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Mountainite

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Big Photo

Yubileinaya (Yubileinoye; Jubilejnaja) pegmatite, Karnasurt Mt, Lovozero Massif, Kola Peninsula, Murmanskaja Oblast', Northern Region, Russia
© D. Harries

Show Mountainite Photos (3)



Formula:
KNa
 
2
Ca
 
2
[Si
 
8
O
 
19
(OH)] · 6H
 
2
O
System:MonoclinicColour:white
Hardness:3
Name:For Edgar Donald Mountain, Rhodes University, Grahamstown.


Closely related to cryptophyllite and shlykovite.

Classification of Mountainite

IMA status:Valid - first described prior to 1959 (pre-IMA) - "Grandfathered"
Strunz 8th edition ID:8/H.15-30
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:9.GG.10

9 : SILICATES (Germanates)
G : Tektosilicates with zeolitic H2O; zeolite family
G : Unclassified zeolites
Dana 8th edition ID:77.2.3.1

77 : TECTOSILICATES Zeolites
2 : Zeolite group - related species
Hey's CIM Ref.:14.6.6

14 : Silicates not Containing Aluminum
6 : Silicates of Ca with alkali or Mg or both
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Type Occurrence of Mountainite

Type Locality:Bultfontein, Free State Province, South Africa
General Appearance of Type Material:silky white fibers
Year of Discovery:1957
Geological Setting of type material:Kimberlite pipe
Associated Minerals at type locality:
Rhodesite

Physical Properties of Mountainite

Colour:white
Streak:white
Hardness (Mohs):3

Crystallography of Mountainite

Crystal System:Monoclinic
Class (H-M):2/m - Prismatic
Space Group:P2/b {P1 1 2/b} {P2/c} {P1 2/c 1}{P2/a}
Cell Parameters:a = 13.704(2) Å, b = 6.5760(10) Å, c = 13.751(2) Å
β = 105.752(10)°
Ratio:a:b:c = 2.084 : 1 : 2.091
Unit Cell Volume:V 1192.7 ų
Z:2

Optical Data of Mountainite

Type:Biaxial (+)
RI values: nα = 1.500 - 1.504 nβ = 1.505 - 1.510 nγ = 1.513 - 1.519
2V:Calculated: 78° to 80°
Maximum Birefringence:δ = 0.013 - 0.015

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

Chemical Properties of Mountainite

Formula:
KNa
 
2
Ca
 
2
[Si
 
8
O
 
19
(OH)] · 6H
 
2
O
Essential elements:Ca, H, K, Na, O, Si
All elements listed in formula:Ca, H, K, Na, O, Si
Common Impurities:Al,Mg,C

Relationship of Mountainite to other Species

Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):

- +
9.GG.05Cowlesite
CaAl
 
2
Si
 
3
O
 
10
 · 6H
 
2
O
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:

- +
14.6.1Combeite
Na
 
2
Ca
 
2
(Si
 
6
O
 
18
)
 
0.5
14.6.2Pectolite
NaCa
 
2
(HSi
 
3
O
 
9
)
14.6.3Pectolite-M2abc
NaCa
 
2
[HSi
 
3
O
 
9
]
14.6.4Denisovite
Ca
 
2
(K,Na)Si
 
3
O
 
8
(F,OH)
 
2
14.6.5Tokkoite
K
 
2
Ca
 
4
Si
 
7
O
 
17
(O,OH,F)
 
4
14.6.7Rhodesite
KHCa
 
2
Si
 
8
O
 
19
 · 5H
 
2
O
14.6.8Miserite
K(Ca,Ce)
 
4
Si
 
5
O
 
13
(OH)
 
3
14.6.9Åkermanite
Ca
 
2
Mg(Si
 
2
O
 
7
)
14.6.10Monticellite
CaMgSiO
 
4
14.6.11Merwinite
Ca
 
3
Mg(SiO
 
4
)
 
2
14.6.12Diopside
CaMgSi
 
2
O
 
6
14.6.13Tremolite
☐{Ca
 
2
}{Mg
 
5
}(Si
 
8
O
 
22
)(OH)
 
2

Other Names for Mountainite

Other Languages:
German:Mountainit
Spanish:Mountainita

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 Mountainite

Reference List:

- +
American Mineralogist (1958): 43: 624.

Doklady Akademii Nauk SSSR (1973): 210: 676.

Zubkova, N.V., I.V. Pekov, D.Yu. Pushcharovsky, N.V. Chukanov (2009): The crystal structure and refined formula of mountainite. Zeitschrift für Kristallographie 224, 389-396.

Internet Links for Mountainite

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

    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.
    Germany
     
    • Baden-Württemberg
      • Hegau
        • Immendingen
    		Tschernich, R. (1992), Zeolites of the World, p.42
    Romania
     
    • Hunedoara Co.
      • Hunedoara
    		The Canadian Mineralogist Vol. 39, pp. 1405-1434 (2001)
    Russia
     
    • Northern Region
      • Murmanskaja Oblast'
        • Kola Peninsula
          • Lovozero Massif
            • Karnasurt Mt
    		Pekov, I. (1998) Minerals First discovered on the territory of the former Soviet Union 369p. Ocean Pictures, Moscow
    South Africa
     
    • Free State Province
    		Min.Mag.(1957) 31, 611-623; Minerals of South Africa
    USA
     
    • California
      • Trinity Co.
        • Trinity Center
    		Barnes, I., J.B. Rapp & J.R. O’Neil (1972), Metamorphic assemblages and the direction of flow of metamorphic fluids in four instances of serpentinization: Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology: 35: 264; Pemberton, H. Earl (1983), Minerals of California; Van Nostrand Reinholt Press: 442; www.mineralsocal.org.
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