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Nepheline

Big Photo

Stolz Quarry (Graulai; Graulay; Grauley), Hillesheim, Eifel Mts, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany
© Stephan Wolfsried

Show Nepheline Photos (92)
Formula:
(Na,K)[AlSiO
 
4
]
System:HexagonalColour:White, grey, yellowish
Hardness:5½ - 6
Name:From the Greek for "cloud" since it turns cloudy when treated with strong acid.


A rock-forming mineral. Common in nepheline syenite, an igneous rock often found in alkaline complexes.

Compare the related kalsilite.

Ebay Warning: Some dealers on Ebay are selling aragonite specimens as 'nepheline'. Avoid any orange-brown hexagonal clusters listed from China as they are not nepheline at all.

Classification of Nepheline

IMA status:Valid - first described prior to 1959 (pre-IMA) - "Grandfathered"
Strunz 8th edition ID:8/J.02-10
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:9.FA.05

9 : SILICATES (Germanates)
F : Tektosilicates without zeolitic H2O
A : Tektosilicates without additional non-tetrahedral anions
Dana 8th edition ID:76.2.1.2

76 : TECTOSILICATES Al-Si Framework
2 : Al-Si Framework Feldspathoids and related species
Hey's CIM Ref.:16.4.1

16 : Silicates Containing Aluminum and other Metals
4 : Aluminosilicates of Na and K
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Type Occurrence of Nepheline

Type Locality:Monte Somma, Somma-Vesuvius Complex, Naples Province, Campania, Italy
Year of Discovery:1801

Occurrences of Nepheline

Geological Setting:Characteristic of alkaline igneous rocks.

Physical Properties of Nepheline

Lustre:Vitreous, Greasy
Diaphaneity (Transparency):Transparent, Opaque
Colour:White, grey, yellowish
Comment:Colored by inclusions also.
Hardness (Mohs):5½ - 6
Tenacity:Brittle
Cleavage:Poor/Indistinct
Poor on {1010}, {0001}
Fracture:Sub-Conchoidal
Density (measured):2.55 - 2.66 g/cm3
Density (calculated):2.64 g/cm3

Crystallography of Nepheline

Crystal System:Hexagonal
Class (H-M):6 - Pyramidal
Space Group:P63
Cell Parameters:a = 9.993(2) Å, c = 8.374(3) Å
Ratio:a:c = 1 : 0.838
Unit Cell Volume:V 724.19 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:8
Morphology:Stout prisms, granular, compact, massive
Twinning:On {1010}, {3365}, {1122}
Crystal Atlas:
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Nepheline no.9 - Goldschmidt (1913-1926)

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Radiation - Copper Kα
Data Set:
Horizontal Axis: ° to ° Vertical Axis: % Source Data: Filtered Data: Peaks:
Data courtesy of RRUFF project at University of Arizona, used with permission.

Optical Data of Nepheline

Type:Uniaxial (-)
RI values: nω = 1.529 - 1.546 nε = 1.526 - 1.542
Maximum Birefringence:δ = 0.003 - 0.004

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

Chemical Properties of Nepheline

Formula:
(Na,K)[AlSiO
 
4
]
Essential elements:Al, Na, O, Si
All elements listed in formula:Al, K, Na, O, Si
Common Impurities:Mg,Ca,H2O

Relationship of Nepheline to other Species

Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):

- +
9.FA.05Kaliophilite
K[AlSiO
 
4
]
9.FA.05Kalsilite
K[AlSiO
 
4
]
9.FA.05Panunzite
(Na,K)[AlSiO
 
4
]
9.FA.05Trikalsilite
(Na,K)[AlSiO
 
4
]
9.FA.05Yoshiokaite
(Ca,Na)[Al(Al,Si)O
 
4
]
9.FA.05Megakalsilite
KAlSiO
 
4
9.FA.10Malinkoite
NaBSiO
 
4
9.FA.15Virgilite
LiAlSi
 
2
O
 
6
9.FA.25Lisitsynite
KBSi
 
2
O
 
6
9.FA.30Adularia
KAlSi
 
3
O
 
8
9.FA.30Anorthoclase
(Na,K)[AlSi
 
3
O
 
8
]
9.FA.30Buddingtonite
(NH
 
4
)[AlSi
 
3
O
 
8
]
9.FA.30Celsian
Ba[Al
 
2
Si
 
2
O
 
8
]
9.FA.30Hyalophane
(K,Ba)[Al(Si,Al)Si
 
2
O
 
8
]
9.FA.30Microcline
K[AlSi
 
3
O
 
8
]
9.FA.30Orthoclase
K[AlSi
 
3
O
 
8
]
9.FA.30Sanidine
K[AlSi
 
3
O
 
8
]
9.FA.30Rubicline
(Rb,K)[AlSi
 
3
O
 
8
]
9.FA.30Monalbite
Na[AlSi
 
3
O
 
8
]
9.FA.35Albite
Na[AlSi
 
3
O
 
8
]
9.FA.35Andesine
(Na,Ca)[Al(Si,Al)Si
 
2
O
 
8
]
9.FA.35Anorthite
Ca[Al
 
2
Si
 
2
O
 
8
]
9.FA.35Bytownite
(Ca,Na)[Al(Al,Si)Si
 
2
O
 
8
]
9.FA.35Labradorite
(Ca,Na)[Al(Al,Si)Si
 
2
O
 
8
]
9.FA.35Oligoclase
(Na,Ca)[Al(Si,Al)Si
 
2
O
 
8
]
9.FA.35Reedmergnerite
Na[BSi
 
3
O
 
8
]
9.FA.40Paracelsian
Ba[Al
 
2
Si
 
2
O
 
8
]
9.FA.45Svyatoslavite
Ca[Al
 
2
Si
 
2
O
 
8
]
9.FA.45Kumdykolite
NaAlSi
 
3
O
 
8
9.FA.50Slawsonite
(Sr,Ca)[Al
 
2
Si
 
2
O
 
8
]
9.FA.55Lisetite
CaNa
 
2
Al
 
4
Si
 
4
O
 
16
9.FA.60Banalsite
BaNa
 
2
[Al
 
2
Si
 
2
O
 
8
]
 
2
9.FA.60Stronalsite
SrNa
 
2
[Al
 
2
Si
 
2
O
 
8
]
 
2
9.FA.65Danburite
CaB
 
2
Si
 
2
O
 
8
9.FA.65Maleevite
BaB
 
2
Si
 
2
O
 
8
9.FA.65Pekovite
SrB
 
2
Si
 
2
O
 
8
9.FA.70Lingunite
(Na,Ca)AlSi
 
3
O
 
8
9.FA.75Kokchetavite
KAlSi
 
3
O
 
8
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:

- +
16.4.2Panunzite
(Na,K)[AlSiO
 
4
]
16.4.3Trikalsilite
(Na,K)[AlSiO
 
4
]
16.4.4Anorthoclase
(Na,K)[AlSi
 
3
O
 
8
]
16.4.5Naujakasite
(Na,K)
 
6
(Fe
2+
 
,Mn
2+
 
,Ca)(Al,Fe)
 
4
Si
 
8
O
 
26
16.4.6Montesommaite
(K,Na)
 
9
Al
 
9
Si
 
23
O
 
64
·10H
 
2
O

Other Names for Nepheline

Synonyms:
BeudantineBeudantite (of Covelli)CaroliniteCavoliniteElaeolite
FatstoneFettsteinGieseckitNepheliteOelstein
Sommite
Other Languages:
German:Carolinit
Cavolinit
Eläolith
Nephelin
Nephelit
Italian:Beudantina
Russian:Нефелин
Spanish:Carolinita
Cavolinita
Nephelita
Varieties:
EleoliteGermanate-nepheline

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 Nepheline

Reference List:Klaproth, M.H. (1810):Chemische Untersuchung des Elaeoliths, Beiträge zur chemischen Kenntniss der Mineralkörper, Fünfter Band, Rottmann Berlin, 176-179

American Mineralogist (1972): 57: 1711-1719.

Mineralogical Record (1990): 21: 235-248.

Bulletin de la Société française de Minéralogie et de Cristallographie (1984): 107: 499.

Internet Links for Nepheline

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

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