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Aerinite

Big Photo

Soriana Quarry, Estopiñán del Castillo, Huesca, Aragón, Spain
© David Soler

Show Aerinite Photos (23)
Formula:
Ca
 
5
(Fe
3+
 
,Al,Fe
2+
 
,Mg)(Al,Mg)
 
6
[HSi
 
12
O
 
36
(OH)
 
12
][(CO
 
3
)
 
1.2
(H
 
2
O)
 
12
]
System:MonoclinicColour:sky blue
Hardness:3
Name:From the Greek "aerinos," for sky-blue, alluding to its color.


A rare, chemically complex carbonate-bearing silicate.

A closely related, darker blue mineral (intergrown with Fe3+-rich aerinite) is described by Rius et al. (2009).

Classification of Aerinite

IMA status:Approved
Strunz 8th edition ID:8/F.32-20
Strunz 9th edition ID:9.DB.45
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:9.DB.45

9 : SILICATES (Germanates)
D : Inosilicates
B : Inosilicates with 2-periodic single chains, Si2O6; Pyroxene-related minerals
Dana 8th edition ID:68.1.3.1

68 : INOSILICATES Structures with Chains of More Than One Width
1 : Structures with Chains of More Than One Width
Hey's CIM Ref.:16.23.7

16 : Silicates Containing Aluminum and other Metals
23 : Aluminosilicates of Fe, Ca, and Mg
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Type Occurrence of Aerinite

Type Locality:Caserras del Castillo, Estopiñán del Castillo, Huesca, Aragón, Spain
Year of Discovery:1876

Physical Properties of Aerinite

Colour:sky blue
Streak:bluish white
Hardness (Mohs):3

Crystallography of Aerinite

Crystal System:Monoclinic
Cell Parameters:a = 14.69Å, b = 16.87Å, c = 5.17Å
β = 94.75°
Ratio:a:b:c = 0.871 : 1 : 0.306
Unit Cell Volume:V 1,276.83 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)

Optical Data of Aerinite

Type:Biaxial (-)
RI values: nα = 1.510 nβ = 1.560 nγ = 1.580
2V:Measured: 63° , Calculated: 62°
Maximum Birefringence:δ = 0.070

Chart shows birefringence interference colour range (at 30µm thickness) and does not take into account mineral colouration.
Surface Relief:Low
Dispersion:none

Chemical Properties of Aerinite

Formula:
Ca
 
5
(Fe
3+
 
,Al,Fe
2+
 
,Mg)(Al,Mg)
 
6
[HSi
 
12
O
 
36
(OH)
 
12
][(CO
 
3
)
 
1.2
(H
 
2
O)
 
12
]
Essential elements:Al, C, Ca, H, O, Si
All elements listed in formula:Al, C, Ca, Fe, H, Mg, O, Si
Empirical Formula:
(Ca
 
5.1
Na
 
0.5
)(Fe
3+
 
AlFe
2+
1.7
Mg
 
0.3
)(Al
 
5.1
Mg
 
0.7
)[Si
 
12
O
 
36
(OH)
 
12
H][(CO
 
3
)
 
1.2
(H
 
2
O)
 
12
]
Common Impurities:Ti,Mn,Na,K,P

Relationship of Aerinite to other Species

Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):

- +
9.DB.05Balipholite
BaLiMg
 
2
Al
 
3
[(OH)
 
4
|Si
 
2
O
 
6
]
 
2
9.DB.05Carpholite
Mn
2+
 
Al
 
2
[(OH)
 
4
|Si
 
2
O
 
6
]
9.DB.05Ferrocarpholite
(Fe
2+
 
,Mg)Al
 
2
[(OH)
 
4
|Si
 
2
O
 
6
]
9.DB.05Magnesiocarpholite
(Mg,Fe
2+
 
)Al
 
2
[(OH)
 
4
|Si
 
2
O
 
6
]
9.DB.05Potassiccarpholite
(K,[])(Li,Mn
2+
 
)
 
2
Al
 
4
[(OH)
 
4
 ׀ (F,OH)
 
4
 ׀ (Si
 
2
O
 
6
)
 
2
]
9.DB.05Vanadiocarpholite
Mn
2+
 
V
3+
 
Al[(OH)
 
4
|Si
 
2
O
 
6
]
9.DB.10Lorenzenite
Na
 
2
Ti
 
2
[O
 
3
|Si
 
2
O
 
6
]
9.DB.15Lintisite
LiNa
 
3
Ti
 
2
[O|Si
 
2
O
 
6
]
 
2
 · 2H
 
2
O
9.DB.20Kukisvumite
Na
 
6
ZnTi
 
4
Si
 
8
O
 
28
·4H
 
2
O
9.DB.20Manganokukisvumite
Na
 
6
MnTi
 
4
Si
 
8
O
 
28
·4H
 
2
O
9.DB.25Vinogradovite
(Na,Ca,K)
 
4
Ti
 
4
AlSi
 
6
O
 
23
(OH)·2H
 
2
O
9.DB.25Paravinogradovite
Na
 
1-2
(Ti,Fe
3+
 
)
 
4
[(OH)
 
4
|AlSi
 
3
O
 
10
|(Si
 
2
O
 
6
)
 
2
] · H
 
2
O
9.DB.30Nchwaningite
Mn
2+
2
[(OH)
 
2
|SiO
 
3
] · H
 
2
O
9.DB.35Plancheite
Cu
 
8
[(OH)
 
4
|Si
 
8
O
 
22
] · H
 
2
O
9.DB.40Shattuckite
Cu
 
5
[(OH)
 
2
|(SiO
 
3
)
 
4
]
9.DB.40UM2005-31-SiO:CuH
Cu
 
11
(SiO
 
4
)(OH)
 
18
·9H
 
2
O ?
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:

- +
16.23.1Augite
(Ca,Na)(Mg,Fe
2+
 
,Al,Fe
3+
 
,Ti)[(Si,Al)
 
2
O
 
6
]
16.23.2Dorrite
Ca
 
2
(Mg,Fe
2+
 
)
 
2
Fe
3+
4
[O
 
2
|Al
 
4
Si
 
2
O
 
18
]
16.23.3Vesuvianite
Ca
 
10
(Mg,Fe)
 
2
Al
 
4
Si
 
9
O
 
34
(OH)
 
4
16.23.5Ferrohornblende
☐[Ca
 
2
][Fe
2+
4
Al][(OH)
 
2
|AlSi
 
7
O
 
22
]
16.23.6Magnesiohornblende
☐[Ca
 
2
][Mg
 
4
Al][(OH)
 
2
|AlSi
 
7
O
 
22
]

Other Names for Aerinite

Other Languages:
Dutch:Aeriniet
German:Aerinit
Russian:Эринит
Spanish:Aerinita

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 Aerinite

Reference List:Neues Jahrb. Min. (1876), 352-358.

American Mineralogist (1988): 73: 1498-1499.

American Mineralogist (1999): 84: 1464-1468.

Rius, Jordi, Erik Elkaim & Xavier Torrelles (2004), Structure determination of the blue mineral pigment aerinite from synchrotron powder diffraction data: The solution of an old riddle: European Journal of Mineralogy: 16(1): 127-134.

Rius, J., Crespi, A., Roig, A., Melgarejo, J.C. (2009): Crystal structure refinement of Fe3+-rich aerinite from synchrotron powder diffraction and Moessbauer data. European Journal of Mineralogy, 21, 233-240.

Internet Links for Aerinite

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  • Aerinite details from Handbook of Mineralogy (PDF)
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    Localities for Aerinite

    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.
    (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.
    France
     
    • Aquitaine
      • Landes
    		[Clark, 1993 - "Hey's Mineral Index, 3rd Edition"]
    Spain
     
    • Andalusia
      • Cádiz
        • Olvera
    		[MinRec 27:103]
      • Málaga
        • Antequera
    		(alleged by some collectors to be the cause of the color in the famous local blue quartz crystals; but analyses show mainly amphiboles)
    • Aragón
      • Huesca
        • Estopiñán del Castillo
    		[Neues Jahrb.Min.(1876) 352-358; Clark, 1993 - "Hey's Mineral Index, 3rd Edition"]
    Calvo, M. (2008). Minerales de Aragón. Prames (Zaragoza) 462 pages
    • Catalonia
        • Les Avellanes i Santa Linya
    		Rius, J., Crespi, A., Roig, A., Melgarejo, J.C. (2009): Crystal structure refinement of Fe3+-rich aerinite from synchrotron powder diffraction and Moessbauer data. European Journal of Mineralogy, 21, 233-240.
    • Valencian Community
      • Alicante
    		Casanova Honrubia, Juan Miguel & Canseco Caballé, Manuel, 2002, Minerales de la Comunidad Valenciana : 237 p. Ed. Caja de Ahorros del Mediterráneo. Alicante
          • Hondón de los Frailes
    		Casanova Honrubia, Juan Miguel & Canseco Caballé, Manuel, 2002, Minerales de la Comunidad Valenciana : 237 p. Ed. Caja de Ahorros del Mediterráneo. Alicante
        • Orihuela
    		Casanova Honrubia, Juan Miguel & Canseco Caballé, Manuel, 2002, Minerales de la Comunidad Valenciana : 237 p. Ed. Caja de Ahorros del Mediterráneo. Alicante
      • Castellón
        • Torás
    		Casanova Honrubia, Juan Miguel & Canseco Caballé, Manuel, 2002, Minerales de la Comunidad Valenciana : 237 p. Ed. Caja de Ahorros del Mediterráneo. Alicante
    USA
     
    • New Jersey
      • Somerset Co.
        • Bernards Township
    		Maertens, J. (2007) Collecting Minerals at Tilcon's Millington Quarry. The Tilcon Times, Summer:10.
    Mineral and/or Locality
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