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Olympite

A valid IMA mineral species

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1980 Summer Olympics Emblem

Formula:

Na₅Li(PO₄)₂

Colour:

Colourless

Lustre:

Vitreous

Hardness:

Specific Gravity:

2.8

Crystal System:

Orthorhombic

Name:

Named by A.P. Khomyakov, A.V. Bykova, and Y.A. Malinovskii in 1980 in honor of the 1980 Summer Olympic Games, in Moscow, USSR.

Type Locality:

ⓘ Rasvumchorr Mt, Khibiny Massif, Murmansk Oblast, Russia

This page provides mineralogical data about Olympite.

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Unique IdentifiersHide

Mindat ID:

2989

Long-form identifier:

mindat:1:1:2989:2

GUID
(UUID V4):

5d81f6c9-66ab-4769-bd9e-3b591b0d77fb

IMA Classification of OlympiteHide

IMA status:

Approved

IMA Formula:

LiNa₅(PO₄)₂

Approval year:

1979

First published:

1980

Type description reference:

Khomyakov, A.P., Bykova, A.V., Malinovskii, Y.A. (1980) Olympite, Na3PO4, a new mineral. Zapiski Vsesoyuznogo Mineralogicheskogo Obshchestva: 109(4): 476-479.

Classification of OlympiteHide

Strunz-mindat (2024):

8.AA.30

8 : PHOSPHATES, ARSENATES, VANADATES
A : Phosphates, etc. without additional anions, without H₂O
A : With small cations (some also with larger ones)

Dana 8th ed.:

38.4.10.2

38 : ANHYDROUS NORMAL PHOSPHATES, ARSENATES, AND VANADATES
4 : AXO₄

Hey's CIM Ref.:

19.1.2

19 : Phosphates
1 : Phosphates of the alkali metals

Mineral SymbolsHide

As of 2021 there are now IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols (abbreviations) for each mineral species, useful for tables and diagrams.

Symbol	Source	Reference
Oly	IMA–CNMNC	Warr, L.N. (2021). IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols. Mineralogical Magazine, 85(3), 291-320. doi:10.1180/mgm.2021.43

Physical Properties of OlympiteHide

Lustre:

Vitreous

Transparency:

Translucent

Colour:

Colourless

Streak:

White

Hardness:

4 on Mohs scale

Hardness:

VHN₄₀=274 - 395 kg/mm² - Vickers

Comment:

VHN 310 average.

Tenacity:

Brittle

Cleavage:

None Observed

Fracture:

Conchoidal

Density:

2.8 g/cm³ (Measured) 2.85 g/cm³ (Calculated)

Optical Data of OlympiteHide

Type:

Biaxial (+)

RI values:

n_α = 1.510(2) n_β = 1.510(2) n_γ = 1.512(2)

2V:

Measured: 46° (1)

Max Birefringence:

δ = 0.002

Image shows birefringence interference colour range (at 30µm thickness)
and does not take into account mineral colouration.

Surface Relief:

Low

Dispersion:

relatively strong

Chemistry of OlympiteHide

Mindat Formula:

Na₅Li(PO₄)₂

Elements listed:

Li, Na, O, P - search for minerals with similar chemistry

Crystallography of OlympiteHide

Crystal System:

Orthorhombic

Class (H-M):

2 2 2 - Disphenoidal

Space Group:

P2₁ 2₁ 2₁

Cell Parameters:

a = 10.124(2) Å, b = 14.794(2) Å, c = 10.132(3) Å

Ratio:

a:b:c = 0.684 : 1 : 0.685

Unit Cell V:

1,517.51 Å³ (Calculated from Unit Cell)

Crystal StructureHide

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Data courtesy of the American Mineralogist Crystal Structure Database. Click on an AMCSD ID to view structure

ID	Species	Reference	Link	Year	Locality	Pressure (GPa)	Temp (K)
0012344	Olympite	Rastsvetaeva R K, Khomyakov A P (1994) A comparative crystal-chemical study of the lithium-sodium phosphates (lithiophosphate, nalipoite, olympite, and Na3PO4) Crystallography Reports 39 35-41		1994	Khibini alkaline massif, Kola Peninsula, Russia	0	293

CIF Raw Data - click here to close

data_global
_chemical_name_mineral 'Olympite'
loop_
_publ_author_name
'Rastsvetaeva R K'
'Khomyakov A P'
_journal_name_full 'Crystallography Reports'
_journal_volume 39 
_journal_year 1994
_journal_page_first 35
_journal_page_last 41
_publ_section_title
;
 A comparative crystal-chemical study of the lithium-sodium phosphates
 (lithiophosphate, nalipoite, olympite, and Na3PO4)
 Note: O5(y) made negative to match reported bond distances
;
_database_code_amcsd 0012344
_chemical_compound_source 'Khibini alkaline massif, Kola Peninsula, Russia'
_chemical_formula_sum 'Li Na5 P2 O8'
_cell_length_a 10.124
_cell_length_b 14.794
_cell_length_c 10.132
_cell_angle_alpha 90
_cell_angle_beta 90
_cell_angle_gamma 90
_cell_volume 1517.515
_exptl_crystal_density_diffrn      2.730
_symmetry_space_group_name_H-M 'P 21 21 21'
loop_
_space_group_symop_operation_xyz
  'x,y,z'
  '-x,1/2+y,1/2-z'
  '1/2+x,1/2-y,-z'
  '1/2-x,-y,1/2+z'
loop_
_atom_site_label
_atom_site_fract_x
_atom_site_fract_y
_atom_site_fract_z
_atom_site_U_iso_or_equiv
Li1   0.49710   0.38890   0.23330   0.01140
Li2   0.00360   0.38970   0.74640   0.01393
Na1   0.25630   0.14440   0.00720   0.01267
Na2   0.48510   0.36330   0.74120   0.01393
Na3   0.22790   0.38640   0.49590   0.01646
Na4   0.27710   0.38680  -0.00100   0.01646
Na5   0.22070   0.24740   0.74880   0.01520
Na6   0.24150   0.14420   0.50690   0.01646
Na7   0.06510   0.00030   0.01670   0.01773
Na8   0.27770   0.24890   0.24800   0.02533
Na9   0.51410   0.49820   0.46310   0.02786
Na10   0.01480   0.36380   0.23990   0.02026
P1   0.50540   0.25110   0.00130   0.00861
P2  -0.00590   0.25010   0.50230   0.00735
P3   0.27460   0.49960   0.74760   0.00773
P4   0.24800  -0.00070   0.27070   0.00722
O1   0.13170   0.27950   0.07030   0.00887
O2   0.47180   0.15580   0.43460   0.01267
O3   0.45750   0.18380   0.10730   0.01267
O4   0.39320   0.26060   0.90020   0.00760
O5   0.40010  -0.00110   0.25360   0.01140
O6   0.37510   0.49940   0.86210   0.01393
O7   0.10400   0.26120   0.39750   0.02026
O8   0.19370   0.08850   0.21080   0.01267
O9   0.19170   0.41340   0.75350   0.01393
O10   0.21540  -0.00110   0.42010   0.01267
O11   0.31250   0.41500   0.26080   0.01900
O12   0.31390   0.08190   0.70390   0.01900
O13   0.14860   0.50190   0.11640   0.01646
O14   0.03780   0.16080   0.92720   0.02280
O15   0.03560   0.17820   0.60380   0.02280
O16   0.36960   0.28040   0.56830   0.02026

X-Ray Powder DiffractionHide

Powder Diffraction Data:

d-spacing	Intensity
2.582 Å	(10)
4.18 Å	(9)
2.531 Å	(7)
2.433 Å	(7)
1.472 Å	(7)
3.58 Å	(6)
3.70 Å	(5)

Geological EnvironmentHide

Paragenetic Mode(s):

Paragenetic Mode	Earliest Age (Ga)
Stage 4b: Highly evolved igneous rocks	>3.0
35 : Ultra-alkali and agpaitic igneous rocks

Type Occurrence of OlympiteHide

Type Locality:

ⓘ Rasvumchorr Mt, Khibiny Massif, Murmansk Oblast, Russia

General Appearance of Type Material:

Oval grains, to 5 mm.

Place of Conservation of Type Material:

Geology Museum, Kola Branch, Academy of Sciences, Apatity, 5533.
Mining Institute, St. Petersburg, 1208/1.
I.M.G.R.E., Moscow.
A.E. Fersman Mineralogical Museum, Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia, 80180.

Geological Setting of Type Material:

Nepheline syenite pegmatite.

Associated Minerals at Type Locality:

Nahpoite	Dorfmanite	Sidorenkite	Villiaumite	Shafranovskite
Aegirine

Reference:

Khomyakov, A.P., Bykova, A.V., Malinovskii, Y.A. (1980) Olympite, Na3PO4, a new mineral. Zapiski Vsesoyuznogo Mineralogicheskogo Obshchestva: 109(4): 476-479.

Synonyms of OlympiteHide

IMA1979-065

Other Language Names for OlympiteHide

German:Olympit

Russian:Олимпит

Spanish:Olympita

Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat Grouping Hide

8.AA.05	Alarsite	AlAsO₄	Trig. 3 2 : P3₁ 2 1
8.AA.05	Berlinite	AlPO₄	Trig. 3 2 : P3₁ 2 1
8.AA.10	Beryllonite	NaBePO₄	Mon. 2/m : P2₁/b
8.AA.15	Hurlbutite	CaBe₂(PO₄)₂	Mon. 2/m : P2₁/b
8.AA.20	Lithiophosphate	Li₃PO₄	Orth. mm2 : Pmn2₁
8.AA.25	Nalipoite	NaLi₂PO₄	Orth. mmm (2/m 2/m 2/m)

Other InformationHide

Notes:

Easily soluble in cold H2O;

Special Storage/
Display Requirements:

decomposes rapidly in air

Health Risks:

No information on health risks for this material has been entered into the database. You should always treat mineral specimens with care.

Internet Links for OlympiteHide

mindat.org URL:

https://www.mindat.org/min-2989.html
Please feel free to link to this page.

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External Links:

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Raman and XRD data at RRUFF project

References and PDF downloads at RRUFF project

American Mineralogist Crystal Structure Database

Handbook of Mineralogy page PDF

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References for OlympiteHide

Reference List:

Khomyakov, A.P., Bykova, A.V., Malinovskii, Y.A. (1980) Olympite, Na3PO4, a new mineral. Zapiski Vsesoyuznogo Mineralogicheskogo Obshchestva: 109(4): 476-479.

Fleischer, Michael, Pabst, Adolf (1981) New Mineral Names. American Mineralogist, 66 (3-4) 436-439

Rastsvetaeva, R.K., Khomyakov, A.P. (1992) Crystal structure of the Li-bearing analogue of olympite. Doklady Akademii Nauk: 320(4-6): 499-503. (in Russian)

Malinovskii, Yu.A., Genkina, E.A. (1992) Crystal structure of olympite LiNas[P04]. Soviet Physics Crystallography: 37(6): 772-776.

Rastsvetaeva, R.K., Khomyakov, A.P. (1994) A comparative crystal-chemical study of the lithium-sodium phosphates (lithiophosphate, nalipoite, olympite, and Na3PO4). Crystallography Reports: 39: 35-41.

Jambor, John L., Roberts, Andrew C., Puziewicz, Jacek (1994) New Mineral Names. American Mineralogist, 79 (5-6) 570-574

Jambor, J.L., Puziewicz, J., Roberts, A.C. (1995) New mineral names. American Mineralogist: 80: 404-409.

(2023) Olympite. Handbook of Mineralogy. Mineralogical Society of America

Localities for OlympiteHide

This 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.

Locality ListHide

- This locality has map coordinates listed.

- This locality has estimated coordinates. ⓘ - Click for references and further information on this occurrence. ? - Indicates mineral may be doubtful at this locality.

- Good crystals or important locality for species.

- World class for species or very significant. (TL) - Type Locality for a valid mineral species. (FRL) - First Recorded Locality for everything else (eg varieties). ~~Struck out~~ - Mineral was erroneously reported from this locality. Faded * - Never found at this locality but inferred to have existed at some point in the past (e.g. from pseudomorphs).

All localities listed without proper references should be considered as questionable.


Russia (TL)
Murmansk Oblast Khibiny Massif ⓘ Rasvumchorr Mt (TL)	Clark (1993) +2 other references
ⓘ Lovozero Massif	...

Olympite

Unique IdentifiersHide

IMA Classification of OlympiteHide

Classification of OlympiteHide

Mineral SymbolsHide

Physical Properties of OlympiteHide

Optical Data of OlympiteHide

Chemistry of OlympiteHide

Crystallography of OlympiteHide

Crystal StructureHide

X-Ray Powder DiffractionHide

Geological EnvironmentHide

Type Occurrence of OlympiteHide

Synonyms of OlympiteHide

Other Language Names for OlympiteHide

Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat GroupingHide

Other InformationHide

Internet Links for OlympiteHide

References for OlympiteHide

Localities for OlympiteHide

Locality ListHide

Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat Grouping Hide