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Nambulite

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Kombat Mine, Kombat, Grootfontein District, Otjozondjupa Region, Namibia
© Rob Lavinsky

Show Nambulite Photos (22)



Formula:
(Li,Na)Mn
 
4
Si
 
5
O
 
14
(OH)
System:TriclinicColour:Reddish-brown to orange
Lustre:Sub-VitreousHardness:6½
Isostructural with:Marsturite


Nambulite-Natronambulite Series.

The Li analogue of Natronambulite.

Classification of Nambulite

IMA status:Approved
Strunz 8th edition ID:8/F.27-50
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:9.DK.05

9 : SILICATES (Germanates)
D : Inosilicates
K : Inosilicates with 5-periodic single chains
Dana 8th edition ID:65.4.1.4

65 : INOSILICATES Single-Width,Unbranched Chains,(W=1)
4 : Single-Width Unbranched Chains, W=1 with chains P=5
Hey's CIM Ref.:14.18.1

14 : Silicates not Containing Aluminum
18 : Silicates of Mn and Na, K, Mg, Ca or Fe
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Type Occurrence of Nambulite

Type Locality:Funakozawa mine, Ono, Iwate Prefecture, Tohoku Region, Honshu Island, Japan
Year of Discovery:1972

Physical Properties of Nambulite

Lustre:Sub-Vitreous
Colour:Reddish-brown to orange
Hardness (Mohs):6½

Crystallography of Nambulite

Crystal System:Triclinic
Cell Parameters:a = 7.62Å, b = 11.76Å, c = 6.73Å
α = 92.77°, β = 95.08°, γ = 106.87°
Ratio:a:b:c = 0.648 : 1 : 0.572
Unit Cell Volume:V 573.13 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)

Optical Data of Nambulite

Type:Biaxial (+)
RI values: nα = 1.707 nβ = 1.710 nγ = 1.730
2V:Measured: 30° , Calculated: 44°
Maximum Birefringence:δ = 0.023

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

Chemical Properties of Nambulite

Formula:
(Li,Na)Mn
 
4
Si
 
5
O
 
14
(OH)
Essential elements:H, Li, Mn, O, Si
All elements listed in formula:H, Li, Mn, Na, O, Si
Common Impurities:Ti,Al,Fe,Mg,Ca,K,H2O,C,P

Relationship of Nambulite to other Species

Series:Forms a series with Natronambulite (see here)
Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):

- +
9.DK.05Babingtonite
Ca
 
2
(Fe,Mn)FeSi
 
5
O
 
14
(OH)
9.DK.05Lithiomarsturite
LiCa
 
2
Mn
 
2
Si
 
5
O
 
14
(OH)
9.DK.05Manganbabingtonite
Ca
 
2
(Mn,Fe)FeSi
 
5
O
 
14
(OH)
9.DK.05Marsturite
NaCaMn
 
3
Si
 
5
O
 
14
(OH)
9.DK.05Natronambulite
(Na,Li)(Mn,Ca)
 
4
Si
 
5
O
 
14
OH
9.DK.05Rhodonite
MnSiO
 
3
9.DK.05Scandiobabingtonite
Ca
 
2
(Fe
2+
 
,Mn)ScSi
 
5
O
 
14
(OH)
9.DK.05Fowlerite
9.DK.10Santaclaraite
CaMn
 
4
[Si
 
5
O
 
14
OH](OH) · H
 
2
O
9.DK.15Saneroite
Na
 
2
(Mn,Mn)
 
10
Si
 
11
VO
 
34
(OH)
 
4
9.DK.20Hellandite-(Y)
(Ca,Y)
 
6
(Al,Fe
3+
 
)Si
 
4
B
 
4
O
 
20
(OH)
 
4
9.DK.20Tadzhikite-(Ce)
(Ca,Ce)
 
4
(Ce,Y)
 
2
(Ti
4+
 
,Fe
3+
 
,Al)[B
 
4
Si
 
4
O
 
22
](OH)
 
2
9.DK.20Mottanaite-(Ce)
Ca
 
4
(CeCa)AlBe
 
2
(Si
 
4
B
 
4
O
 
22
)O
 
2
9.DK.20Ciprianiite
Ca
 
4
[(Th,U)(REE)]Al◻
 
2
(Si
 
4
B
 
4
O
 
22
)(OH,F)
 
2
9.DK.20Hellandite-(Ce)
(Ca,Ce)
 
6
(Al,Fe
3+
 
)Si
 
4
B
 
4
O
 
20
(OH)
 
4
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:

- +
14.18.2Natronambulite
(Na,Li)(Mn,Ca)
 
4
Si
 
5
O
 
14
OH
14.18.3Zakharovite
Na
 
4
Mn
 
5
Si
 
10
O
 
24
(OH)
 
6
 · 6H
 
2
O
14.18.4Norrishite
KLiMn
3+
2
(Si
 
4
O
 
10
)O
 
2
14.18.5Shafranovskite
(Na,K)
 
6
(Mn,Fe)
 
3
Si
 
9
O
 
24
 · 6H
 
2
O
14.18.6Abswurmbachite
CuMn
3+
6
(SiO
 
4
)O
 
8
14.18.7Donpeacorite
(Mn
2+
 
,Mg)Mg[SiO
 
3
]
 
2
14.18.8Kanoite
Mn
2+
 
(Mg,Mn
2+
 
)Si
 
2
O
 
6
14.18.9Caryopilite
(Mn,Mg)
 
3
(Si
 
2
O
 
5
)(OH)
 
4
14.18.10Gonyerite
(Mn
2+
 
,Mg)
 
5
Fe
3+
 
(Fe
3+
 
Si
 
3
O
 
10
)(OH)
 
8
14.18.11Tirodite
14.18.12Manganhumite
(Mn
2+
 
,Mg)
 
7
(SiO
 
4
)
 
3
(OH)
 
2
14.18.13Bustamite
CaMn
2+
 
(Si
 
2
O
 
6
)
14.18.14Glaucochroite
CaMn
2+
 
SiO
 
4
14.18.15Truscottite
(Ca,Mn)
 
14
Si
 
24
O
 
58
(OH)
 
8
 · 2H
 
2
O
14.18.16Santaclaraite
CaMn
 
4
[Si
 
5
O
 
14
OH](OH) · H
 
2
O
14.18.17Ferrobustamite
Ca(Fe
2+
 
,Ca,Mn
2+
 
)(Si
 
2
O
 
6
)
14.18.18Johannsenite
CaMn
2+
 
Si
 
2
O
 
6
14.18.19Neltnerite
CaMn
3+
6
(SiO
 
4
)O
 
8
14.18.20Orlymanite
Ca
 
4
Mn
 
3
Si
 
8
O
 
20
(OH)
 
6
 · 2H
 
2
O
14.18.21Inesite
Ca
 
2
(Mn,Fe)
 
7
Si
 
10
O
 
28
(OH)
 
2
 · 5H
 
2
O
14.18.22Orientite
Ca
 
2
Mn
2+
 
Mn
3+
2
(Si
 
3
O
 
10
)(OH)
 
4
14.18.23Ruizite
Ca
 
2
Mn
3+
2
[(OH)
 
2
|H
 
2
Si
 
4
O
 
13
] · 2H
 
2
O
14.18.24Bostwickite
CaMn
 
6
Si
 
3
O
 
16
 · 7H
 
2
O
14.18.25Kittatinnyite
Ca
 
2
Mn
 
2
Mn(SiO
 
4
)
 
2
(OH)
 
4
 · 9H
 
2
O
14.18.26Lithiomarsturite
LiCa
 
2
Mn
 
2
Si
 
5
O
 
14
(OH)
14.18.27Sérandite
Na(Mn
2+
 
,Ca)
 
2
(HSi
 
3
O
 
9
)
14.18.28Kvanefjeldite
Na
 
4
(Ca,Mn)(Si
 
3
O
 
7
)
 
2
(OH)
 
2
14.18.29Marsturite
NaCaMn
 
3
Si
 
5
O
 
14
(OH)
14.18.30Raite
Na
 
4
Mn
2+
3
Ti
 
0.25
Si
 
8
O
 
20
(OH)
 
2
 · 10H
 
2
O
14.18.31Richterite
{Na}{CaNa}{Mg
 
5
}(Si
 
8
O
 
22
)(OH)
 
2
14.18.32Byelorussite-(Ce)
NaBa
 
2
Ce
 
2
MnTi
 
2
[Si
 
4
O
 
12
]
 
2
O
 
2
(F,OH) · H
 
2
O
14.18.33Deerite
(Fe,Mn)
 
6
(Fe,Al)
 
3
[Si
 
6
O
 
17
]O
 
3
(OH)
 
5
14.18.34Calderite
(Mn
2+
 
,Ca)
 
3
(Fe
3+
 
,Al)
 
2
(SiO
 
4
)
 
3
14.18.35Pyroxmangite
MnSiO
 
3
14.18.36Dannemorite
14.18.37Neotocite
(Mn,Fe,Mg)SiO
 
3
 · H
 
2
O
14.18.38Babingtonite
Ca
 
2
(Fe,Mn)FeSi
 
5
O
 
14
(OH)
14.18.39Manganbabingtonite
Ca
 
2
(Mn,Fe)FeSi
 
5
O
 
14
(OH)
14.18.40Örebroite
Mn
2+
3
(Fe
3+
 
,Sb
5+
 
)(SiO
 
4
)(O,OH)
 
3

Other Names for Nambulite

Synonyms:
IMA1971-032
Other Languages:
German:Nambulit
Japanese:南部石
Russian:Намбулит
Spanish:Nambulita

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 Nambulite

Reference List:

- +
American Mineralogist (1973): 58: 162.

Acta Crystallographica: 31: 2422-2426.

Internet Links for Nambulite

Search Engines:
  • Look for Nambulite on Google
  • Look for Nambulite images on Google
    • External Links:
  • Look for Nambulite on Webmineral
  • Look for Nambulite on Athena Mineralogy
  • Look for Nambulite on Wikipedia
  • Look for Nambulite on Mineralien Atlas
  • Raman and XRD data at RRUFF project
  • American Mineralogist Crystal Structure Database
  • Nambulite details from Handbook of Mineralogy (PDF)
    • Mineral Dealers:
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  • Nambulite specimens for sale - minfind.com
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    • Localities for Nambulite

    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.
    India
    Ito, J. (1972): Synthesis and crystal chemistry of lithium hydropyroxenoids. Mineralogical Journal 7, 45-65; Murakami, T., Takeuchi, Y., Tagai, T. & Koto, K. (1977): Lithium-hydrorhodonite. Acta Crystallographica, B33, 919-921.
    Italy
     
    • Liguria
      • La Spezia Province
        • Vara Valley
          • Borghetto Vara
    		Balestra, C., Kolitsch, U., Blass, G., Callegari, A.M., Boiocchi, M., Armellino, G., Ciriotti, M.E., Ambrino, P. Bracco, R. (2009): Mineralogia ligure 2007-2008: novità caratterizzate dal Servizio UK dell’AMI. Micro, 1-2009, 78-99.
    Japan
     
    • Honshu Island
      • Tohoku Region
        • Fukushima Prefecture
          • Iwaki City
    		Peacor, D. R., Dunn, P. J., White, J. S., Jr., Grice, J. D. & Chi, P. (1990): Lithiomarsturite, a new member of the pyroxenoid group, from North Carolina. American Mineralogist 75, 409-414. (occurrence as Gozaisho mine with ref. "(Ohashi, pers. comm.)"); Mineralogical Journal Vol. 18 (1996) , No. 4 pp 155-160
        • Iwate Prefecture
          • Ono
    		Mineral.Journ.Japan (1972) 7, 29-44
          • Shimohei-gun
    Nagase, Toshiro; Hori, Hidemichi; Kitamine, Mizuya; Nagashima, Mariko; Abduriyim, Ahmadjan; Kuribayashi, Takahiro (2012): Tanohataite, LiMn2Si3O8(OH): a new mineral from the Tanohata mine, Iwate Prefecture, Japan. Journal of Mineralogical and Petrological Sciences, 107, 149-154.
            • Yamada
    		Dr. Matsuo Nambu collection (curated at Geological Survey of Japan)
    Namibia
     
    • Otjozondjupa Region
      • Grootfontein District
        • Kombat
    		Dunn, P.J. (1991), Rare minerals of the Kombat Mine, Mineralogical Record: 22(6): 421-425.
    Romania
     
    • Suceava Co.
      • Suceava district
        • Iacobeni (Jakobeny; Jacobeny; Jakabfalva)
    		http://minerals-of-the-carpathians.eu
    Slovakia
     
    • Košice Region
      • Rožňava Co.
        • Rožňava (Rosenau)
          • Čučma
    		Koděra et all.,1990: Topografická mineralógia Slovenska, I-III, 1590p
    Sweden
     
    • Södermanland
      • Utö
    Mineral and/or Locality
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