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Sinhalite

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Big Photo

Mogok, Sagaing District, Mandalay Division, Burma (Myanmar)
© J.J. Evans

Show Sinhalite Photos (13)



Formula:
MgAl(BO
 
4
)
System:OrthorhombicColour:Colorless, pale gray, ...
Hardness:6½ - 7
Name:From sanskrit "Sinhala" (Sri Lanka)


Usually in irregular masses in high grade metamorphic rocks; rarely forms euhedral crystals in mineralized marbles.

Classification of Sinhalite

IMA status:Valid - first described prior to 1959 (pre-IMA) - "Grandfathered"
Strunz 8th edition ID:5/G.07-10
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:6.AC.05

6 : BORATES
A : Monoborates
C : B(O,OH)4, without and with additional anions; 1(T), 1(T)+OH, etc
Dana 8th edition ID:24.1.1.1

24 : ANHYDROUS BORATES
1 : A2XO4
Hey's CIM Ref.:9.5.2

9 : Borates
5 : Borates of Al and rare earths
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Type Occurrence of Sinhalite

Type Locality:Sri Lanka
Year of Discovery:1952

Physical Properties of Sinhalite

Lustre:Vitreous, Sub-Vitreous, Resinous
Diaphaneity (Transparency):Translucent
Colour:Colorless, pale gray, pale yellow, pale pink, green-brown to dark brown
Streak:colorless/white
Hardness (Mohs):6½ - 7
Cleavage:None Observed
Fracture:Sub-Conchoidal
Density (measured):3.475 - 3.5 g/cm3
Density (calculated):3.45 g/cm3

Crystallography of Sinhalite

Crystal System:Orthorhombic
Class (H-M):mmm (2/m 2/m 2/m) - Dipyramidal
Space Group:Pnma {P21/n 21/m 21/a}
Cell Parameters:a = 4.328Å, b = 9.868Å, c = 5.676Å
α = 90°, β = 90°, γ = 90°
Ratio:a:b:c = 0.439 : 1 : 0.575
Unit Cell Volume:V 242.41 ų
Z:4
Morphology:crystals very rare, usually in granular masses
Comment:Non-standard setting Pbnm!
X-Ray Powder Diffraction:
d-spacingIntensity
4.94 (40)
3.96 (30)
3.25 (70)
2.62 (60)
2.38 (40)
2.31 (50)
2.14 (100)
1.62 (90)

Optical Data of Sinhalite

Type:Biaxial (-)
Dispersion:r > v strong

Chemical Properties of Sinhalite

Formula:
MgAl(BO
 
4
)
Essential elements:Al, B, Mg, O
All elements listed in formula:Al, B, Mg, O

Relationship of Sinhalite to other Species

Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):

- +
6.AC.10Pseudosinhalite
Mg
 
2
Al
 
3
(BO
 
3
)
 
2
(OH)O
 
3
6.AC.15Behierite
(Ta
5+
 
,Nb
5+
 
)(BO
 
4
)
6.AC.15Schiavinatoite
(Nb,Ta)(BO
 
4
)
6.AC.20Frolovite
Ca[B(OH)
 
4
]
 
2
6.AC.25Hexahydroborite
Ca[B(OH)
 
4
]
 
2
 · 6H
 
2
O
6.AC.30Henmilite
Ca
 
2
Cu[B(OH)
 
4
]
 
2
(OH)
 
4
6.AC.35Bandylite
Cu[B(OH)
 
4
]Cl
6.AC.40Teepleite
Na
 
2
[B(OH)
 
4
]Cl
6.AC.45Moydite-(Y)
Y[B(OH)
 
4
](CO
 
3
)
6.AC.50Carboborite
Ca
 
2
Mg[B(OH)
 
4
]
 
2
(CO
 
3
)
 
2
 · 4H
 
2
O
6.AC.55Sulfoborite
Mg
 
3
[B(OH)
 
4
]
 
2
(SO
 
4
)(OH,F)
 
2
6.AC.60Lüneburgite
Mg
 
3
[B
 
2
(OH)
 
6
](PO
 
4
)
 
2
 · 6H
 
2
O
6.AC.65Seamanite
Mn
2+
3
[B(OH)
 
4
](PO
 
4
)(OH)
 
2
6.AC.70Cahnite
Ca
 
2
[B(OH)
 
4
](AsO
 
4
)
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:

- +
9.5.3Braitschite-(Ce)
(Ca,Na
 
2
)
 
7
(Ce,La)
 
2
B
 
22
O
 
43
 · 7H
 
2
O

Other Names for Sinhalite

Other Languages:
German:Sinhalit
Russian:Синхалит
Simplified Chinese:硼铝镁石
Spanish:Sinhalita

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 Sinhalite

Reference List:

- +
Mineralogical Magazine (1952): 29: 841-849.

American Mineralogist (1952): 37: 700, 1072.

Mineralogical Magazine : 35: 196-199.

European Journal of Mineralogy (1994): 6: 313-321.

Grew, E.S., and Anovitz, L.M. (1996) BORON: Mineralogy, Petrology and Geochemistry, second edition, as revised (2002).

Internet Links for Sinhalite

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  • Raman and XRD data at RRUFF project
  • American Mineralogist Crystal Structure Database
  • Sinhalite details from Handbook of Mineralogy (PDF)
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    • Localities for Sinhalite

    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.
    Burma (Myanmar)
     
    • Mandalay Division
      • Sagaing District
        • Mogok
    		Themelis, Ted, 2008, Gems and Mines of Mogok.
    Mineralogical Magazine 1958 31 : 978-979.
    Canada
     
    • Ontario
      • Hastings Co.
        • Herschel Township
    		Geological Survey of Canada Miscellaneous Report 39; Sabina, A.P. (1982): Some rare minerals of the Bancroft area. Mineralogical Record 13 (4), 226
    China
     
    • Liaoning Province (Manchuria; Dongbei Region)
      • Dandong Prefecture
        • Kuandian Co.
          • Zhuanmiao Boron deposit
    		Rongge Xiao, Oi Takao, Hongcai Fei, and Masao Nomura (2003): Geoscience 17(2), 137-142
    Russia
     
    • Eastern-Siberian Region
      • Saha Republic (Sakha Republic; Yakutia)
    		[World of Stones 12:49]
    P.M. Kartashov data
    Sri Lanka
    Min Mag 29 (1952), 841-849
    • Central Province
    • Sabaragamuwa Province
      • Ratnapura District
    		No reference listed
    Natural History Museum Vienna collection
    USA
     
    • New Jersey
      • Sussex Co.
        • Hardyston Township
          • Rudeville
    		Personal communication Dr. Paulus B. Moore to C. Lemanski, Jr. and others (circa 1997 & 2003)(unpublished).
    • New York
      • Orange Co.
        • Town of Warwick
    		http://departments.colgate.edu/geology/research/Rader&Peck06.pdf
      • Warren Co.
    		www.excaliburmineral.com
    George Robinson & Steven Chamberlain (2007) Gazetteer of major New York State mineral localities. Rocks & Minerals, 82, #6, 472-483.; American Mineralogist (1955) 40:453-457
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