouvelles recherches sur les propriétés optique des cristaux, naturels ou artificiels, et sur les variations que ces propriétés éprouvent sous l’influence de la chaleur. 222pp., Paris. (Institut imperial de France, Mémoires 18): 15.

Hankel (1883) Annalen der Physik, Halle, Leipzig: 18: 422.

Goldschmidt, V. (1920) Atlas der Krystallformen. 9 volumes, atlas, and text: vol. 6: 28.

Doelter, C. (1930) Handbuch der Mineral-chemie (in 4 volumes divided into parts): 4 [3]: 798.

Barth and Ksanda (1933) American Mineralogist: 18: 8.

Hintze, Carl (1933) Handbuch der Mineralogie. Berlin and Leipzig. 6 volumes: 1 [4B]: 1346.

Palache, Charles, Harry Berman & Clifford Frondel (1951), The System of Mineralogy of James Dwight Dana and Edward Salisbury Dana Yale University 1837-1892, Volume II. John Wiley and Sons, Inc., New York, 7th edition, revised and enlarged, 1124 pp.: 1104-1105.

Jobbins, E.A., G.A. Sergeant, and B.R.
Young (1965) X-ray and other data for mellite. Mineralogical Magazine: 35: 271, 542-544.

Giacovazzo, C., S. Menchetti, and F. Scordari (1973) The crystal structure of mellite. Acta Crystallographica (1973): B29: 26-31.

Articles/Blogs about Mellite

Internet Links for Mellite

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

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    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.
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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.
    Austria
     
    • Carinthia
      • Gailtaler Alpen & Karnische Alpen Mts
        • Kötschach-Mauthen
          • Laas
    		G. Niedermayr, I. Praetzel: Mineralien Kärntens, 1995
    Czech Republic
     
    • Bohemia (Böhmen; Boehmen)
      • Central Bohemia Region
        • Skřivaň
    		Duda, Rejl, Slivka: "Mineralien", 1991
      • Ústí Region
        • Bílina (Bilin)
    		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: 1105.
    • Moravia (Mähren; Maehren)
      • South Moravia Region
        • Boskovice (Boskowitz)
    		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: 1105.
    France
     
    • Ile-de-France
    		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: 1105.
    Germany
     
    • Saxony-Anhalt
      • Bitterfeld
    		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: 1105.
    • Thuringia
      • Unstrut Valley
    		D.L.G. Karsten (1789): Des Herrn Nathanael Gottfried Leske hinterlassenes Mineralienkabinett, ......- Leipzig, Vol. 1, p. 334-335; 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: 1105.
    Hungary
     
    • Fejér Co.
      • Bicske-Zsámbéki Basin
        • Bicske-Csordakút
    		[www.johnbetts-fineminerals.com]
    • Komárom-Esztergom Co.
      • Gerecse Mts.
    		no reference
    Szakáll-Gatter-Szendrei: Mineral Species of Hungary,2005
    Russia
     
    • Central Region
      • Tul’skaya Oblast’
        • Bogorodetsk District
    		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: 1105.
    • North-Western Region
      • Tul'skaya Oblast'
    Mineral and/or Locality
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