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Northupite

Big Photo

Lake Katwe, Kasese District, Uganda
© Paul Bongaerts

Show Northupite Photos (3)
Formula:
Na
 
3
Mg(CO
 
3
)
 
2
Cl
System:IsometricColour:Colourless, pale yellow, ...
Lustre:VitreousHardness:3½ - 4
Name:For C. H. Northup (b.1861), a grocer from San Jose, California, USA, who found the first specimens.
Isostructural with:Tychite


Northupite Group.

A complete series between Northupite and Tychite exists in artificial material.

Classification of Northupite

IMA status:Valid - first described prior to 1959 (pre-IMA) - "Grandfathered"
Strunz 8th edition ID:5/C.03-10
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:5.BF.05

5 : CARBONATES (NITRATES)
B : Carbonates with additional anions, without H2O
F : With (Cl), SO4, PO4, TeO3
Dana 8th edition ID:16a.3.9.1

16a : ANHYDROUS CARBONATES CONTAINING HYDROXYL OR HALOGEN
3 : (AB)2(XO3)Zq
Hey's CIM Ref.:12.1.1

12 : Carbonates with other anions
1 : Carbonates with halides
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Type Occurrence of Northupite

Type Locality:Searles Lake, San Bernardino Co., California, USA
General Appearance of Type Material:Octahedral crystals embedded in clay.
Year of Discovery:1895
Geological Setting of type material:Lacustrine clay sediments.
Associated Minerals at type locality:
TychitePirssonite

Physical Properties of Northupite

Lustre:Vitreous
Diaphaneity (Transparency):Transparent
Colour:Colourless, pale yellow, grey, brown; colourless in transmitted light
Hardness (Mohs):3½ - 4
Tenacity:Brittle
Fracture:Conchoidal

Crystallography of Northupite

Crystal System:Isometric
Class (H-M):m3 (2/m 3) - Diploidal
Space Group:Fd3 (F2/d 3)
Cell Parameters:a = 13.98Å
Unit Cell Volume:V 2,732.26 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Morphology:Crystals octahedral.
X-Ray Powder Diffraction:
Image Loading

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 Northupite

Type:Isotropic

Chemical Properties of Northupite

Formula:
Na
 
3
Mg(CO
 
3
)
 
2
Cl
Essential elements:C, Cl, Mg, Na, O
All elements listed in formula:C, Cl, Mg, Na, O

Relationship of Northupite to other Species

Common Associates:
TronaShortitePirssoniteGaylussiteBradleyite
Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):
5.BF.05Ferrotychite
Na
 
6
(Fe,Mn,Mg)
 
2
SO
 
4
(CO
 
3
)
 
4
5.BF.05Manganotychite
Na
 
6
Mn
 
2
SO
 
4
(CO
 
3
)
 
4
5.BF.05Tychite
Na
 
6
Mg
 
2
SO
 
4
(CO
 
3
)
 
4
5.BF.10Bonshtedtite
Na
 
3
Fe
2+
 
[PO
 
4
|CO
 
3
]
5.BF.10Bradleyite
Na
 
3
Mg[PO
 
4
|CO
 
3
]
5.BF.10Crawfordite
Na
 
3
Sr[PO
 
4
|CO
 
3
]
5.BF.10Sidorenkite
Na
 
3
Mn
2+
 
[PO
 
4
|CO
 
3
]
5.BF.15Daqingshanite-(Ce)
(Sr,Ca,Ba)
 
2
(Ce,La)PO
 
4
(CO
 
3
,OH,F)
 
3
5.BF.20Reederite-(Y)
Na
 
15
Y
 
2
[Cl|SO
 
3
F|(CO
 
3
)
 
9
]
5.BF.25Mineevite-(Y)
Na
 
25
Ba(Y,Gd,Dy)
 
2
[F
 
2
|Cl|(SO
 
4
)
 
2
|(HCO
 
3
)
 
4
|(CO
 
3
)
 
11
]
5.BF.30Brianyoungite
Zn
 
3
[(OH)
 
4
|(CO
 
3
,SO
 
4
)]
5.BF.35Philolithite
Pb
 
12
Mn
2+
 
(Mg,Mn
2+
 
)
 
2
(Mn
2+
 
,Mg)
 
4
[O
 
6
|(OH)
 
12
|(CO
 
3
)
 
4
|SO
 
4
|Cl
 
4
]
5.BF.40Leadhillite
Pb
 
4
SO
 
4
(CO
 
3
)
 
2
(OH)
 
2
5.BF.40Macphersonite
Pb
 
4
SO
 
4
(CO
 
3
)
 
2
(OH)
 
2
5.BF.40Susannite
Pb
 
4
SO
 
4
(CO
 
3
)
 
2
(OH)
 
2
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:
12.1.2Barentsite
Na
 
7
AlH
 
2
(CO
 
3
)
 
4
F
 
4
12.1.3Rouvilleite
Na
 
3
(Ca,Mn,Fe)
 
2
(CO
 
3
)
 
3
F
12.1.4Chlormagaluminite
(Mg,Fe
2+
 
)
 
4
Al
 
2
[(OH)
 
12
|(Cl
 
2
,CO
 
3
)] · 2H
 
2
O
12.1.5Defernite
Ca
 
6
(CO
 
3
)
 
2-x
(SiO
 
4
)
 
x
(OH)
 
7
(Cl,OH)
 
1-2x
 (x=0.5)
12.1.6Brenkite
Ca
 
2
[F
 
2
|CO
 
3
]
12.1.7Stenonite
(Sr,Ba,Na)
 
2
AlCO
 
3
F
 
5
12.1.8Bastnäsite-(Ce)
(Ce,La)[F|CO
 
3
]
12.1.9Bastnäsite-(La)
(La,Ce)[F|CO
 
3
]
12.1.10Bastnäsite-(Y)
(Y,Ce)[F|CO
 
3
]
12.1.11Parisite-(Ce)
Ca(Ce,La)
 
2
[F
 
2
|(CO
 
3
)
 
3
]
12.1.12Parisite-(Nd)
Ca(Nd,Ce,La)
 
2
[F
 
2
|(CO
 
3
)
 
3
]
12.1.13Synchysite-(Ce)
Ca(Ce,La)[F|(CO
 
3
)
 
2
]
12.1.14Synchysite-(Y)
Ca(Y,Ce)[F|(CO
 
3
)
 
2
]
12.1.15Synchysite-(Nd)
Ca(Nd,Y,Gd)[F|(CO
 
3
)
 
2
]
12.1.16Röntgenite-(Ce)
Ca
 
2
(Ce,La)
 
3
[F
 
3
|(CO
 
3
)
 
5
]
12.1.17Cordylite-(Ce)
(Na,Ca)BaCe
 
2
(CO
 
3
)
 
4
F
12.1.19Huanghoite-(Ce)
BaCe[F|(CO
 
3
)
 
2
]
12.1.20Zhonghuacerite-(Ce)
Ba
 
2
Ce[F|(CO
 
3
)
 
3
]
12.1.21Cebaite-(Ce)
Ba
 
3
Ce
 
2
[F
 
2
|(CO
 
3
)
 
5
]
12.1.22Thorbastnäsite
Th(Ca,Ce)(CO
 
3
)
 
2
F
 
2
·3H
 
2
O
12.1.23Phosgenite
Pb
 
2
[Cl
 
2
|CO
 
3
]
12.1.24Barstowite
Pb
 
4
[Cl
 
6
|CO
 
3
] · H
 
2
O
12.1.25Albrechtschraufite
Ca
 
4
Mg(UO
 
2
)
 
2
[F
 
2
|(CO
 
3
)
 
6
] · 17 H
 
2
O
12.1.26Kettnerite
(BiO)Ca[F|CO
 
3
]

Other Names for Northupite

German names:
Northupit
Russian names:
Нортупит
Spanish names:
Northupita

Other Information

Other Information:Readily soluble in dilute acids with effervescence. Decomposed by hot water with the separation of magnesium carbonate.
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 Northupite

Reference List:Foote (1895) American Journal of Science: 50: 480.

de Schulten (1906) Bulletin de la Société française de Minéralogie: 19: 164.

Pratt, Joseph Hyde (1896), On northupite; pirssonite, a new mineral; Gaylussite and hanksite from Borax Lake, San Bernardino County, California: American Journal of Science, 4th. series: 2: 123-135; …Zeitschr. Kristallographie, Band 27: 416-429 (1896); …(abstract): Neues Jahrb., Band 2: 451-455 (1897).

de Schulten (1906) Comptes rendu de l’Académie des sciences de Paris: 143: 403.

Gossner and Koch (1931) Zeitschrift für Kristallographie, Mineralogie und Petrographie, Leipzig: 80: 458.

Shiba and Watanabé (1931) Comptes rendu de l’Académie des sciences de Paris: 193: 1421.

Watanabé (1933) Sci. Pap. Inst. Phys. Chem. Res., Tokyo: 21: 35.

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: 278-279.

Tschermaks Mineralogische und Petrographische Mitteilungen (1975): 22: 158-163.

Internet Links for Northupite

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  • Raman and XRD data at RRUFF project
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  • Northupite details from Handbook of Mineralogy (PDF)
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    Localities for Northupite

    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.
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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.
    Bosnia and Herzegovina
     
    • Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina
      • Tuzla Canton
        • Tuzla
    		Am Min 79: pp 562-569
    Egypt
     
    • Western Desert
    		Collection Elmar Lackner
    Hungary
     
    • Heves Co.
      • Mátra Mts.
        • Recsk
    		Szakáll & Gatter: Hun. Min.Spec., 1993
    Uganda
     
    • Kasese District
    		P Bongaerts collection
    USA
     
    • California
      • Lake Co.
        • Clear Lake Oaks
          • Clear Lake
    		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: 233, 235.
      • San Bernardino Co.
    		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: 279, 340, 633; Tschermaks Min. Pet. Mitt. 22 (1975), 158.
    • Colorado
      • Rio Blanco Co.
        • Piceance Basin
          • Green River Formation
    		Minerals of Colorado (1997) E.B. Eckels
        • Piceance Creek Basin
    		Minerals of Colorado (1997) E.B. Eckels
    • Utah
      • Duchesne Co.
    		UGMS Bull 117 Minerals and Mineral Localities of Utah
    http://gsa.confex.com/gsa/2002AM/finalprogram/abstract_45510.htm.
    Am Min 58:211-217
    • Wisconsin
      • Dodge Co.
        • Iron Ridge District (Neda Iron District)
    		Rocks & Min. Vol. 73 (1998)
    • Wyoming
      • Sweetwater Co.
    		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: 139, 279.
    Am Min 26:646-650
    Mineral and/or Locality
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