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Nesquehonite

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Nesquehoning, Lansford, Carbon Co., Pennsylvania, USA
© 2007, J. Weissman

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Formula:
MgCO
 
3
·3H
 
2
O
System:MonoclinicColour:Colourless to white; ...
Hardness:2½
Name:For the type locality at Nesquehoning, Carbon County, Pennsylvania, USA.
This page provides mineralogical data about Nesquehonite.

Classification of Nesquehonite

IMA status:Valid - first described prior to 1959 (pre-IMA) - "Grandfathered"
Strunz 8th edition ID:5/D.01-20
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:5.CA.05

5 : CARBONATES (NITRATES)
C : Carbonates without additional anions, with H2O
A : With medium-sized cations
Dana 8th edition ID:13.1.5.1

13 : ACID CARBONATES
1 : Miscellaneous
Hey's CIM Ref.:11.3.3

11 : Carbonates
3 : Carbonates of Mg
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Type Occurrence of Nesquehonite

Type Locality:Nesquehoning Coal Mine, Nesquehoning, Lansford, Carbon Co., Pennsylvania, USA
General Appearance of Type Material:Bases of stalactites and incrustations, the remainder of which consisted of lansfordite.
Year of Discovery:1890
Geological Setting of type material:Anthracite coal deposit.
Associated Minerals at type locality:
Lansfordite

Occurrences of Nesquehonite

Geological Setting:Near surface conditions. As coal mine efflorescences, cave deposits, around springs, in serpentinite fractures.

Physical Properties of Nesquehonite

Lustre:Vitreous, Greasy
Diaphaneity (Transparency):Transparent, Translucent
Colour:Colourless to white; colourless in transmitted light.
Hardness (Mohs):2½
Cleavage:Perfect
On {101}; On {010} good.
Fracture:Splintery, Fibrous
Density (measured):1.824 - 1.854 g/cm3
Density (calculated):1.856 g/cm3

Crystallography of Nesquehonite

Crystal System:Monoclinic
Class (H-M):2/m - Prismatic
Space Group:P21/m (P1 1 21/m) [P21/m] {P1 21/m 1}
Cell Parameters:a = 7.705Å, b = 5.367Å, c = 12.121Å
β = 90.451°
Ratio:a:b:c = 1.436 : 1 : 2.258
Unit Cell Volume:V 501.22 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:4
Morphology:Crystals prismatic, elongated along [010], {001}, {010}, {011}, {101}. {110} deeply striated parallel to [010]. Forms radial sprays and coatings, also botryoidal.
Twinning:Twinned on {001} (artificial material).

Optical Data of Nesquehonite

Type:Biaxial (-)
RI values: nα = 1.412 nβ = 1.501 nγ = 1.526
Maximum Birefringence:δ = 0.114

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 Nesquehonite

Formula:
MgCO
 
3
·3H
 
2
O
Essential elements:C, H, Mg, O
All elements listed in formula:C, H, Mg, O

Relationship of Nesquehonite to other Species

Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):

- +
5.CA.10Lansfordite
MgCO
 
3
·5H
 
2
O
5.CA.15Barringtonite
MgCO
 
3
·2H
 
2
O
5.CA.20Hellyerite
NiCO
 
3
·6H
 
2
O
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:

- +
11.3.1Magnesite
MgCO
 
3
11.3.2Barringtonite
MgCO
 
3
·2H
 
2
O
11.3.4Lansfordite
MgCO
 
3
·5H
 
2
O
11.3.5Pokrovskite
Mg
 
2
[(OH)
 
2
|CO
 
3
]
11.3.6Artinite
Mg
 
2
[(OH)
 
2
|CO
 
3
] · 3H
 
2
O
11.3.7Hydromagnesite
Mg
 
5
[(CO
 
3
)
 
4
(OH)
 
2
] · 4H
 
2
O
11.3.8Giorgiosite
Mg
 
5
[(CO
 
3
)
 
4
(OH)
 
2
] · 4H
 
2
O
11.3.9Dypingite
Mg
 
5
[OH|(CO
 
3
)
 
2
]
 
2
 · 5H
 
2
O
11.3.10Eitelite
Na
 
2
Mg(CO
 
3
)
 
2
11.3.11Mcguinnessite
(Mg,Cu)
 
2
[(OH)
 
2
|CO
 
3
]

Other Names for Nesquehonite

Other Languages:
German:Nesquehonit
Russian:Несквегонит
Spanish:Nesquehonita

Other Information

Fluorescence in UV light:Green (SW UV).
Other Information:Very slightly soluble in water; more so in the presence of CO2. Readily soluble in dilute acids with effervescence.
Health Warning:No information on health risks for this material has been entered into the database. You should always treat mineral specimens with care.
Industrial Uses:None.

References for Nesquehonite

Reference List:Genth and Penfield (1890) American Journal of Science: 39: 121.

Genth and Penfield (1890) Zeitschrift für Kristallographie, Mineralogie und Petrographie, Leipzig: 17: 561.

Friedel (1891) Bulletin de la Société française de Minéralogie: 14: 62.

Davis (1906) J. Soc. Chem. Ind.: 25: 788.

Leitmeier (1910) Zeitschrift für Kristallographie, Mineralogie und Petrographie, Leipzig: 47: 108.

Artini (1921) Reale accademia nazionale dei Lincei, Rome, Rend.: 30: 153.

Hintze, Carl (1929) Handbuch der Mineralogie. Berlin and Leipzig. 6 volumes: 1 [3A]: 3473.

Fenoglio (1930) Reale accademia nazionale dei Lincei, Rome, Rend.: 11: 310.

Fenoglio (1935) Periodico de Mineralogia-Roma: 6: 1.

Beck (1946) Doctoral thesis, Harvard University (unpublished)(dehydration data).

Kinsolving, M.R., MacGillavry, C., and Pepinsky, R. (1950) Twinning in nesquehonite, MgCO3·3H2O. American Mineralogist: 35: 127.

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: Halides, Nitrates, Borates, Carbonates, Sulfates, Phosphates, Arsenates, Tungstates, Molybdates, Etc. John Wiley and Sons, Inc., New York, 7th edition, revised and enlarged: 225-226.

Stephan, G.W. and MacGillavry, C.H. (1972) The crystal structure of nesquehonite, MgCO3·3H2O. Acta Crystallographica: 28(4): 1031-1033.

Gasiunas, K., Kaminskas, A., Kapacauskas, I., Valuziene, B., and Kicas, P. (1973) Nature of water in nesquehonite. Zhurnal neorganicheskoi khimii (Russian Journal of Physical Chemistry): 18(9): 2332-2335 (in Russian).

Chemical Abstracts (1974): 80: 154 (abstract of Gasiunas et al).

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    Localities for Nesquehonite

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    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.
    Australia
     
    • Australian Capital Territory
      • Brindabella Mts
        • Cotter
    		Anthony, Bideaux, Bladh, Nichols: Handbook of Mineralogy, Vol. IV
    • New South Wales
      • Gloucester Co.
        • Barrington Tops
          • Semphill Creek
    		Mineralogical Magazine 1965 34 : 370-372
    Austria
     
    • Salzburg
      • Hohe Tauern Mts
        • Stubach valley
    		A. Strasser: Die Minerale Salzburgs (1989)
      • Salzburg
        • Untersberg massif
    		A. Strasser: Die Minerale Salzburgs (1989)
    • Styria
      • Leoben
        • Kraubath
    		R. Exel: Die Mineralien und Erzlagerstätten Österreichs (1993)
    • Tyrol
      • North Tyrol
        • Inn valley
          • Brixlegg - Schwaz area
            • Brixlegg - Rattenberg
    		Lapis 19(7/8):13-78 (1994); Schnorrer, G. & Poeverlein, R. (2008): Schwaz-Brixlegger Fundstellen. 6. Die Minerale des Gratlspitz bei Brixlegg in Tirol. Aufschluss 59, 7-28.
    Canada
     
    • Yukon Territory
      • Dawson Mining District
    		MinRec 23:4-47
    No reference listed
    China
     
    • Qinghai (Chinghai) Province
      • Hainan Autonomous Prefecture
    		Sun Da-peng, Li Bing-xiao, Ma Yua-hua, and Lin Qun-zhu (2002): Journal of Salt Lake Research 10(4), 1-12.
    Czech Republic
     
    • Bohemia (Böhmen; Boehmen)
      • Karlovy Vary Region
        • Krušné Hory Mts (Erzgebirge)
          • Ostrov
    		Lapis 2002(7/8), 63-65
    France
     
    • Auvergne
      • Cantal
        • Cantal Mts
          • Salers
            • Fontanges
            • Saint-Bonnet-de-Salers
    		R. Pierrot, P. Picot, J.J. Périchaud : "Inventaire Minéralogique du Cantal", BRGM and Editions G. de Bussac, 1971
            • Saint-Projet-de-Salers
    		R. Pierrot, P. Picot, J.J. Périchaud : "Inventaire Minéralogique du Cantal", BRGM and Editions G. de Bussac, 1971
      • Haute-Loire
        • Lubilhac
    		C. Vialaron : La mine d'antimoine de Daü,127p, Le-Puy-en-Velay (1999)
    • Midi-Pyrénées
      • Tarn
    • Rhône-Alpes
      • Isère
    		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: 226.
    Germany
     
    • Bavaria
      • Franconia
        • Bamberg
    		Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology (1972) 36:171-174
    • North Rhine-Westphalia
      • Siegerland
        • Eiserfeld
    		Henrich, M. (2008): Neues von der Grube Eisenzecher Zug. Mineralien-Welt 19 (5), 16-25.
    • Rhineland-Palatinate
      • Lahn valley
        • Bad Ems District
          • Frücht
    		Möhn, G., Frohwein, J. & Blaß, G. (2009): Neue Mineralfunde von der Grube Friedrichssegen bei Bad Ems. Lapis 34 (5), 35-40; 58.
    • Thuringia
      • Gera
        • Ronneburg U deposit
    		T. Witzke & F. Rüger: Lapis 1998(7/8), 26-64
    Greece
     
    • Attikí (Attica; Attika) Prefecture
      • Lavrion (Laurion; Laurium) District
        • Lavrion District Mines
          • Sounion area
            • Sounion Mines
    		J. Gröbner und U. Kolitsch (2002): Neufunde von Laurion aus den Jahren 2001 und 2002. Aufschluss 53 (5-6), 363-371.
    Hungary
     
    • Baranya Co.
      • Mecsek Mts.
        • Komló
    • Heves Co.
      • Mátra Mts.
        • Recsk
    		Szakáll & Gatter: Hun. Min.Spec., 1993
    Italy
     
    • Aosta Valley
      • Cogne Valley
        • Cogne
    		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: 226; C.M. Gramaccioli (1975)-Minerali alpini e Prealpini-Edizioni Atlas Bergamo
    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: 246.
    • Liguria
      • Genova Province
        • Genova
          • Borzoli
    		Giuseppe Pipino - L'antica miniera di Monte Ramazzo e i suoi minerali - Rivista Mineralogica Italiana, Milano, vol. 8, fasc. 3, 1977
      • La Spezia Province
        • Beverino
    		Antofilli, Borgo, Palenzona, 1985. I nostri minerali. Geologia e mineralogia in Liguria. Edizioni Melita, La Spezia
        • Carro
    		Antofilli, Borgo, Palenzona, 1985. I nostri minerali. Geologia e mineralogia in Liguria. Edizioni Melita, La Spezia
    • Lombardy
      • Sondrio Province
        • Malenco Valley
          • Lanterna Valley
            • Campo Franscia
    		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: 227.
    • Piedmont
      • Cuneo Province
        • Varaita Valley
          • Sampeyre
    		Piccoli, G.C., Maletto, G., Bosio, P., Lombardo, B. (2007). Minerali del Piemonte e della Valle d'Aosta. Associazione Amici del Museo "F. Eusebio" Alba, Ed., Alba (Cuneo) 607 pp.
      • Torino Province
        • Canavese District
          • Léssolo
            • Cálea
    		"Le miniere di Brosso" I.Campostrini 2001 - ed. Museo Regionale Torino
        • Sesia-Lanzo zone
          • Lanzo Valley
    		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: 226.
              • Viù
    		Piccoli, G.C., Maletto, G., Bosio, P., Lombardo, B. (2007): Minerali del Piemonte e della Valle d'Aosta. Associazione Amici del Museo "F. Eusebio" Alba, Ed., Alba (Cuneo) 607 pp.
      • Verbano-Cusio-Ossola Province
        • Ossola Valley
          • Antrona Valley
    		Piccoli, G.C., Maletto, G., Bosio, P., Lombardo, B. (2007). Minerali del Piemonte e della Valle d'Aosta. Associazione Amici del Museo "F. Eusebio" Alba, Ed., Alba (Cuneo) 607 pp.
    • Tuscany
      • Lucca Province
        • Apuan Alps
          • Stazzema
    Japan
     
    • Honshu Island
      • Chubu Region
        • Aichi Prefecture
    		Suzuki & Ito (1974) Ganseki-Koubutsu-Koshogaku Zasshi, 69, 275-284.
    Norway
     
    • Sogn og Fjordane
    • Sør-Trøndelag
      • Oppdal
        • Vinstradalen
    		Witsø, T. (2005): Mineraler i Vinstradalen, Oppdal. Norsk Bergverksmuseum, skrift 30: 72-73
      • Røros
    		Moore & Hultin (1980, p. 245); Neumann (1985, p. 101).
    Russia
     
    • Eastern-Siberian Region
      • Prebaikalia (Pribaikal'e)
        • Irkutskaya Oblast'
    		Mazurov, M.P., Grishina, S.N., Istomin, V.E., and Titov, A.T. (2007): Geology of Ore Deposits 49(4), 271-284.
    • Far-Eastern Region
      • Kamchatka Oblast'
        • Tolbachik volcano
          • Great Fissure (Main Fracture) eruption
    Slovakia
     
    • Banská Bystrica Region
      • Western Slovenské Rudohorie Mts
        • Hnúšťa
    		Koděra, M. et al., 1986 a 1990 : Topografická mineralógia Slovenska, diel 1- 3, Veda – Vydavateľstvo SAV, Bratislava, 1990, 1 – 1590
        • Jelšava
    		Koděra, M. et al., 1986 a 1990 : Topografická mineralógia Slovenska, diel 1- 3, Veda – Vydavateľstvo SAV, Bratislava, 1990, 1 – 1590
    Koděra, M. et al., 1986 a 1990 : Topografická mineralógia Slovenska, diel 1- 3, Veda – Vydavateľstvo SAV, Bratislava, 1990, 1 – 1590
    Slovenia
     
    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: 227.
    South Africa
     
    • Limpopo Province
    		Minerals of South Africa
    Switzerland
     
    • Bern
      • Simme Valley
        • St Stephan
    		Stalder, H. A., Wagner, A., Graeser, S. and Stuker, P. (1998): Mineralienlexikon der Schweiz. Wepf (Basel), p. 288.
    • Grischun (Grisons; Graubünden)
      • Puschlav (Poschiavo Valley)
        • Selva
    		Stalder, H. A., Wagner, A., Graeser, S. and Stuker, P. (1998): "Mineralienlexikon der Schweiz", Wepf (Basel), p. 288.
    • Wallis (Valais)
      • Zermatt - Saas Fee area
        • Matt Valley
          • Zermatt
    		Stalder, H. A., Wagner, A., Graeser, S. and Stuker, P. (1998): "Mineralienlexikon der Schweiz", Wepf (Basel), p. 288.
    Turkey
     
    • Central Anatolia Region
      • Konya Province
        • Great Konya Basin
    		Am Min 66:632-635
    USA
     
    • Arizona
      • Maricopa Co.
    		Garvie, L.A.J. (2003) Decay-induced biomineralization of the saguaro cactus (Carnegiea gigantean). American Mineralogist: 88: 1879-1888. Grant, Raymond W., Bideaux, R.A., and Williams, S.A. (2006) Minerals Added to the Arizona List 1995-2005: 6.
    • Colorado
      • Jefferson Co.
        • Clear Creek pegmatite Province
          • Robinson Gulch pegmatite
    		Minerals of Colorado (1997) Eckel, E. B.
    • Pennsylvania
      • Carbon Co.
        • Lansford
          • Nesquehoning
    		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: 226, 230; The Mineralogy of Pennsylvania 1922-1965, A Montgomery. pgs 64-65. ref.2) The Mineralogy of Pennsylvania (1874-1922); S. Gordon pg. 68
    • Virginia
      • Botetourt Co.
    		Minerals of Virginia 1990 by R. V. Dietrich
    Minerals of Virginia 1990 by R. V. Dietrich
    Mineral and/or Locality
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