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Orientite

Big Photo

Manganese Mine, Copper Harbor, Keweenaw Co., Michigan, USA
© Leon Hupperichs

Show Orientite Photos (5)
Formula:
Ca
 
2
MnMn
 
2
Si
 
3
O
 
10
(OH)
 
4
System:OrthorhombicHardness:4 - 5
This page provides mineralogical data about Orientite.

Classification of Orientite

IMA status:Valid - first described prior to 1959 (pre-IMA) - "Grandfathered"
Strunz 8th edition ID:8/C.34-20
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:9.BJ.05

9 : SILICATES (Germanates)
B : Sorosilicates
J : Sorosilicates with Si3O10, Si4O11, etc. anions; cations in octahedral [6] and greater coordination
Dana 8th edition ID:58.3.1.2

58 : SOROSILICATES Insular, Mixed, Single, and Larger Tetrahedral Groups
3 : Insular, Mixed, Single, and Larger Tetrahedral Groups with insular single and triple groups (n=1, 3)
Hey's CIM Ref.:14.18.22

14 : Silicates not Containing Aluminum
18 : Silicates of Mn and Na, K, Mg, Ca or Fe
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Type Occurrence of Orientite

Type Locality:Oriente Province, Cuba
Year of Discovery:1921

Physical Properties of Orientite

Hardness (Mohs):4 - 5

Crystallography of Orientite

Crystal System:Orthorhombic
Cell Parameters:a = 6.08Å, b = 9.04Å, c = 19.14Å
Ratio:a:b:c = 0.673 : 1 : 2.117
Unit Cell Volume:V 1,052.00 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)

Optical Data of Orientite

Type:Biaxial (+)
RI values: nα = 1.758 nβ = 1.776 nγ = 1.795
2V:Measured: 68° to 83°, Calculated: 90°
Maximum Birefringence:δ = 0.037

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

Chemical Properties of Orientite

Formula:
Ca
 
2
MnMn
 
2
Si
 
3
O
 
10
(OH)
 
4
Essential elements:Ca, H, Mn, O, Si
All elements listed in formula:Ca, H, Mn, O, Si
Common Impurities:Al,Fe,V,Cu,Mg,K,H2O,S

Relationship of Orientite to other Species

Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):
9.BJ.10Rosenhahnite
HCa
 
3
[Si
 
3
O
 
9
(OH)]
9.BJ.15Trabzonite
Ca
 
4
Si
 
3
O
 
10
·2H
 
2
O
9.BJ.20Thalénite-(Y)
Y
 
3
Si
 
3
O
 
10
(OH)
9.BJ.20Fluorthalénite-(Y)
Y
 
3
Si
 
3
O
 
10
F
9.BJ.25Tiragalloite
Mn
 
4
AsSi
 
3
O
 
12
(OH)
9.BJ.30Medaite
(Mn,Ca)
 
6
(V,As)Si
 
5
O
 
18
OH
9.BJ.35Ruizite
Ca
 
2
Mn
3+
2
[(OH)
 
2
|H
 
2
Si
 
4
O
 
13
] · 2H
 
2
O
9.BJ.40Ardennite-(As)
Mn
2+
4
[(Al,Mg)
 
6
][(OH)
 
6
|(AsO
 
4
,VO
 
4
)|(SiO
 
4
)
 
2
|Si
 
3
O
 
10
]
9.BJ.40Ardennite-(V)
Mn
2+
4
[Al
 
4
(Mg,Al,Fe
3+
 
,Mn
3+
 
)
 
2
][(OH)
 
6
|(VO
 
4
,SiO
 
4
)|(SiO
 
4
)
 
2
|Si
 
3
O
 
10
]
9.BJ.45Kilchoanite
Ca
 
3
Si
 
2
O
 
7
9.BJ.50Kornerupine
Mg
 
3
Al
 
6
(Si,Al,B)
 
5
O
 
21
(OH)
9.BJ.50Prismatine
([ ],Fe,Mg)(Mg,Al,Fe)
 
5
Al
 
4
Si
 
2
(Si,Al)
 
2
(B,Si,Al)(O,OH,F)
 
22
9.BJ.55Zunyite
Al
 
13
Si
 
5
O
 
20
(OH,F)
 
18
Cl
9.BJ.60Hubeite
Ca
 
2
Mn
2+
 
Fe
3+
 
[HSi
 
4
O
 
13
] · 2H
 
2
O
9.BJ.65Cassagnaite
(Ca,Mn
2+
 
)
 
4
(Fe
3+
 
,Mn
3+
 
,Al)
 
4
(V
3+
 
,Mg,Al)
 
2
[(O,OH)
 
4
|(OH)
 
4
|(SiO
 
4
)
 
2
|Si
 
3
O
 
10
]
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:
14.18.1Nambulite
(Li,Na)Mn
 
4
Si
 
5
O
 
14
(OH)
14.18.2Natronambulite
(Na,Li)(Mn,Ca)
 
4
Si
 
5
O
 
14
OH
14.18.3Zakharovite
Na
 
4
Mn
 
5
Si
 
10
O
 
24
(OH)
 
6
·6H
 
2
O
14.18.4Norrishite
KLiMn
2+
2
[(OH)
 
2
|Si
 
4
O
 
10
]
14.18.5Shafranovskite
(Na,K)
 
6
(Mn,Fe)
 
3
Si
 
9
O
 
24
·6H
 
2
O
14.18.6Abswurmbachite
CuMn
3+
6
O
 
8
(SiO
 
4
)
14.18.7Donpeacorite
(Mn
2+
 
,Mg)Mg[SiO
 
3
]
 
2
14.18.8Kanoite
Mn
2+
 
(Mg,Mn
2+
 
)[Si
 
2
O
 
6
]
14.18.9Caryopilite
(Mn,Mg)
 
3
Si
 
2
O
 
5
(OH)
 
4
14.18.10Gonyerite
(Mn,Mg)
 
5
Fe(Si
 
3
Fe)O
 
10
(OH)
 
8
14.18.11 Tirodite
14.18.12Manganhumite
(Mn
2+
 
,Mg)
 
7
[(OH)
 
2
|(SiO
 
4
)
 
3
]
14.18.13Bustamite
(Mn
2+
 
,Ca)[SiO
 
3
]
14.18.14Glaucochroite
CaMn
2+
 
[SiO
 
4
]
14.18.15Truscottite
(Ca,Mn)
 
14
Si
 
24
O
 
58
(OH)
 
8
·2H
 
2
O
14.18.16Santaclaraite
CaMn
 
4
[Si
 
5
O
 
14
OH](OH)·H
 
2
O
14.18.17Ferrobustamite
Ca(Fe
2+
 
,Ca,Mn
2+
 
)[Si
 
2
O
 
6
]
14.18.18Johannsenite
CaMn
2+
 
[Si
 
2
O
 
6
]
14.18.19Neltnerite
CaMn
3+
6
[O
 
8
|SiO
 
4
]
14.18.20Orlymanite
Ca
 
4
Mn
 
3
Si
 
8
O
 
20
(OH)
 
6
·2H
 
2
O
14.18.21Inesite
Ca
 
2
(Mn,Fe)
 
7
Si
 
10
O
 
28
(OH)
 
2
·5H
 
2
O
14.18.23Ruizite
Ca
 
2
Mn
3+
2
[(OH)
 
2
|H
 
2
Si
 
4
O
 
13
] · 2H
 
2
O
14.18.24Bostwickite
CaMn
 
6
Si
 
3
O
 
16
·7H
 
2
O
14.18.25Kittatinnyite
Ca
 
2
Mn
 
2
Mn(SiO
 
4
)
 
2
(OH)
 
4
·9H
 
2
O
14.18.26Lithiomarsturite
LiCa
 
2
Mn
 
2
Si
 
5
O
 
14
(OH)
14.18.27Sérandite
Na(Mn
2+
 
,Ca)
 
2
[HSi
 
3
O
 
9
]
14.18.28Kvanefjeldite
Na
 
4
(Ca,Mn)(Si
 
3
O
 
7
)
 
2
(OH)
 
2
14.18.29Marsturite
NaCaMn
 
3
Si
 
5
O
 
14
(OH)
14.18.30Raite
(Na,Ca)
 
4
(Mn,Ti,Fe)
 
3
Si
 
8
O
 
16
(OH)
 
12
·5H
 
2
O
14.18.31Richterite
Na[CaNa][Mg
 
5
][(OH)
 
2
|Si
 
8
O
 
22
]
14.18.32Byelorussite-(Ce)
Ba
 
2
NaCe
 
2
MnTi
 
2
Si
 
8
O
 
26
(F,OH) · H
 
2
O
14.18.33Deerite
(Fe,Mn)
 
6
(Fe,Al)
 
3
Si
 
6
O
 
20
(OH)
 
5
14.18.34Calderite
(Mn
2+
 
,Ca)
 
3
(Fe
3+
 
,Al)
 
2
[SiO
 
4
]
 
3
14.18.35Pyroxmangite
MnSiO
 
3
14.18.36Dannemorite
14.18.37Neotocite
(Mn,Fe,Mg)SiO
 
3
·H
 
2
O
14.18.38Babingtonite
Ca
 
2
(Fe,Mn)FeSi
 
5
O
 
14
(OH)
14.18.39Manganbabingtonite
Ca
 
2
(Mn,Fe)FeSi
 
5
O
 
14
(OH)
14.18.40Örebroite
Mn
2+
3
(Fe
3+
 
,Sb
5+
 
)[(O,OH)
 
3
|SiO
 
4
]

Other Names for Orientite

German names:
Orientit
Russian names:
Ориентит
Spanish names:
Orientita

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 Orientite

Reference List:Hewett, D.F. and E.V. Shannon (1921) Orientite, a new hydrous silicate of manganese and calcium from Cuba. American Journal of Science: 1: 491-506.

Sclar, C.B. (1961) Optical crystallography of orientite from Oriente Province, Cuba. American Mineralogist: 46: 226-232.

Moore, P.B., Ito, J., and Steele, I.M. (1979) Macfallite and orientite: calcium manganese (III) silicates from upper Michigan. Mineralogical Magazine: 43: 325-331.

Moore, P.B., J. Shen, and T. Araki (1985) Crystal chemistry of the 2∞[M 3+ 2ф2(TO4)2] sheet: structural principles and crystal structures of ruizite, macfallite and orientite. American Mineralogist (1985): 70: 171-181.

Mellini M., Merlino S., Pasero M. (1986): X-ray and HRTEM structure analysis of orientite. American Mineralogist: 71: 176-187.

Neues Jahrbuch für Mineralogie, Monatshefte (1989): 455.

Internet Links for Orientite

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

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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.
    Cuba
     
    AM 70 (1985), 171; HB2/2 (1995)
    Italy
     
    • Liguria
      • La Spezia Province
        • Borghetto Vara
          • Faggiona
    		Palenzona A. (1990) - Orientite e MacFallite di Cerchiara (La Spezia) - Rivista Mineralogica Italiana, Milano, Fasc. 2, pp111-114 - [AmMin 86:197]
    Japan
     
    • Hokkaido Island
      • Tokoro District
    		Miyajima, N., Osawa, S., Miura, H., Kikuchi, T. and Hiriya, Yu (1994) Proceedings of the 9th Quadrennial International Association on the Genesis of Ore Deposits (IAGOD) Symposium (Beijing), 603-616.
    South Africa
     
    • Northern Cape Province
      • Kalahari manganese fields
        • Hotazel
    		Minerals of South Africa
    USA
     
    • Michigan
      • Keweenaw Co.
        • Copper Harbor
    		Rocks & min.: 58:111.
    • New York
      • Lewis Co.
        • Diana Township
          • Harrisville
    		Chamberlain, Steven C., Vandall T. King, Donald Cooke, George W. Robinson & Wayne Holt (1999), Minerals of the Gouverneur Talc Company No. 4 Quarry (Valentine deposit), Town of Diana, Lewis County, New York: Rocks & Minerals: 74(4): 236-249 (July, 1999).
    Mineral and/or Locality
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