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Orientite

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

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Formula:
Ca
 
2
Mn
2+
 
Mn
3+
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:Firmeza District, 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
Mn
2+
 
Mn
3+
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
2+
4
(HAsSi
 
3
O
 
13
)
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
(Si
 
3
O
 
10
)(SiO
 
4
)
 
2
(AsO
 
4
,VO
 
4
)(OH)
 
6
9.BJ.40Ardennite-(V)
Mn
2+
4
Al
 
4
(Mg,Al,Fe
3+
 
,Mn
3+
 
)
 
2
(Si
 
3
O
 
10
)(SiO
 
4
)
 
2
(VO
 
4
,SiO
 
4
)(OH)
 
6
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
(Si
 
3
O
 
10
)(SiO
 
4
)
 
2
(OH,O)
 
8
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
(Si
 
4
O
 
10
)(OH)
 
2
14.18.5Shafranovskite
(Na,K)
 
6
(Mn,Fe)
 
3
Si
 
9
O
 
24
 · 6H
 
2
O
14.18.6Abswurmbachite
CuMn
3+
6
(SiO
 
4
)O
 
8
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
2+
 
,Mg)
 
5
Fe
3+
 
(Fe
3+
 
Si
 
3
O
 
10
)(OH)
 
8
14.18.11 Tirodite
14.18.12Manganhumite
(Mn
2+
 
,Mg)
 
7
(SiO
 
4
)
 
3
(OH)
 
2
14.18.13Bustamite
CaMn
2+
 
(Si
 
2
O
 
6
)
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
(SiO
 
4
)O
 
8
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
 
4
Mn
2+
3
Ti
 
0.25
Si
 
8
O
 
20
(OH)
 
2
 · 10H
 
2
O
14.18.31Richterite
{Na}{CaNa}{Mg
 
5
}(Si
 
8
O
 
22
)(OH)
 
2
14.18.32Byelorussite-(Ce)
NaBa
 
2
Ce
 
2
MnTi
 
2
[Si
 
4
O
 
12
]
 
2
O
 
2
(F,OH) · H
 
2
O
14.18.33Deerite
(Fe,Mn)
 
6
(Fe,Al)
 
3
[Si
 
6
O
 
17
]O
 
3
(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+
 
)(SiO
 
4
)(O,OH)
 
3

Other Names for Orientite

Other Languages:
German:Orientit
Russian:Ориентит
Simplified Chinese:锰柱石
Spanish: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
  • Orientite details from Handbook of Mineralogy (PDF)
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    • Localities for Orientite

    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.
    Cuba
     
    • Oriente Province
    		AM 70 (1985), 171; HB2/2 (1995)
    Italy
     
    • Liguria
      • La Spezia Province
        • Vara Valley
          • Borghetto Vara
    		Palenzona A. (1990) - Orientite e MacFallite di Cerchiara (La Spezia) - Rivista Mineralogica Italiana, Milano, Fasc. 2, pp111-114 - [AmMin 86:197]
    Japan
     
    • Hokkaido
      • Abashiri Province
        • Tokoro-gun
    		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).
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