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Nekoite

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Iron Cap Mine, Landsman Camp (Landsman group), Aravaipa, Santa Teresa Mts, Aravaipa District, Graham Co., Arizona, USA
© Elmar Lackner

Show Nekoite Photos (8)
Formula:
Ca
 
3
Si
 
6
O
 
15
·7H
 
2
O
System:TriclinicColour:White
Name:An anagram (reverse spelling in this case) of OKENite, for which it was originally mistaken.
This page provides mineralogical data about Nekoite.

Classification of Nekoite

IMA status:Valid - first described prior to 1959 (pre-IMA) - "Grandfathered"
Strunz 8th edition ID:8/F.21-10
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:9.EA.45

9 : SILICATES (Germanates)
E : Phyllosilicates
A : Single nets of tetrahedra with 4-, 5-, (6-), and 8-membered rings
Dana 8th edition ID:72.3.2.7

72 : PHYLLOSILICATES Two-Dimensional Infinite Sheets with Other Than Six-Membered Rings
3 : Two-Dimensional Infinite Sheets with Other Than Six-Membered Rings with 3-, 4-, or 5-membered rings and 8-membered rings
Hey's CIM Ref.:14.5.25

14 : Silicates not Containing Aluminum
5 : Silicates of Ca
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Type Occurrence of Nekoite

Type Locality:Wet Weather Quarry, Sky Blue Hill, Crestmore quarries, Crestmore, Riverside Co., California, USA
General Appearance of Type Material:Acicular white crystals.
Place of Conservation of Type Material:U.S. National Museum of Natural History, Washington, D.C., USA
Year of Discovery:1955
Geological Setting of type material:Contact metamorphic limestone formation.
Associated Minerals at type locality:
Apophyllite

Physical Properties of Nekoite

Lustre:Vitreous
Diaphaneity (Transparency):Transparent, Translucent
Colour:White
Hardness Data:Could not be measured
Cleavage:Distinct/Good
On {010}, distinct.
Density (measured):2.21 - 2.24 g/cm3
Density (calculated):2.21 g/cm3

Crystallography of Nekoite

Crystal System:Triclinic
Class (H-M):1 - Pedial
Space Group:P1
Cell Parameters:a = 7.58Å, b = 9.79Å, c = 7.33Å
α = 111.77°, β = 103.5°, γ = 86.53°
Ratio:a:b:c = 0.774 : 1 : 0.749
Unit Cell Volume:V 490.99 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Morphology:Crystals acicular to 5 mm long, elongated parallel to [001].

Comprised of tetrahedral sheets interlayered with octahedral chains.
Twinning:Repeated with the lamellae parallel to the {010} cleavage.

Optical Data of Nekoite

Type:Biaxial (+)
Dispersion:r > v weak
Pleochroism:Non-pleochroic

Chemical Properties of Nekoite

Formula:
Ca
 
3
Si
 
6
O
 
15
·7H
 
2
O
Essential elements:Ca, H, O, Si
All elements listed in formula:Ca, H, O, Si

Relationship of Nekoite to other Species

Common Associates:
HeulanditeApophyllite
Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):

- +
9.EA.05Cuprorivaite
CaCu[Si
 
4
O
 
10
]
9.EA.05Gillespite
BaFe
2+
 
[Si
 
4
O
 
10
]
9.EA.05Effenbergerite
BaCu[Si
 
4
O
 
10
]
9.EA.05Wesselsite
SrCu[Si
 
4
O
 
10
]
9.EA.10Ekanite
(Ca,Fe
2+
 
,Pb)
 
2
(Th,U)[Si
 
8
O
 
20
]
9.EA.15Apophyllite-(KF)
KCa
 
4
[(F,OH)|Si
 
8
O
 
20
] · 8H
 
2
O
9.EA.15Apophyllite-(KOH)
KCa
 
4
[(OH,F)|Si
 
8
O
 
20
] · 8H
 
2
O
9.EA.15Apophyllite-(NaF)
NaCa
 
4
[F|Si
 
8
O
 
20
] · 8H
 
2
O
9.EA.20Magadiite
NaSi
 
7
O
 
13
(OH)
 
3
·3H
 
2
O
9.EA.25Dalyite
K
 
2
ZrSi
 
6
O
 
15
9.EA.25Davanite
K
 
2
TiSi
 
6
O
 
15
9.EA.30Sazhinite-(Ce)
Na
 
3
Ce[Si
 
6
O
 
15
] · 6H
 
2
O
9.EA.30Sazhinite-(La)
Na
 
3
La[Si
 
6
O
 
15
] · 2H
 
2
O
9.EA.35Armstrongite
CaZr[Si
 
6
O
 
15
]·3H
 
2
O
9.EA.40Okenite
CaSi
 
2
O
 
5
·2H
 
2
O
9.EA.50Cavansite
Ca(VO)Si
 
4
O
 
10
·4H
 
2
O
9.EA.55Pentagonite
Ca(VO)Si
 
4
O
 
10
·4H
 
2
O
9.EA.60Penkvilksite
Na
 
4
Ti
 
2
Si
 
8
O
 
22
·4H
 
2
O
9.EA.60Tumchaite
Na
 
2
Zr(Si
 
4
O
 
11
)·2H
 
2
O
9.EA.65Nabesite
Na
 
2
BeSi
 
4
O
 
10
 * 4 H
 
2
O
9.EA.70Ajoite
(K,Na)Cu
 
7
[(OH)
 
6
|AlSi
 
9
O
 
24
] · 3H
 
2
O
9.EA.75Zeravshanite
Cs
 
4
Na
 
2
Zr
 
3
[Si
 
18
O
 
45
](H
 
2
O)
 
2
9.EA.80Bussyite-(Ce)
(Ce,REE)
 
3
(Na,H
 
2
O)
 
6
MnSi
 
9
Be
 
5
(O,OH)
 
30
F
 
4
9.EA.85Plumbophyllite
Pb
 
2
Si
 
4
O
 
10
·H
 
2
O
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:

- +
14.5.1Wollastonite
Ca[SiO
 
3
]
14.5.2Wollastonite-7T
14.5.3Wollastonite-2M
CaSiO
 
3
14.5.4Rankinite
Ca
 
3
Si
 
2
O
 
7
14.5.5Kilchoanite
Ca
 
3
Si
 
2
O
 
7
14.5.6Larnite
Ca
 
2
[SiO
 
4
]
14.5.7Bredigite
Ca
 
7
Mg[SiO
 
4
]
 
4
14.5.8Hatrurite
Ca
 
3
[O|SiO
 
4
]
14.5.9Rosenhahnite
HCa
 
3
[Si
 
3
O
 
9
(OH)]
14.5.10Dellaite
Ca
 
6
(Si
 
2
O
 
7
)(SiO
 
4
)(OH)
 
2
14.5.11Afwillite
Ca
 
3
[HSiO
 
4
]
 
2
 · 2H
 
2
O
14.5.12Xonotlite
Ca
 
6
Si
 
6
O
 
17
(OH)
 
2
14.5.13Foshagite
Ca
 
4
[(OH)
 
2
|Si
 
3
O
 
9
]
14.5.14Hillebrandite
Ca
 
2
[(OH)
 
2
|SiO
 
3
]
14.5.15Jaffeite
Ca
 
6
[(OH)
 
6
|Si
 
2
O
 
7
]
14.5.16Suolunite
Ca
 
2
[H
 
2
Si
 
2
O
 
7
] · H
 
2
O
14.5.17Killalaite
Ca
 
3
[Si
 
2
O
 
7
] · 0.5H
 
2
O
14.5.18Okenite
CaSi
 
2
O
 
5
·2H
 
2
O
14.5.19Riversideite
Ca
 
5
Si
 
6
O
 
16
(OH)
 
2
·2H
 
2
O
14.5.20Trabzonite
Ca
 
4
Si
 
3
O
 
10
·2H
 
2
O
14.5.21Gyrolite
Ca
 
4
(Si
 
6
O
 
15
)(OH)
 
2
·3H
 
2
O
14.5.22Foshallasite
Ca
 
3
[Si
 
2
O
 
7
] · 3H
 
2
O(?)
14.5.23Tobermorite
Ca
 
5
Si
 
6
(O,OH)
 
18
·5H
 
2
O
14.5.24Clinotobermorite
Ca
 
5
[Si
 
3
O
 
8
(OH)
 
2
]2.4H
 
2
O - Ca
 
5
[Si
 
6
O
 
17
]·5H
 
2
O
14.5.26Plombièrite
Ca
 
5
Si
 
6
O
 
16
(OH)
 
2
·7H
 
2
O
14.5.27Jennite
Ca
 
9
H
 
2
Si
 
6
O
 
18
(OH)
 
8
·6H
 
2
O

Other Names for Nekoite

Other Languages:
German:Nekoit
Russian:Некоит
Spanish:Nekoita

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 Nekoite

Reference List:American Mineralogist (1955): 40: 933.

Gard, John Alan & H.F.W. Taylor (1956), Okenite and nekoite: Mineralogical Magazine: 31: 5-20.

Mamedov, K.S. and Belov, N.V. (1958) Crystal structure of mica-like hydrous calcium silicates: okenite, nekoite, truscottite, and gyrolite New silicate radical [Si6O15]. Doklady Akademii Nauk SSSR: 121: 713-716.

Chalmers, R.A., A.W. Nichol & H.F.W. Taylor (1962), The composition of nekoite: Mineralogical Magazine: 33: 70-71.

Nicol, A. (1971) Nekoite. 1. Composition and thermal dehydration. Acta Crystallographica: B127: 469-476.

Vezzalini, G. (1979) Secondo ritrovamento della nekoite. Periodico di Mineralogia: 48: 5-13.

Alberti, A. and E. Galli (1980) The structure of nekoite, Ca3Si6O15·7H2O; a new type of sheet silicate. American Mineralogist: 65: 1270-1276.

Internet Links for Nekoite

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  • Raman and XRD data at RRUFF project
  • American Mineralogist Crystal Structure Database
  • Search for Nekoite in the Natural History Museum (London) online catalogue
  • Nekoite details from Handbook of Mineralogy (PDF)
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    Localities for Nekoite

    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.
    (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.
    Azerbaijan
     
    • Qobustan (Gobustan; Kobustan) District
      • Caspian Sea
    		Novgorodova M.I., Mamedov Yu.G.. Native aluminium from mud volcano at the Bulla island (caspian Sea), - Lithology and Mineral Resourses,1996,N4,p. 339-349
    Brazil
     
    • South Region
      • Rio Grande do Sul
    		Vezzalini, G. (1979) Secondo ritrovamento della nekoite. Periodico di Mineralogia: 48: 5-13.
    Chile
     
    • Atacama Region
      • Copiapó Province
        • Inca de Oro
    		Maurizio Dini & Robert Jenkins collections; material analysed by Dr. Uwe Kolitsch & Bob Jenkins
    Hungary
     
    • Fejér Co.
    		No reference listed
        • Kőszárhegy
    		Fehér, B. & Sajó, I. E. (2000): Okenite and nekoite from the Szár Hill, Polgárdi, Hungary. Acta Mineralogica-Petrographica (Szeged), XLI, Suppl., 40.
    USA
     
    • Arizona
      • Graham Co.
        • Aravaipa District
          • Santa Teresa Mts
            • Aravaipa
              • Landsman Camp (Landsman group)
    		Anthony, J.W., et al (1995), Mineralogy of Arizona, 3rd.ed.: 311.
    • California
      • Riverside Co.
        • Crestmore
          • Crestmore quarries
            • Sky Blue Hill
    		Mineralogical Magazine (1956): 31, 5-20.
    Uzbekistan
     
    • Tashkent (Toshkent) Viloyati
      • Angren Region
        • Chatkal-Kuraminskii Range
    		No reference listed
    Mineral and/or Locality
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