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Pollucite

Big Photo

La Speranza (Pisani's Quarry), San Piero in Campo, Campo nell'Elba, Elba Island, Livorno Province, Tuscany, Italy
© Jakub Jirásek

Show Pollucite Photos (16)
Formula:
(Cs,Na)
 
2
[Al
 
2
Si
 
4
O
 
12
] · 2H
 
2
O
System:IsometricColour:colorless, white, grey, ...
Hardness:6½
Name:Named after Pollux, a figure from Greek mythology, brother of Castor, for its common association with "castorite" (petalite). The name was later changed to the current Pollucite.


Zeolite Group. Analcime-Pollucite Series. The cesium analogue of Analcime.

Classification of Pollucite

IMA status:Approved
Strunz 8th edition ID:8/J.27-20
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:9.GB.05

9 : SILICATES (Germanates)
G : Tektosilicates with zeolitic H2O; zeolite family
B : Chains of single connected 4-membered rings
Dana 7th edition ID:77.1.1.2
Dana 8th edition ID:77.1.1.2

77 : TECTOSILICATES Zeolites
1 : Zeolite group - True zeolites
Hey's CIM Ref.:16.5.1

16 : Silicates Containing Aluminum and other Metals
5 : Aluminosilicates of Cs, NH4 and Cu
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Type Occurrence of Pollucite

Type Locality:La Speranza (Pisani's Quarry), San Piero in Campo, Campo nell'Elba, Elba Island, Livorno Province, Tuscany, Italy
Year of Discovery:1846

Physical Properties of Pollucite

Lustre:Vitreous, Dull
Diaphaneity (Transparency):Transparent, Translucent
Colour:colorless, white, grey, pink, blue, violet
Streak:white
Hardness (Mohs):6½
Cleavage:None Observed
Fracture:Irregular/Uneven, Conchoidal
Density (measured):2.9 g/cm3
Density (calculated):2.96 g/cm3

Crystallography of Pollucite

Crystal System:Isometric
Class (H-M):m3m (4/m 3 2/m) - Hexoctahedral
Space Group:Ia3d (I41/a 3 2/d)
Cell Parameters:a = 13.67Å
Unit Cell Volume:V 2 ų
Z:16
X-Ray Powder Diffraction:
Image Loading

Radiation - Copper Kα
Data Set:
Horizontal Axis: ° to ° Vertical Axis: % Source Data: Filtered Data: Peaks:
Data courtesy of RRUFF project at University of Arizona, used with permission.

Chemical Properties of Pollucite

Formula:
(Cs,Na)
 
2
[Al
 
2
Si
 
4
O
 
12
] · 2H
 
2
O
Essential elements:Al, Cs, H, O, Si
All elements listed in formula:Al, Cs, H, Na, O, Si
Common Impurities:Fe,Ca,K,Rb

Relationship of Pollucite to other Species

Series:Forms a series with Analcime (see here)
Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):
9.GB.05Ammonioleucite
(NH
 
4
,K)AlSi
 
2
O
 
6
9.GB.05Analcime
Na
 
2
[Al
 
2
Si
 
4
O
 
12
] · 2H
 
2
O
9.GB.05Hsianghualite
Ca
 
3
Li
 
2
Be
 
3
[F
 
2
|(SiO
 
4
)
 
3
]
9.GB.05Lithosite
K
 
6
Al
 
4
Si
 
8
O
 
25
·2H
 
2
O
9.GB.05Leucite
KAlSi
 
2
O
 
6
9.GB.05Wairakite
Ca[Al
 
2
Si
 
4
O
 
12
] · 2H
 
2
O
9.GB.10Laumontite
CaAl
 
2
Si
 
4
O
 
12
·4H
 
2
O
9.GB.15Yugawaralite
CaAl
 
2
Si
 
6
O
 
16
·4H
 
2
O
9.GB.20Roggianite
Ca
 
2
Be(OH)
 
2
Al
 
2
Si
 
4
O
 
13
·2.5H
 
2
O
9.GB.25Goosecreekite
Ca[Al
 
2
Si
 
6
O
 
16
] · 5H
 
2
O
9.GB.30Montesommaite
(K,Na)
 
9
Al
 
9
Si
 
23
O
 
64
·10H
 
2
O
9.GB.35Parthéite
CaAl
 
2
Si
 
2
O
 
8
·2H
 
2
O
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:
16.5.2Nanpingite
CsAl
 
2
[(OH,F)
 
2
|AlSi
 
3
O
 
10
]
16.5.3Buddingtonite
(NH
 
4
)[AlSi
 
3
O
 
8
]
16.5.4Ammonioleucite
(NH
 
4
,K)AlSi
 
2
O
 
6
16.5.5Tobelite
(NH
 
4
,K)Al
 
2
[(OH)
 
2
|AlSi
 
3
O
 
10
]
16.5.6Ajoite
(K,Na)Cu
 
7
[(OH)
 
6
|AlSi
 
9
O
 
24
] · 3H
 
2
O
16.5.7Papagoite
CaCu[H
 
3
AlSi
 
2
O
 
9
]
Related Minerals - Dana Grouping):
77.1.1.1Analcime
Na
 
2
[Al
 
2
Si
 
4
O
 
12
] · 2H
 
2
O
77.1.1.3Wairakite
Ca[Al
 
2
Si
 
4
O
 
12
] · 2H
 
2
O

Other Names for Pollucite

Synonyms:
Caesium Silicate
German names:
Pollucit
Japanese names:
ポルクス石
Latin names:
Pollux
Russian names:
Поллуцит
Spanish names:
Pollucita

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 Pollucite

Reference List:American Mineralogist (1967): 52: 1515-1518.

Černý, P. (1974) The present status of the analcime-pollucite series. Canadian Mineralogist: 12: 334-341.

Černý, P. and Simpson, F.M. (1978) The Tanco pegmatite at Bernic Lake, Manitoba. X. Pollucite. Canadian Mineralogist: 16: 325-333.

Černý, P. (1979) Pollucite and its alteration in geological occurrences and in deep-burial radioactive waste disposal. Scientific basis for Nuclear Waste Management: 1: 231-236.

Wang, X.J., Zou, T.R., Xu, J.G., Yu, X.Y., and Qiu, Y.Z. (1981) Study of pegmatite minerals of the Altai region. Science Publishing House, Beijing, China.

Sebastian, A. and Lagache, M. (1990) Experimental study of the equilibrium between pollucite, albite, and hydrothermal fluid in pegamtite systems. Mineralogical Magazine: 54: 447-454.

Teertstra, D.K. and Černý, P. (1992) Controls on morphology of analcime-pollucite in natural minerals, synthetic phases, and nuclear waste products. Crystal Research Technology: 27: 931-939.

Teertstra, D.K., Černý, P., and Chapman, R. (1992) Compositional heterogeneity ad alteration of pollucite from High Grade Dyke, southeastern Manitoba. Canadian Mineralogist: 30: 687-697.

Canadian Mineralogist (1994): 32: 69.

Legache, M. (1995) New experimental data on the stability of the pollucite-analcime series: application to natural assemblages. European Journal of Mineralogy: 7: 319-323.

Teertstra, D.K. and Černý, P. (1995) First natural occurrences of end-member pollucite: A product of low-temperature reequilibration. European Journal of Mineralogy: 7: 1137-1148.

Teertstra, D.K., Černý, P., and Novák, M. (1995) Compositional and textural evolution of pollucite in pegmatites of the Maldanubicum. Mineralogy and Petrology: 55: 37-51.

London, D., Morgan, G.B., VI, and Icehower, J. (1998) Stability and solubility of pollucite in granitic system at 200 MPa H2O. Canadian Mineralogist: 36: 497-510.

Zhu, J.C., Wu, C.N., Liu, C.S., Li, F.C., Huang, X.L., and Zhou, D.S. (2000) Magmatic-hydrothermal evolution and genesis of Koktokay no. 3 rare metal pegmatite dyke, Altai, China. Geological Journal of China Universities: 6(1): 40-52 (in Chinese with English abstract).

Mineralogical Record: 30: 5-6.

Zeitschrift für Kristallographie: 129: 280-302.

Ogorodova, L.P., Melchakova, L.V., Kiseleva, I.A., and Belitsky, I.A. (2003) Thermochemical study of natural pollucite. Thermochimica Acta: 403: 251-256.

Wang, R.C., Hu, H., Zhang, A.C., Huang, X.L., and Ni., P. (2004) Pollucite and the cesium-dominant analogue of polylithionite as expressions of extreme Cs enrichment in the Yichun topaz-lepidolite granite, southern China. Canadian Mineralogist: 42: 883-896.

Wang, R.C., Hu, H., Zhang, A.C., Fontan, F., Zhang, H., and de Parseval, P. (2006) Occurrence and late re-equilibration of pollucite from the Koktokay no. 3 pegmatite, Altai, northwestern China. American Mineralogist: 91: 729-739.

Internet Links for Pollucite

Search Engines:
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    • External Links:
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  • Look for Pollucite on Wikipedia
  • Look for Pollucite on Mineralien Atlas
  • Raman and XRD data at RRUFF project
  • American Mineralogist Crystal Structure Database
  • Search for Pollucite in the Natural History Museum (London) online catalogue
  • Pollucite details from Handbook of Mineralogy (PDF)
    • Mineral Dealers:
  • Find Pollucite on www.crystalclassics.co.uk
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    Localities for Pollucite

    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.
    Afghanistan
     
    • Badakhshan (Badakshan; Badahsan) Province
    • Konar (Kunar; Konarh; Konarha; Nuristan) Province
    		No reference listed
    • Laghman (Lagman; Nuristan) Province
    • Nangarhar (Ningarhar) Province
    Brazil
     
    • Southeast Region
      • Minas Gerais
        • Itinga
    		[MinRec 12:74]
    Canada
     
    • Manitoba
      • Lac-du-Bonnet area
        • Bernic Lake
    		Černý, P. and Simpson, F.M. (1978) The Tanco pegmatite at Bernic Lake, manitoba. X. Pollucite. Canadian Mineralogist: 16: 325-333; Tschernich, R. (1992): Zeolites of the World, p.51,428
      • Maskwa Lake
    		Teertstra, D.K. et al. ( 1992) : "Compositional heterogeneity of pollucite from High Grade Dyke, Maskwa Lake, southeastern Manitoba". Can. Mineral., 30, pp. 687-697; Tschernich, R. (1992): Zeolites of the World, p.428
    • Northwest Territories
      • O'Grady Lake area
    		CanMin 41:117-137
    • Ontario
      • Kenora District
        • Fort Hope
        • Red Lake
    China
     
    • Fujian Province
      • Nanping Prefecture
        • Yanping District
    • Jiangxi Province
      • Yichun Prefecture
        • Yuanzhou District
          • Yichun complex
    		Rucheng Wang, Huan Hu, Aicheng Zhang, Xiaolong Huang, and Pei Ni (2004): Canadian Mineralogist 42(3), 883-896.
    • Xinjiang (Xinjiang-Uygur) Autonomous Region
      • Yili Hasake (Ili Kazakh) Autonomous Prefecture
        • Aletai (Altay) Prefecture
          • Fuyun Co.
            • Koktokay (Keketuohai) Pegmatite field
    		http://www.smartminerals.com/cina2004/art_China_localities.htm
    Czech Republic
     
    • Bohemia (Böhmen; Boehmen)
      • South Bohemia Region
        • Český Krumlov
    		Welser, P. et al.: Lithný pegmatit Nová Ves. Minerál, Special volume, 2007, roč. 15.
    • Moravia (Mähren; Maehren)
      • Vysočina Region
        • Jihlava (Iglau)
    		Bull. Minéral. , 1984, 107, pp. 369-384.
        • Žďár nad Sázavou
          • Věžná
    		www.cseg.ca/conferences/2000/556.PDF.
    Finland
     
    • Etelä-Suomen Lääni
      • Orivesi
        • Eräjärvi area
    		No reference listed
    Italy
     
    • Latium
      • Viterbo Province
        • Vico Lake
    		Della Ventura, G., Bellatreccia, F., Caprilli, E., Rossi, P., Tamagnini, F., Fiori, S., 2004. Dieci anni di micromineralogia laziale. Il Cercapietre. Not. del Gruppo Mineralogico Romano, 1-2
    • Tuscany
      • Livorno Province
        • Elba Island
          • Campo nell'Elba
            • San Piero in Campo
    A. Beithaupt (1846) - Neue Mineralien: Kastor und Pollux - Poggend. An., 69: 436-439.
    F. Pezzotta, F.C. Hawthorne, M.A. Cooper, D.K. Teerstra (1996) - Fibrous foitite from S. Piero in Campo, Elba, Italy. - Canad. Min., 34: 741-744.
            • Sant'Ilario in Campo
              • Catri
                • Fosso Marcianella Pegmatite
    		Field Trip Excursion Programm IMA, May 29, 2005 (M.E. Ciriotti).
    Japan
     
    • Honshu Island
      • Kanto Region
        • Ibaraki Prefecture
          • Hitachiohta City
    		Alfredo Petrov collection
    • Kyushu Island
      • Fukuoka Prefecture
    		www.petrovrareminerals.com/articles02.html
    Madagascar
     
    • Antananarivo Province
      • Vakinankaratra Region (Betafo - Antsirabé region)
        • Betafo Department
          • Andrembesoa Commune
            • FKT Antsentsindrano
    		[Eur.J.Min 13:159-165]
        • Sahatany Pegmatite Field (Mt Bity (Ibity) area)
          • Sahatany Valley
    		J.Behier (1960): Contribution à la minéralogie de Madagascar. Annales Géologiques de Madagascar, XXIX
    Mozambique
     
    • Zambezia Province
      • Alto Ligonha District
    		No reference listed
    Namibia
     
    • Erongo Region
      • Karibib District
        • Okongava-Ost farm
    		Keller, P. (1991): The occurrence of Li-Fe-Mn phosphate minerals in granitic pegmatites of Namibia. Communs. Geol. Surv. Namibia, 7, 21-34.
      • Usakos and Omaruru Districts
    		Arliguie M collection
    Pakistan
     
    • Northern Areas
      • Baltistan
        • Skardu District
          • Braldu Valley
    		Baluwet, D., 2004. Pakistan: Minerals, Mountains and Majesty, Lapis International, 96 p.
    Dudley Blauwet, Bill Smith and Carol Smith (2004) Table of mineral localities of the northern areas of Pakistan and other selected sites. (in "Pakistan: Minerals, Mountains & Majesty", Lapis International, East Hampton, Connecticut); Dudley Blauwet, Bill Smith and Carol Smith (2004) Table of mineral localities of the northern areas of Pakistan and other selected sites. (in "Pakistan: Minerals, Mountains & Majesty", Lapis International, East Hampton, Connecticut)
          • Haramosh Mts.
    		Blauwet, et al, 1997, Aguide to the Mineral Localities of the Northern Areas, Pakistan. Mineralogical Record 28(3), 183-200.
    No reference listed
    Russia
     
    • Eastern-Siberian Region
      • Transbaikalia (Zabaykalye)
        • Chitinskaya Oblast'
          • Krasny Chikoy
            • Malkhan pegmatite field (Malchan)
    		[Lapis 1993:1 p13-15]
    [MinRec 32:44]
            • Menza District
    • Northern Region
      • Murmanskaja Oblast'
        • Kola Peninsula
          • Voron'i Tundry
    South Africa
     
    • Northern Cape Province
      • Namaqualand
        • Steinkopf
    		Minerals of South Africa
    Sweden
     
    • Södermanland
      • Haninge
        • Utö Island
    • Västerbotten
      • Skellefteå
    		Grensman, F & Langhof, J.(1991):Åkerberget. Guldgruva med litiumpegmatite. STEIN 18(2),20-22
    No reference listed
    UK
     
    • England
      • Devon
        • Okehampton area (Northern Dartmoor)
    		http://www.mineralman.f9.co.uk/quarries/meldon.htm
    USA
     
    • Arizona
      • Yavapai Co.
        • White Picacho District
    		Anthony, J.W., et al (1995), Mineralogy of Arizona, 3rd.ed.: 332; Galbraith, F.W. & D.J. Brennan (1959), Minerals of AZ: 89.
    • California
    		San Diego Natural History Museum
        • Warner Springs District
    		Rocks & Minerals, May-June 2003
    • Colorado
      • Gunnison Co.
        • Quartz Creek District
          • Ohio City
    		Rocks & Min. Vol.71, No.3, p.193
    • Connecticut
      • Fairfield Co.
        • Ridgefield
    		Januzzi, 1976. Mineral Localities of CT and Southeastern NY State
      • Hartford Co.
        • South Glastonbury
    		Januzzi, 1976. Mineral Localities of CT and Southeastern NY State, p.148
      • Middlesex Co.
        • Haddam
          • Long Hill
    		Rocks & Min.: 70:402
        • Portland
    		Januzzi, 1976. Mineral Localities of Connecticut and Southeastern New York State (Taylor Assoc./Mineralogical Press)
    Rocks & Min.: 70:382
    • Maine
      • Androscoggin Co.
        • Auburn
          • Mt. Apatite District
    		King, V. and Foord, E., 1994, Mineralogy of Maine, v. 1.
    No reference listed
    King, V. and Foord, E., 1994, Mineralogy of Maine, v. 1.
      • Franklin Co.
        • Township D
    		No reference listed
      • Oxford Co.
        • Buckfield
    		No reference listed
    No reference listed
    No reference listed
    No reference listed
    Rocks & Min.: 62:403-404.
        • Greenwood
    		No reference listed
    No reference listed
    Rocks & Min.: 58:181.
        • Hebron
    		No reference listed
    No reference listed
        • Newry
    		No reference listed
        • Norway
    		No reference listed
        • Paris
    		No reference listed
    "Maine Mineral Localites, 3rd Ed." by Thompson, W.B., et.al. , 1998
        • Rumford
    		No reference listed
        • West Paris
    		Hess et al. (1943)
    • Massachusetts
      • Hampden Co.
        • Blandford
    		No reference listed
      • Hampshire Co.
        • Chesterfield
    		No reference listed
        • Goshen
    		"Western Massachusetts Mineral Localites" by Plante, A.R., Valley Geology Press, 1992
      • Worcester Co.
        • Leominster
    		Gleba, 1978. Massachusetts Mineral & Fossil Localities
    • North Carolina
      • Yancey Co.
        • Spruce Pine District
          • Black Mtn-Bowlens Creek Area
            • Burnsville
              • Hurricane Mt.
    		"Mineralogy and History of the Ray Mica Mine, Yancey County, NC"
    • South Dakota
      • Custer Co.
        • Custer District
          • Fourmile
    		Seaman, 1976. Pegmatite Minerals of the World; Rocks & Minerals: 60: 117-118; Meeves, H., et al (1966), Reconnaissance of beryllium-bearing pegmatite deposits in six western states, US Bur. Mines Info. Circ. 8298: 32 (Table A-1).
      • Pennington Co.
        • Hill City District
    		U.S. Geological Survey, 2005, Mineral Resources Data System: U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia.
    • Wisconsin
      • Florence Co.
        • Fern
    		The Mineralogy and Geochemistry of the Animikie Red Ace Pegmatite, Florence County, Wisconsin. Alexander U. Falster, Wm. B. Simmons, and Karen L. Webber, Recent Research Developments in Mineralogy, 1(1996)
    Zimbabwe
     
    • Masvingo
      • Masvingo (Fort Victoria)
    		http://geology.csupomona.edu/drjessey/class/GSC433/Pegmatites.htm
    Mineral and/or Locality
    Google
     
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