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Meyerhofferite

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Mount Blanco Mine (Mount Blanco deposit; Mount Blanco adit), Mount Blanco, Black Mts, Furnace Creek District (Furnace Creek Borate District), Death Valley National Park, Inyo Co., California, USA
© John Sobolewski

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Formula:
Ca
 
2
(H
 
3
B
 
3
O
 
7
)
 
2
 · 4H
 
2
O
System:TriclinicColour:Colourless, white
Hardness:2
Member of:Inderite Group
Name:For German chemist, Wilhelm Meyerhoffer (1864-1906), collaborator with J.H. van't Hoff on the composition and origin of saline minerals, and who synthesized the compound.


Inderite Group.
Occurs principally as an alteration product of Inyoite.

Classification of Meyerhofferite

IMA status:Valid - first described prior to 1959 (pre-IMA) - "Grandfathered"
Strunz 8th edition ID:5/H.06-40
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:6.CA.30

6 : BORATES
C : Triborates
A : Neso-triborates
Dana 8th edition ID:26.3.2.1

26 : HYDRATED BORATES CONTAINING HYDROXYL OR HALOGEN
3 : Triborates
Hey's CIM Ref.:9.3.17

9 : Borates
3 : Borates of Ca and Sr
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Type Occurrence of Meyerhofferite

Type Locality:Mount Blanco Mine (Mount Blanco deposit; Mount Blanco adit), Mount Blanco, Black Mts, Furnace Creek District (Furnace Creek Borate District), Death Valley National Park, Inyo Co., California, USA
Year of Discovery:1914

Physical Properties of Meyerhofferite

Lustre:Vitreous, Silky
Diaphaneity (Transparency):Transparent, Translucent
Colour:Colourless, white
Hardness (Mohs):2
Cleavage:Perfect
On {010} perfect; {100} and {110} in traces.
Density (measured):2.12 g/cm3
Density (calculated):2.116 g/cm3

Crystallography of Meyerhofferite

Crystal System:Triclinic
Class (H-M):1 - Pinacoidal
Space Group:P1
Cell Parameters:a = 6.6Å, b = 8.33Å, c = 6.48Å
α = 91°, β = 101.31°, γ = 86.55°
Ratio:a:b:c = 0.792 : 1 : 0.778
Unit Cell Volume:V 348.70 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Morphology:Crystals elongated [001] and usually flattened (100). Fibrous. As pseudomorphs after Inyoite.
Crystal Atlas:
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Meyerhofferite no.1 - Goldschmidt (1913-1926)

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Optical Data of Meyerhofferite

Type:Biaxial (-)
RI values: nα = 1.500 nβ = 1.535 nγ = 1.560
2V:Measured: 78° , Calculated: 78°
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
Dispersion:relatively weak

Chemical Properties of Meyerhofferite

Formula:
Ca
 
2
(H
 
3
B
 
3
O
 
7
)
 
2
 · 4H
 
2
O
Essential elements:B, Ca, H, O
All elements listed in formula:B, Ca, H, O

Relationship of Meyerhofferite to other Species

Member of:Inderite Group
Other Members of Group:

- +
Inderborite
CaMg(H
 
3
B
 
3
O
 
7
)
 
2
 · 8H
 
2
O
Inderite
Mg(H
 
4
B
 
3
O
 
7
)(OH) · 5H
 
2
O
Inyoite
Ca(H
 
4
B
 
3
O
 
7
)(OH) · 4H
 
2
O
Kurnakovite
Mg(H
 
4
B
 
3
O
 
7
)(OH) · 5H
 
2
O
Solongoite
Ca
 
2
(H
 
3
B
 
3
O
 
7
)(OH)Cl
Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):

- +
6.CA.10Ameghinite
Na(H
 
4
B
 
3
O
 
7
)
6.CA.15Inderite
Mg(H
 
4
B
 
3
O
 
7
)(OH) · 5H
 
2
O
6.CA.20Kurnakovite
Mg(H
 
4
B
 
3
O
 
7
)(OH) · 5H
 
2
O
6.CA.25Inderborite
CaMg(H
 
3
B
 
3
O
 
7
)
 
2
 · 8H
 
2
O
6.CA.35Inyoite
Ca(H
 
4
B
 
3
O
 
7
)(OH) · 4H
 
2
O
6.CA.40Solongoite
Ca
 
2
(H
 
3
B
 
3
O
 
7
)(OH)Cl
6.CA.45Peprossiite-(Ce)
(Ce,La)(Al
 
3
O)
 
2/3
B
 
4
O
 
10
6.CA.50Nifontovite
Ca(B
 
2
O
 
4
) · 2.3H
 
2
O
6.CA.55Olshanskyite
Ca
 
3
[B(OH)
 
4
]
 
4
(OH)
 
2
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:

- +
9.3.1Calciborite
Ca(B
 
2
O
 
4
)
9.3.2Sibirskite
Ca
 
2
(HB
 
2
O
 
5
)(OH)
9.3.3Fabianite
CaB
 
3
O
 
5
OH
9.3.4Uralborite
Ca
 
2
[B
 
3
O
 
3
(OH)
 
5
 · OB(OH)
 
3
]
9.3.5Vimsite
CaB
 
2
O
 
2
(OH)
 
4
9.3.6Olshanskyite
Ca
 
3
[B(OH)
 
4
]
 
4
(OH)
 
2
9.3.7Frolovite
Ca[B(OH)
 
4
]
 
2
9.3.8Korzhinskite
Ca(B
 
2
O
 
4
) · H
 
2
O
9.3.9Tyretskite
Ca
 
2
B
 
5
O
 
9
OH · H
 
2
O
9.3.10Nifontovite
Ca(B
 
2
O
 
4
) · 2.3H
 
2
O
9.3.12Inyoite
Ca(H
 
4
B
 
3
O
 
7
)(OH) · 4H
 
2
O
9.3.13Gowerite
Ca[B
 
5
O
 
8
(OH)][B(OH)
 
3
] · 3H
 
2
O
9.3.14Colemanite
Ca[B
 
3
O
 
4
(OH)
 
3
] · H
 
2
O
9.3.15Pentahydroborite
CaB
 
2
O(OH)
 
6
 · 2H
 
2
O
9.3.16Hexahydroborite
Ca[B(OH)
 
4
]
 
2
 · 6H
 
2
O
9.3.18Priceite
Ca
 
2
B
 
5
O
 
7
(OH)
 
5
 · H
 
2
O
9.3.19Ginorite
Ca
 
2
B
 
14
O
 
23
 · 8H
 
2
O
9.3.20Probertite
NaCaB
 
5
O
 
7
(OH)
 
4
 · 3H
 
2
O
9.3.21Ulexite
NaCa[B
 
5
O
 
6
(OH)
 
6
] · 5H
 
2
O
9.3.22Hydroboracite
CaMg[B
 
3
O
 
4
(OH)
 
3
]
 
2
 · 3H
 
2
O
9.3.23Inderborite
CaMg(H
 
3
B
 
3
O
 
7
)
 
2
 · 8H
 
2
O
9.3.24Wardsmithite
Ca
 
5
Mg[B
 
4
O
 
7
]
 
6
 · 30H
 
2
O
9.3.25Henmilite
Ca
 
2
Cu[B(OH)
 
4
]
 
2
(OH)
 
4
9.3.26Strontioborite
SrB
 
8
O
 
11
(OH)
 
4
9.3.27Veatchite
Sr
 
2
B
 
11
O
 
16
(OH)
 
5
 · H
 
2
O
9.3.28Veatchite-A
Sr
 
2
B
 
11
O
 
16
(OH)
 
5
 · H
 
2
O
9.3.29 P-Veatchite
9.3.30 Balavinskite
Sr
 
2
B
 
6
O
 
11
 · 4H
 
2
O
9.3.31Tunellite
SrB
 
6
O
 
9
(OH)
 
2
 · 3H
 
2
O
9.3.32Strontioginorite
(Sr,Ca)
 
2
B
 
14
O
 
23
 · 8H
 
2
O

Other Names for Meyerhofferite

Other Languages:
German:Meyerhofferit
Russian:Мейергофферит
Spanish:Meyerhofferita

Other Information

Other Information:Readily soluble in acids.
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 Meyerhofferite

Reference List:

- +
Schaller, W.T. (1914) Journal of the Washington Academy of Science: 4: 355.

Schaller, W.T. (1916), Inyoite and meyerhofferite, two new calcium borates, USGS Bull. 610: 35-55.

Palache, Charles (1938), Crystallography of meyerhofferite: American Mineralogist: 23: 644-648.

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. John Wiley and Sons, Inc., New York, 7th edition, revised and enlarged: 356-358.

Christ, C.L. & J.R. Clark (1956), The structure of meyerhofferite 2CaO • 3B2O•7H2O, aP1 crystal, determined by the direct method of Hauptman and Karle: Acta Crystallographica: 9: 830.

Zeitschrift für Kristallographie (1960): 114: 321, 343-354.

Grew, E.S., and Anovitz, L.M. (1996) BORON: Mineralogy, Petrology and Geochemistry, second edition, as revised (2002).

Internet Links for Meyerhofferite

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  • Raman and XRD data at RRUFF project
  • American Mineralogist Crystal Structure Database
  • Meyerhofferite details from Handbook of Mineralogy (PDF)
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    • Localities for Meyerhofferite

    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.
    Hide Locality List
    (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.
    Argentina
     
    • Salta
      • Sijes
    Jewel Tunnel Import specimens.
    Colorado School of Mines Geology Museum specimen
    Mexico
     
    • Sonora
      • Mun. de Magdalena
        • Aguja
    		Garrett, D.E. (1998): Borates - Handbook of Deposits, Processing, Properties and Use. Academic Press (San Diego, London), 475 pp.
    Turkey
     
    • Aegean Region
      • Aydin Province
      • Kütahya Province
        • Emet
          • Emet Borate deposit
    		J.W. Anthony, R.A. Bideaux, K.W. Bladh, M.C. Nichols: Handbook of Mineralogy, Vol. V (2003)
    CAHIT HELVACI & RICARDO N. ALONSO (2000) Borate Deposits of Turkey and Argentina; A Summary and Geological Comparison. Turkish Journal of Earth Sciences, Vol. 9, 2000, pp. 1-27; American Mineralogist; April 1979; v. 64; no. 3-4; p. 362-366
    • Central Anatolia Region
      • Eskişehir Province
    		CAHIT HELVACI & RICARDO N. ALONSO (2000) Borate Deposits of Turkey and Argentina; A Summary and Geological Comparison. Turkish Journal of Earth Sciences, Vol. 9, 2000, pp. 1-27
      • Yozgat Province
    		http://www.mineralienatlas.de/lexikon/index.php/T%FCrkei/Eskisehir/Kirka/Sarikaya; Baysal, O. (1972) : A mineralogical study and genesis of Sarıkaya (Kırka) borate deposits. Hacettepe University, Ankara.
    • Marmara Region
      • Balikesir Province
        • Bigadiç
    		CAHIT HELVACI & RICARDO N. ALONSO (2000) Borate Deposits of Turkey and Argentina; A Summary and Geological Comparison. Turkish Journal of Earth Sciences, Vol. 9, 2000, pp. 1-27
          • Çamköy
    		Meixner, H. (1953): Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology 3(6), 445-455.
          • Iskeleköy (Iskele)
    		Meixner, H. (1953): Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology 3(6), 445-455.
      • Bursa Province
        • Mustafa Kemalpafla
    USA
     
    • California
      • Inyo Co.
        • Death Valley National Park
          • Furnace Creek District (Furnace Creek Borate District)
            • Black Mts
              • Corkscrew Canyon
    		Schaller, Waldemar Theodore (1916b), Inyoite and meyerhofferite, two new calcium borates: USGS Bulletin 610: 35; Murdoch, Joseph & Robert W. Webb (1966), Minerals of California, Centennial Volume (1866-1966): California Division Mines & Geology Bulletin 189: 228.
              • Gower Gulch
    		www.mineralsocal.org
              • Mount Blanco
    		Journal of the Washington Academy of Science (1914): 4: 354-356; Palache, C., Berman, H., & Frondel, C. (1951), The System of Mineralogy of James Dwight Dana and Edward Salisbury Dana, Yale University 1837-1892, 7th. ed., Volume II: 357, 359; Schaller, Waldemar Theodore (1916b), Inyoite and meyerhofferite, two new calcium borates: USGS Bulletin 610: 35; Foshag, William Frederick (1921), The origin of the colemanite deposits of California: Economic Geology: 16: 200; Foshag, William Frederick (1924a), Famous mineral localities: Furnace Creek, Death Valley, California: American Mineralogist: 9: 10; Murdoch, Joseph & Robert W. Webb (1966), Minerals of California, Centennial Volume (1866-1966): California Division Mines & Geology Bulletin 189: 264.
              • Ryan
    		Am Min (1959) 44:911-919
    Erd, R.C., J.F. McAllister, and A.C. Vlisidis (1970) Wardsmithite 5CaO • MgO •12B2O3 •30H2O, a new borate mineral from the Death Valley region, California. American Mineralogist: 55: 349-357.
            • Twenty Mule Team Canyon
    		Erd, R.C., J.F. McAllister & H. Almond (1959), Gowerite, a new hydrous calcium borate from Death Valley, California: American Mineralogist: 44: 911-919.
      • Kern Co.
        • Kramer District
    		www.mineralsocal.org
    Cal Div of Mines & Geology "Mineral Information Service" V. 22 N. 10 Oct 1969
              • U.S. Borax Mine (Pacific West Coast Borax; Pacific Coast Borax Co.; Boron Mine; U.S. Borax and Chemical Corp.; Kramer Mine; Baker Mine)
    		Pemberton, H. Earl, Wm. Moller, Jack Schwartz & George Masimer (1960), The minerals of Boron, California, 40 pp. (Published by the Mineral Research Soc. of California, Montebello, CA): 27; Murdoch, Joseph & Robert W. Webb (1966), Minerals of California, Centennial Volume (1866-1966): California Division Mines & Geology Bulletin 189: 265; Pemberton, H. Earl (1983), Minerals of California; Van Nostrand Reinholt Press: 246.
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