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Paracelsian

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Benallt Mine (Tyddyn Meirion mine; Ty Canol mine), Rhiw, Llanfaelrhys, Lleyn Peninsula, Gwynedd (Caernarvonshire), Wales, UK
© ian Jones

Show Paracelsian Photos (3)
Formula:
Ba[Al
 
2
Si
 
2
O
 
8
]
System:MonoclinicColour:Colourless to white, ...
Hardness:6
Name:From the Greek for "near" and "Celsian" in allusion to its relationship to that species.
Dimorph of:Celsian


Feldspar Group. The pseudo-orthorhombic (90.01°) dimorph of Celsian.

Classification of Paracelsian

IMA status:Valid - first described prior to 1959 (pre-IMA) - "Grandfathered"
Strunz 8th edition ID:8/J.06-70
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:9.FA.40

9 : SILICATES (Germanates)
F : Tektosilicates without zeolitic H2O
A : Tektosilicates without additional non-tetrahedral anions
Dana 8th edition ID:76.1.5.1

76 : TECTOSILICATES Al-Si Framework
1 : Al-Si Framework with Al-Si frameworks
Hey's CIM Ref.:16.12.5

16 : Silicates Containing Aluminum and other Metals
12 : Aluminosilicates of Sr, Ba and Zn
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Type Occurrence of Paracelsian

Type Locality:Candoglia quarries, Candoglia, Mergozzo, Verbano-Cusio-Ossola Province, Piedmont, Italy
Year of Discovery:1905

Physical Properties of Paracelsian

Diaphaneity (Transparency):Transparent, Translucent
Colour:Colourless to white, light yellow tint.
Hardness (Mohs):6

Crystallography of Paracelsian

Crystal System:Monoclinic
Cell Parameters:a = 9.07Å, b = 9.58Å, c = 8.57Å
β = 90.01°
Ratio:a:b:c = 0.947 : 1 : 0.895
Unit Cell Volume:V 744.65 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Morphology:Crystals prismatic, with {110} and {120} dominant, and with chisel-shaped terminations formed by {201}.
Twinning:Twinning on {100}, simple; on {201}, lamellar.
Comment:Pseudo-orthorhombic.

Optical Data of Paracelsian

Type:Biaxial (-)
RI values: nα = 1.570 nβ = 1.582 nγ = 1.587
Maximum Birefringence:δ = 0.017

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 Paracelsian

Formula:
Ba[Al
 
2
Si
 
2
O
 
8
]
Essential elements:Al, Ba, O, Si
All elements listed in formula:Al, Ba, O, Si
Common Impurities:Fe,Mg,Ca,Na,K,H2O

Relationship of Paracelsian to other Species

Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):
9.FA.IMA2007-049
NaAlSi
 
3
O
 
8
9.FA.05Kaliophilite
K[AlSiO
 
4
]
9.FA.05Kalsilite
K[AlSiO
 
4
]
9.FA.05Nepheline
(Na,K)[AlSiO
 
4
]
9.FA.05Panunzite
(Na,K)[AlSiO
 
4
]
9.FA.05Trikalsilite
(Na,K)[AlSiO
 
4
]
9.FA.05Yoshiokaite
(Ca,Na)[Al(Al,Si)O
 
4
]
9.FA.05Megakalsilite
KAlSiO
 
4
9.FA.10Malinkoite
NaBSiO
 
4
9.FA.15Virgilite
LiAlSi
 
2
O
 
6
9.FA.25Lisitsynite
KBSi
 
2
O
 
6
9.FA.30Adularia
KAlSi
 
3
O
 
8
9.FA.30Anorthoclase
(Na,K)[AlSi
 
3
O
 
8
]
9.FA.30Buddingtonite
(NH
 
4
)[AlSi
 
3
O
 
8
]
9.FA.30Celsian
Ba[Al
 
2
Si
 
2
O
 
8
]
9.FA.30Hyalophane
(K,Ba)[Al(Si,Al)Si
 
2
O
 
8
]
9.FA.30Microcline
K[AlSi
 
3
O
 
8
]
9.FA.30Orthoclase
K[AlSi
 
3
O
 
8
]
9.FA.30Sanidine
K[AlSi
 
3
O
 
8
]
9.FA.30Rubicline
(Rb,K)[AlSi
 
3
O
 
8
]
9.FA.30Kokchetavite
KAlSi
 
3
O
 
8
9.FA.30Monalbite
Na[AlSi
 
3
O
 
8
]
9.FA.35Albite
Na[AlSi
 
3
O
 
8
]
9.FA.35Andesine
(Na,Ca)[Al(Si,Al)Si
 
2
O
 
8
]
9.FA.35Anorthite
Ca[Al
 
2
Si
 
2
O
 
8
]
9.FA.35Bytownite
(Ca,Na)[Al(Al,Si)Si
 
2
O
 
8
]
9.FA.35Labradorite
(Ca,Na)[Al(Al,Si)Si
 
2
O
 
8
]
9.FA.35Oligoclase
(Na,Ca)[Al(Si,Al)Si
 
2
O
 
8
]
9.FA.35Reedmergnerite
Na[BSi
 
3
O
 
8
]
9.FA.35Lingunite
(Na,Ca)AlSi
 
3
O
 
8
9.FA.45Svyatoslavite
Ca[Al
 
2
Si
 
2
O
 
8
]
9.FA.50Slawsonite
(Sr,Ca)[Al
 
2
Si
 
2
O
 
8
]
9.FA.55Lisetite
CaNa
 
2
Al
 
4
Si
 
4
O
 
16
9.FA.60Banalsite
BaNa
 
2
[Al
 
2
Si
 
2
O
 
8
]
 
2
9.FA.60Stronalsite
SrNa
 
2
[Al
 
2
Si
 
2
O
 
8
]
 
2
9.FA.65Danburite
Ca[BSiO
 
4
]
 
2
9.FA.65Maleevite
BaB
 
2
Si
 
2
O
 
8
9.FA.65Pekovite
SrB
 
2
Si
 
2
O
 
8
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:
16.12.1Stronalsite
SrNa
 
2
[Al
 
2
Si
 
2
O
 
8
]
 
2
16.12.2Slawsonite
(Sr,Ca)[Al
 
2
Si
 
2
O
 
8
]
16.12.3Brewsterite
16.12.4Celsian
Ba[Al
 
2
Si
 
2
O
 
8
]
16.12.6Cymrite
BaAl
 
2
Si
 
2
(O,OH)
 
8
·H
 
2
O
16.12.7Edingtonite
Ba[Al
 
2
Si
 
3
O
 
10
] · 4H
 
2
O
16.12.8Banalsite
BaNa
 
2
[Al
 
2
Si
 
2
O
 
8
]
 
2
16.12.9Harmotome
(Ba
 
0.5
,Ca
 
0.5
,K,Na)
 
5
[Al
 
5
Si
 
11
O
 
32
] ·12H
 
2
O
16.12.10Hyalophane
(K,Ba)[Al(Si,Al)Si
 
2
O
 
8
]
16.12.11Balipholite
BaLiMg
 
2
Al
 
3
[(OH)
 
4
|Si
 
2
O
 
6
]
 
2
16.12.12Armenite
BaCa
 
2
Al
 
6
Si
 
9
O
 
30
·2H
 
2
O
16.12.13Wellsite
(Ba,Ca,K
 
2
)Al
 
2
Si
 
6
O
 
16
·6H
 
2
O
16.12.14Merlinoite
(K,Na)
 
5
(Ca,Ba)
 
2
Al
 
9
Si
 
23
O
 
64
·23H
 
2
O
16.12.15Anandite
(Ba,K)(Fe
2+
 
,Mg)
 
3
[(O,OH)
 
2
|(Si,Al,Fe)
 
4
O
 
10
]
16.12.16Fraipontite
(Zn,Al)
 
3
[(OH)
 
4
|(Si,Al)
 
2
O
 
5
]
16.12.17Sauconite
Na
 
0.3
Zn
 
3
(Si,Al)
 
4
O
 
10
(OH)
 
2
·4H
 
2
O
16.12.18Minehillite
(K,Na)
 
2-3
Ca
 
28
Zn
 
4
Al
 
4
Si
 
40
O
 
112
(OH)
 
16
16.12.19Hendricksite
K(Zn,Mg,Mn
2+
 
)
 
3
[(OH)
 
2
|AlSi
 
3
O
 
10
]
16.12.20Baileychlore
(Zn,Fe,Al,Mg)
 
6
(Si,Al)
 
4
O
 
10
(OH)
 
8

Other Names for Paracelsian

Russian names:
Парацельзиан

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 Paracelsian

Reference List:Tacconi, E. (1905) Di un silicato di alluminio e bario [paracelsian] dei calcefiri di Candoglia in valle del Toce. Rend. R. Istit. Lombardo Sci. Lett., Milano, 38, 636-643 (in Italian).

Mineralogical Magazine (1907): 14: 406 (abstract).

Spencer, L.J. (1942) Barium feldspars, (celsian and paracelsian) from Wales. Mineralogical Magazine, 26, 231-245.

Smith, J.V. (1953) The crystal structure of paracelsian, BaAl2Si2O8: Acta Crystalographica, 6, 613-620.

Deer, W.A., R.A. Howie, and J. Zussman (1963) Rock-forming Minerals, vol. 4, Framework Silicates, 166-178.

Chiari, G., G. Gazzoni, J.R. Craig, G.V. Gibbs, and S.J. Louisnathan (1985) Two independent refinements of the structure of paracelsian, BaAl2Si2O8: American Mineralogist: 70: 969-974.

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    Localities for Paracelsian

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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.
    Italy
     
    • Piedmont
      • Verbano-Cusio-Ossola Province
        • Mergozzo
          • Candoglia
    		Tacconi, E. (1905): Di un silicato di alluminio e bario dei calcefiri di Candoglia in valle del Toce. Rendiconti del Regio Istituto Lombardo di Scienze e Lettere, Serie II, 38, 636-643.
    UK
     
    • Wales
      • Gwynedd (Caernarvonshire)
        • Lleyn Peninsula
          • Llanfaelrhys
            • Rhiw
    		Spencer, L.J. (1942) Barium feldspars, (celsian and paracelsian) from Wales. Mineralogical Magazine, 26, 231-245.
    Mineral and/or Locality
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