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Merlinoite

Big Photo

Vitiello Quarry (Cava Vitiello), Terzigno, Mt. Vesuvius, Somma-Vesuvius Complex, Naples Province, Campania, Italy
© Chinellato Matteo

Show Merlinoite Photos (10)
Formula:
(K,Na)
 
5
(Ca,Ba)
 
2
Al
 
9
Si
 
23
O
 
64
·23H
 
2
O
System:OrthorhombicHardness:4½
This page provides mineralogical data about Merlinoite.

Classification of Merlinoite

IMA status:Approved
Strunz 8th edition ID:8/J.25-80
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:9.GC.15

9 : SILICATES (Germanates)
G : Tektosilicates with zeolitic H2O; zeolite family
C : Chains of doubly-connected 4-membered rings
Dana 8th edition ID:77.1.3.11

77 : TECTOSILICATES Zeolites
1 : Zeolite group - True zeolites
Hey's CIM Ref.:16.12.14

16 : Silicates Containing Aluminum and other Metals
12 : Aluminosilicates of Sr, Ba and Zn
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Type Occurrence of Merlinoite

Co-type Localities:Cupaello Quarry, Cupaello Basso Locality, Rieti, Rieti Province, Latium, Italy
Biachella Valley, Sacrofano Caldera, Sacrofano, Campagnano di Roma, Rome Province, Latium, Italy
Year of Discovery:1977

Physical Properties of Merlinoite

Hardness (Mohs):4½

Crystallography of Merlinoite

Crystal System:Orthorhombic
Cell Parameters:a = 14.11Å, b = 14.22Å, c = 9.94Å
Ratio:a:b:c = 0.992 : 1 : 0.699
Unit Cell Volume:V 1,994.40 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)

Optical Data of Merlinoite

Type:Biaxial (-)
RI values: nα = 1.499 nβ = 1.500 nγ = 1.501
2V:Measured: 56° , Calculated: 88°
Maximum Birefringence:δ = 0.002

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

Chemical Properties of Merlinoite

Formula:
(K,Na)
 
5
(Ca,Ba)
 
2
Al
 
9
Si
 
23
O
 
64
·23H
 
2
O
Essential elements:Al, Ca, H, K, O, Si
All elements listed in formula:Al, Ba, Ca, H, K, Na, O, Si
Common Impurities:Fe

Relationship of Merlinoite to other Species

Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):

- +
9.GC.05Amicite
K
 
2
Na
 
2
Al
 
4
Si
 
4
O
 
16
·5H
 
2
O
9.GC.05Garronite
Na
 
2
Ca
 
5
Al
 
12
Si
 
20
O
 
64
·27H
 
2
O
9.GC.05Gismondine-Ca
CaAl
 
2
Si
 
2
O
 
8
·4H
 
2
O
9.GC.05Gobbinsite
Na
 
4
(Ca,Mg,K
 
2
)Al
 
6
Si
 
10
O
 
32
·12H
 
2
O
9.GC.05Gismondine
Ca[Al
 
2
Si
 
2
O
 
8
]·4.5H
 
2
O
9.GC.10Harmotome
(Ba
 
0.5
,Ca
 
0.5
,K,Na)
 
5
[Al
 
5
Si
 
11
O
 
32
] ·12H
 
2
O
9.GC.10Phillipsite-Ca
(Ca
 
0.5
,K,Na,Ba
 
0.5
)
 
4-7
[Al
 
4-7
Si
 
12-9
O
 
32
.
 
 12H2O
9.GC.10Phillipsite-K
(K,Na,Ca
 
0.5
,Ba
 
0.5
)
 
4-7
[Al
 
4-7
Si
 
12-9
O
 
32
]
.
 
 12H
 
2
O
9.GC.10Phillipsite-Na
(Na,K,Ca
 
0.5
,Ba
 
0.5
)
 
4-7
[Al
 
4-7
Si
 
12-9
O
 
32
] · 12H
 
2
O
9.GC.20Mazzite-Mg
K
 
2
Mg
 
2
Ca
 
1.5
Al
 
9.5
Si
 
26.5
O
 
72
·28H
 
2
O or near
9.GC.20Mazzite-Na
Na
 
4
[Al
 
4
Si
 
14
O
 
36
]
 
2
 · 30H
 
2
O
9.GC.25Perlialite
K
 
9
Na(Ca,Sr)[Al
 
2
Si
 
4
O
 
12
]
 
6
 · 15H
 
2
O
9.GC.30Boggsite
Ca
 
8
Na
 
3
(Si,Al)
 
96
O
 
192
·70H
 
2
O
9.GC.35Paulingite-Ca
(Ca,K
 
2
,Na
 
2
,Ba)
 
5
[Al
 
10
Si
 
35
O
 
90
] · 45H
 
2
O
9.GC.35Paulingite-K
(K
 
2
,Ca,Na
 
2
,Ba)
 
5
[Al
 
10
Si
 
35
O
 
90
] · 45H
 
2
O
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:

- +
16.12.1Stronalsite
SrNa
 
2
[Al
 
2
Si
 
2
O
 
8
]
 
2
16.12.2Slawsonite
(Sr,Ca)[Al
 
2
Si
 
2
O
 
8
]
16.12.3Brewsterite
16.12.4Celsian
Ba[Al
 
2
Si
 
2
O
 
8
]
16.12.5Paracelsian
Ba[Al
 
2
Si
 
2
O
 
8
]
16.12.6Cymrite
BaAl
 
2
Si
 
2
(O,OH)
 
8
·H
 
2
O
16.12.7Edingtonite
Ba[Al
 
2
Si
 
3
O
 
10
] · 4H
 
2
O
16.12.8Banalsite
BaNa
 
2
[Al
 
2
Si
 
2
O
 
8
]
 
2
16.12.9Harmotome
(Ba
 
0.5
,Ca
 
0.5
,K,Na)
 
5
[Al
 
5
Si
 
11
O
 
32
] ·12H
 
2
O
16.12.10Hyalophane
(K,Ba)[Al(Si,Al)Si
 
2
O
 
8
]
16.12.11Balipholite
BaLiMg
 
2
Al
 
3
[(OH)
 
4
|Si
 
2
O
 
6
]
 
2
16.12.12Armenite
BaCa
 
2
Al
 
6
Si
 
9
O
 
30
·2H
 
2
O
16.12.13Wellsite
(Ba,Ca,K
 
2
)Al
 
2
Si
 
6
O
 
16
·6H
 
2
O
16.12.15Anandite
(Ba,K)(Fe
2+
 
,Mg)
 
3
[(O,OH)
 
2
|(Si,Al,Fe)
 
4
O
 
10
]
16.12.16Fraipontite
(Zn,Al)
 
3
[(OH)
 
4
|(Si,Al)
 
2
O
 
5
]
16.12.17Sauconite
Na
 
0.3
Zn
 
3
(Si,Al)
 
4
O
 
10
(OH)
 
2
·4H
 
2
O
16.12.18Minehillite
(K,Na)
 
2-3
Ca
 
28
Zn
 
4
Al
 
4
Si
 
40
O
 
112
(OH)
 
16
16.12.19Hendricksite
K(Zn,Mg,Mn
2+
 
)
 
3
[(OH)
 
2
|AlSi
 
3
O
 
10
]
16.12.20Baileychlore
(Zn,Fe,Al,Mg)
 
6
(Si,Al)
 
4
O
 
10
(OH)
 
8

Other Names for Merlinoite

Other Languages:
German:Merlinoit
Russian:Мерлиноит
Spanish:Merlinoita

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 Merlinoite

Reference List:Mineralogical Magazine (1998): 62: 551.

Neues Jahrbuch für Mineralogie, Monatshefte (2000): 563-569.

Articles/Blogs about Merlinoite

Internet Links for Merlinoite

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    Localities for Merlinoite

    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.
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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.
    France
     
    • Auvergne
      • Haute-Loire
        • Saint-Julien-Chapteuil
          • Saint-Pierre-Eynac
    		Galli E, Gualtieri AF (2008) Direnzoite, [NaK6MgCa2(Al13Si47O120)·36H2O], a new zeolite from Massif Central (France): Description and crystal structure. American Mineralogist 93: 95–102
    Germany
     
    • Baden-Württemberg
      • Hegau
        • Immendingen
    		Tschernich, R. (1992), Zeolites of the World, p.42
    • Bavaria
      • Franconia
        • Maroldsweisach
    		Wittern: "Mineralfundorte in Deutschland", 2001
    • Hesse
      • Vogelsberg
        • Ortenberg
    Italy
     
    • Campania
      • Naples Province
        • Somma-Vesuvius Complex
          • Monte Somma
            • Ercolano
              • San Vito
    		Elmar Lackner collection
            • Sant'Anastasia
    		Russo, M., Punzo, I. (2004): I minerali del Somma-Vesuvio, AMI
    Badham, M. (1997): Merohedral twinning in the zeolite Phillipsite and the formation of Merlonite domains, Thesis, Department of Geological Sciences, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
    • Latium
      • Rieti Province
        • Rieti
          • Cupaello Basso Locality
    		Neues Jahrb.Min.,Mh.(1977) 355-364
      • Rome Province
        • Campagnano di Roma
          • Sacrofano
            • Sacrofano Caldera
    Russia
     
    • Northern Region
      • Murmanskaja Oblast'
        • Kola Peninsula
          • Khibiny Massif
    		Pekov, I.V. & Podlesnyi, A.S. (2004): Kukisvumchorr Deposit: Mineralogy of Alkaline Pegmatites and Hydrotermalites. Mineralogical Almanac, vol. 7, 140 pages + xxiv photo's pages
    Spain
     
    • Canary Islands
      • Las Palmas Province
        • Lanzarote
    		Strasser, A., Kirchner, E., (2006): Minerale aus einem Alkali-Basalt-Differentiat vom Risco Famara, Lanzarote, Kanarische Inseln, Der Aufschluss, Vol. 57, 335-338
    USA
     
    • California
      • San Bernardino Co.
    		Tschernich, 1992. Zeolites of the World, p.315
    Mineral and/or Locality
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