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Nifontovite

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Charcas, Mun. de Charcas, San Luis Potosí, Mexico
© Rob Lavinsky

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Formula:
Ca
 
3
B
 
6
O
 
6
(OH)
 
12
(H
 
2
O)
 
2
System:MonoclinicHardness:3½
Name:For Russian geologist Roman V. Nifontov (1901-1960).


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Classification of Nifontovite

IMA status:Approved
Strunz 8th edition ID:5/H.09-10
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:6.CA.50

6 : BORATES
C : Triborates
A : Neso-triborates
Dana 8th edition ID:26.3.7.1

26 : HYDRATED BORATES CONTAINING HYDROXYL OR HALOGEN
3 : Triborates
Hey's CIM Ref.:9.3.10

9 : Borates
3 : Borates of Ca and Sr
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Type Occurrence of Nifontovite

Type Locality:Novofrolovskoye B-Cu deposit, Turjinsk, Turya river, Krasnoturjinsk (Bogolovsk; Krasnotur'insk; Krasnoturyinsk), Sverdlovskaya Oblast', Middle Urals, Urals Region, Russia
Year of Discovery:1961

Physical Properties of Nifontovite

Hardness (Mohs):3½

Crystallography of Nifontovite

Crystal System:Monoclinic
Cell Parameters:a = 13.08Å, b = 9.49Å, c = 13.56Å
β = 119.58°
Ratio:a:b:c = 1.378 : 1 : 1.429
Unit Cell Volume:V 1,463.82 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)

Optical Data of Nifontovite

Type:Biaxial (+)
RI values: nα = 1.575 nβ = 1.578 nγ = 1.584
Maximum Birefringence:δ = 0.009

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

Chemical Properties of Nifontovite

Formula:
Ca
 
3
B
 
6
O
 
6
(OH)
 
12
(H
 
2
O)
 
2
Essential elements:B, Ca, H, O
All elements listed in formula:B, Ca, H, O

Relationship of Nifontovite to other Species

Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):

- +
6.CA.10Ameghinite
Na(H
 
4
B
 
3
O
 
7
)
6.CA.15Inderite
Mg(H
 
4
B
 
3
O
 
7
)(OH) · 5H
 
2
O
6.CA.20Kurnakovite
Mg(H
 
4
B
 
3
O
 
7
)(OH) · 5H
 
2
O
6.CA.25Inderborite
CaMg(H
 
3
B
 
3
O
 
7
)
 
2
 · 8H
 
2
O
6.CA.30Meyerhofferite
Ca
 
2
(H
 
3
B
 
3
O
 
7
)
 
2
 · 4H
 
2
O
6.CA.35Inyoite
Ca(H
 
4
B
 
3
O
 
7
)(OH) · 4H
 
2
O
6.CA.40Solongoite
Ca
 
2
(H
 
3
B
 
3
O
 
7
)(OH)Cl
6.CA.45Peprossiite-(Ce)
(Ce,La)(Al
 
3
O)
 
2/3
B
 
4
O
 
10
6.CA.55Olshanskyite
Ca
 
3
[B(OH)
 
4
]
 
4
(OH)
 
2
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:

- +
9.3.1Calciborite
Ca(B
 
2
O
 
4
)
9.3.2Sibirskite
Ca
 
2
(HB
 
2
O
 
5
)(OH)
9.3.3Fabianite
CaB
 
3
O
 
5
OH
9.3.4Uralborite
Ca
 
2
[B
 
3
O
 
3
(OH)
 
5
 · OB(OH)
 
3
]
9.3.5Vimsite
CaB
 
2
O
 
2
(OH)
 
4
9.3.6Olshanskyite
Ca
 
3
[B(OH)
 
4
]
 
4
(OH)
 
2
9.3.7Frolovite
Ca[B(OH)
 
4
]
 
2
9.3.8Korzhinskite
Ca(B
 
2
O
 
4
) · H
 
2
O
9.3.9Tyretskite
Ca
 
2
B
 
5
O
 
9
OH · H
 
2
O
9.3.12Inyoite
Ca(H
 
4
B
 
3
O
 
7
)(OH) · 4H
 
2
O
9.3.13Gowerite
Ca[B
 
5
O
 
8
(OH)][B(OH)
 
3
] · 3H
 
2
O
9.3.14Colemanite
Ca[B
 
3
O
 
4
(OH)
 
3
] · H
 
2
O
9.3.15Pentahydroborite
CaB
 
2
O(OH)
 
6
 · 2H
 
2
O
9.3.16Hexahydroborite
Ca[B(OH)
 
4
]
 
2
 · 6H
 
2
O
9.3.17Meyerhofferite
Ca
 
2
(H
 
3
B
 
3
O
 
7
)
 
2
 · 4H
 
2
O
9.3.18Priceite
Ca
 
2
B
 
5
O
 
7
(OH)
 
5
 · H
 
2
O
9.3.19Ginorite
Ca
 
2
B
 
14
O
 
23
 · 8H
 
2
O
9.3.20Probertite
NaCaB
 
5
O
 
7
(OH)
 
4
 · 3H
 
2
O
9.3.21Ulexite
NaCa[B
 
5
O
 
6
(OH)
 
6
] · 5H
 
2
O
9.3.22Hydroboracite
CaMg[B
 
3
O
 
4
(OH)
 
3
]
 
2
 · 3H
 
2
O
9.3.23Inderborite
CaMg(H
 
3
B
 
3
O
 
7
)
 
2
 · 8H
 
2
O
9.3.24Wardsmithite
Ca
 
5
Mg[B
 
4
O
 
7
]
 
6
 · 30H
 
2
O
9.3.25Henmilite
Ca
 
2
Cu[B(OH)
 
4
]
 
2
(OH)
 
4
9.3.26Strontioborite
SrB
 
8
O
 
11
(OH)
 
4
9.3.27Veatchite
Sr
 
2
B
 
11
O
 
16
(OH)
 
5
 · H
 
2
O
9.3.28Veatchite-A
Sr
 
2
B
 
11
O
 
16
(OH)
 
5
 · H
 
2
O
9.3.29 P-Veatchite
9.3.30 Balavinskite
Sr
 
2
B
 
6
O
 
11
 · 4H
 
2
O
9.3.31Tunellite
SrB
 
6
O
 
9
(OH)
 
2
 · 3H
 
2
O
9.3.32Strontioginorite
(Sr,Ca)
 
2
B
 
14
O
 
23
 · 8H
 
2
O

Other Names for Nifontovite

Other Languages:
German:Nifontovit
Russian:Нифонтовит
Spanish:Nifontovita

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 Nifontovite

Reference List:

- +
American Mineralogist (1962): 47: 172.

YEGOROV-TISMENKO, YU. K., SIMONOV, M. A., and BELOV, N. V. (1973): Crystal structure of nifontovite Ca3[B3O3(OH)2.2H2O, a natural calcium metaborate. Doklady Akademia Nauk SSSR, 210, 678-681. [Engl. transl. in Soviet Physics – Doklady: 23 (1973) 159-161.]

KUSACHI, I. and HENMI, C. (1994): Nifontovite and olshanskyite from Fuka, Okayama Prefecture, Japan. Mineralogical Magazine, 58, 279-284.

Grew, E.S., and Anovitz, L.M. (1996) BORON: Mineralogy, Petrology and Geochemistry, second edition, as revised (2002).

Hawthorne, F.C., Pinch, W.W., Pough, F.H. (2005): Nifontovite: From Charcas, San Luis Potosi, Mexico. Mineralogical Record, 36, xx-xx.

Internet Links for Nifontovite

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    • Localities for Nifontovite

    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.
    Japan
     
    • Honshu Island
      • Chugoku Region
        • Okayama Prefecture
          • Takahashi City
            • Bitchu-cho-fuka (Bicchu-cho-fuka)
    		Mineralogical Record: 27: 306.; Journal of Mineralogical and Petrological Sciences Vol. 99 (2004) , No. 2 April 67-71
    Mexico
     
    • San Luis Potosí
      • Mun. de Charcas
    		Min Rec 36:4 pp375-376, Min Rec (2009) 40:74
    Arizona Lapidary & Gem Rough specimen
    Lapis 34 (4), 2009, p. 38
    Russia
     
    • Urals Region
      • Middle Urals
        • Sverdlovskaya Oblast'
          • Krasnoturjinsk (Bogolovsk; Krasnotur'insk; Krasnoturyinsk)
            • Turya river
              • Turjinsk
    		Min Rec 36:4 pp375-376; Pekov, I. (1998) Minerals First discovered on the territory of the former Soviet Union 369p. Ocean Pictures, Moscow
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