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Pachnolite

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Ivittuut (Ivigtut), Arsuk Firth, Arsuk, Kitaa (West Greenland) Province, Greenland
© Elmar Lackner

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Formula:
NaCaAlF
 
6
·H
 
2
O
System:MonoclinicColour:Colourless, white; ...
Lustre:VitreousHardness:3
Name:From the Greek πάχνη, frost, and λίθος, stone, in allusion to its appearance.
Dimorph of:Thomsenolite
This page provides mineralogical data about Pachnolite.

Classification of Pachnolite

IMA status:Valid - first described prior to 1959 (pre-IMA) - "Grandfathered"
Strunz 8th edition ID:3/C.02-10
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:3.CB.40

3 : HALIDES
C : Complex halides
B : Neso-aluminofluorides
Dana 8th edition ID:11.6.5.1

11 : HALIDE COMPLEXES
6 : Aluminofluorides - Isolated Octahedra
Hey's CIM Ref.:8.6.18

8 : Halides - Fluorides, Chlorides, Bromides and Iodides; also Fluoborates and Fluosilicates
6 : Halides of Al
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Type Occurrence of Pachnolite

Type Locality:Cryolite deposit, Ivittuut (Ivigtut), Arsuk Firth, Arsuk, Kitaa (West Greenland) Province, Greenland
Year of Discovery:1863
Associated Minerals at type locality:
Thomsenolite

Physical Properties of Pachnolite

Lustre:Vitreous
Diaphaneity (Transparency):Transparent, Translucent
Colour:Colourless, white; colourless in transmitted light.
Streak:White
Hardness (Mohs):3
Tenacity:Brittle
Cleavage:Poor/Indistinct
On {001}.
Fracture:Irregular/Uneven
Density (measured):2.983 g/cm3
Density (calculated):2.97 g/cm3

Crystallography of Pachnolite

Crystal System:Monoclinic
Class (H-M):2/m - Prismatic
Cell Parameters:a = 12.14Å, b = 10.41Å, c = 15.72Å
β = 90.33°
Ratio:a:b:c = 1.166 : 1 : 1.51
Unit Cell Volume:V 1,986.62 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Morphology:Crystals prismatic [001], commonly acutely terminated. Terminated by {001} at times. {110} striated parallel to the intersection with {001}. Massive, cleavale to granular; stalactitic masses.
Twinning:On {100} common, yielding crystals with an orthorhombic appearance.
Crystal Atlas:
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Pachnolite no.10 - Goldschmidt (1913-1926)
Pachnolite no.11 - Goldschmidt (1913-1926)

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Epitaxial Relationships of Pachnolite

Epitaxial Minerals:
Thomsenolite
Epitaxi Comments:Oriented growths of thomsenolite on pachnolite, with thomsenolite (001) and (110) quasi-parallel to pachnolite (110) and (001). Also with thomsenolite (110) and (110) quasi-parallel to pachnolite (110) and (001).

Optical Data of Pachnolite

Type:Biaxial (+)
RI values: nα = 1.411 nβ = 1.413 nγ = 1.420
Maximum Birefringence:δ = 0.009

Chart shows birefringence interference colour range (at 30µm thickness) and does not take into account mineral colouration.
Surface Relief:Moderate
Dispersion:r > v

Chemical Properties of Pachnolite

Formula:
NaCaAlF
 
6
·H
 
2
O
Essential elements:Al, Ca, F, H, Na, O
All elements listed in formula:Al, Ca, F, H, Na, O

Relationship of Pachnolite to other Species

Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):
3.CB.05Cryolithionite
Na
 
3
Li
 
3
[AlF
 
6
]
 
2
3.CB.15Cryolite
Na
 
3
[AlF
 
6
]
3.CB.15Elpasolite
NaK
 
2
[AlF
 
6
]
3.CB.15Simmonsite
Na
 
2
Li[AlF
 
6
]
3.CB.20Colquiriite
CaLi[AlF
 
6
]
3.CB.25Weberite
Na
 
2
Mg[F|AlF
 
6
]
3.CB.30Karasugite
SrCa[Al(F,OH)
 
7
]
3.CB.35Usovite
Ba
 
2
CaMgAl
 
2
F
 
14
3.CB.40Thomsenolite
NaCaAlF
 
6
·H
 
2
O
3.CB.45Carlhintzeite
Ca
 
2
[F|AlF
 
6
] · H
 
2
O
3.CB.50Yaroslavite
Ca
 
3
Al
 
2
F
 
10
(OH)
 
2
·H
 
2
O
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:
8.6.1Zharchikhite
AlF(OH)
 
2
8.6.2Chloraluminite
AlCl
 
3
·6H
 
2
O
8.6.3Cadwaladerite
Al(OH)
 
2
Cl·4H
 
2
O
8.6.4Cryolithionite
Na
 
3
Li
 
3
[AlF
 
6
]
 
2
8.6.5Cryolite
Na
 
3
[AlF
 
6
]
8.6.6Chiolite
Na
 
3
Al
 
3
F
 
14
8.6.7Elpasolite
NaK
 
2
[AlF
 
6
]
8.6.8Weberite
Na
 
2
Mg[F|AlF
 
6
]
8.6.9Ralstonite
NaMgAl(F,OH)
 
6
·H
 
2
O
8.6.10Koenenite
Na
 
4
Mg
 
9
Al
 
4
Cl
 
12
(OH)
 
22
8.6.11 Chlor-manasseite
Mg
 
x
Al(OH)
 
2x+2
Cl·(x-0.8)H
 
2
O x about 1.75
8.6.12Gearksutite
Ca[Al(F,OH)
 
5
(H
 
2
O)]
8.6.13Prosopite
CaAl
 
2
(F,OH)
 
8
8.6.14Yaroslavite
Ca
 
3
Al
 
2
F
 
10
(OH)
 
2
·H
 
2
O
8.6.15Carlhintzeite
Ca
 
2
[F|AlF
 
6
] · H
 
2
O
8.6.16Colquiriite
CaLi[AlF
 
6
]
8.6.17Thomsenolite
NaCaAlF
 
6
·H
 
2
O
8.6.19Zirklerite
(Fe,Mg,Ca)
 
9
Al
 
4
Cl
 
18
(OH)
 
12
·14H
 
2
O (?)

Other Names for Pachnolite

Synonyms:
Pyroconite
German names:
PachnolithPyroconit
Spanish names:
PachnolitaPyroconita

Other Information

Other Information:Readily soluble in H2SO4.
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 Pachnolite

Reference List:Knop (1863) Annalen der Physik, Halle, Leipzig: 127: 61.

Wöhler (1875) Annalen der Physik, Halle, Leipzig: 180: 231 (as Pyroconite).

Koenig (1876) Proceedings of the Academy of Science, Philadelphia: 42.

Des Cloizeaux (1882) Bulletin de la Société française de Minéralogie: 5: 310.

Groth (1883) Zeitschrift für Kristallographie, Mineralogie und Petrographie, Leipzig: 7: 457.

Cross and Hillebrand (1885) USGS Bulletin 20: 49.

Krenner (1885) Zeitschrift für Kristallographie, Mineralogie und Petrographie, Leipzig: 10: 528.

Dana, E.S. (1892) System of Mineralogy, 6th. Edition, New York: 179.

Goldschmidt, V. (1920) Atlas der Krystallformen. 9 volumes, atlas, and text: vol. 6: 113.

Larsen, E.S. and Berman, H. (1934) The Microscopic Determination of the Nonopaque Minerals, Second edition, USGS Bulletin 848: 95.

Ferguson (1946) Transactions of the Royal Society of Canada, Sect. 4: 40: 11

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: 114-116.

Canadian Mineralogist (1983): 21: 561-566.

Neues Jahrbuch für Mineralogie, Monatshefte (1983): 241.

Mineralogical Record (1993): 24: 34.

Internet Links for Pachnolite

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    Localities for Pachnolite

    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.
    Argentina
     
    • Córdoba
      • Punilla Department
        • Tanti
          • Cerro Blanco pegmatite district
    		Am Min 53:416-431
    Brazil
     
    • Northeast Region
      • Paraíba
        • Pedra Lavrada
    		R. Wegner, H. Pöllmann, T. Witzke, & W. Schuckmann (1998): Colquiriite, carlhintzeite, ralstonite and pachnolite from Serra Branca-Pegmatite/Brazil.- Proceedings 17th General Meeting, IMA, August 1998, Toronto, A151
    Germany
     
    • Bavaria
      • Upper Palatinate
        • Oberpfälzer Wald
          • Vohenstrauß
            • Waidhaus
              • Hagendorf
    		http://www.berthold-weber.de/h_miner.htm
    Greenland
     
    • Kitaa (West Greenland) Province
      • Arsuk
        • Arsuk Firth
          • Ivittuut (Ivigtut)
    		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: 112; Canadian Mineralogist, 21, 561 (1983); Lapis 11 (1985), 9
    Norway
     
    • Oppland
      • Lunner
        • Nordmarka
    		Raade, G & Haug, J.(1980): " Rare Fluorides from a soda granite in the Oslo Region, Norway".Mineralogical Record, 11,83-91
    Russia
     
    • Urals Region
      • Chelyabinsk Oblast'
        • Ilmen Mts
          • Ilmen Natural Reserve
    Ukraine
     
    • Zhytomyr Oblast' (Zhitomir Oblast')
    		Yurk Yu.Yu., Gurov E.P., Gurova E.P. (1973) Pecularities of fluorin mineralogy of Ukrainian crystalline shield, - Naukova Dumka, Kiev, pp.184 (in Russian).
    USA
     
    • Colorado
      • El Paso Co.
        • Cheyenne District (St. Peters Dome District)
    		Minerals of Colorado (1997) Eckel, E. B.
    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: 112, 120, 122; Minerals of Colorado (1997) Eckel, E. B.
    Am Min 51:299-323
    Am Min 51:299-323
    Minerals of Colorado (1997) Eckels, E. B.; Am Min 51:299-323
      • Fremont Co.
    		"Minerals of Colorado, updated & revised", p. 16, by Eckel, Edwin B., 1997
    • Florida
      • Hillsborough Co.
        • Tampa
    		AmMin 67:1258
    • Nevada
      • Mineral Co.
        • Fitting District
          • Gillis Range
    		Mineralogical Record: 31: 204.
    • Virginia
      • Amelia Co.
        • Winterham
    		[L.E. Kearns, 1995 - Mineralogical Record Vol 26 No.6 - "Alumino-Fluorides from the Morefield Pegmatite"]
    Mineral and/or Locality
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