Mindat Logo
Home Page Log In Message Board The Mindat Directory
Register Search Pages Chat Now! (2 online) Mindat Auctions

Asisite

Big Photo

Kombat Mine, Kombat, Grootfontein District, Otjozondjupa Region, Namibia
© Thomas Witzke

Show Asisite Photos (6)
Formula:
Pb
 
7
[O
 
4
|SiO
 
4
|Cl
 
2
]
System:TetragonalColour:Yellow to yellow-green
Hardness:3½
Name:Named after the Asis farm where the Kombat mine is located.


Note: Material from the Kombat mine as been sold as either "lorettoite" or "chubutite".

Classification of Asisite

IMA status:Approved
Strunz 8th edition ID:3/D.10-190
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:3.DB.40

3 : HALIDES
D : Oxyhalides, hydroxyhalides and related double halides
B : With Pb, Cu, etc.
Dana 8th edition ID:10.2.7.1

10 : OXYHALIDES AND HYDROXYHALIDES
2 : A(O,OH)Xq
Hey's CIM Ref.:17.3.9

17 : Silicates Containing other Anions
3 : Silicates with chloride (including aluminosilicates)
mindat.org URL:http://www.mindat.org/min-391.html
Please feel free to link to this page.

Type Occurrence of Asisite

Type Locality:Kombat Mine, Kombat, Grootfontein District, Otjozondjupa Region, Namibia
Year of Discovery:1988

Physical Properties of Asisite

Colour:Yellow to yellow-green
Hardness (Mohs):3½

Crystallography of Asisite

Crystal System:Tetragonal
Class (H-M):4/mmm (4/m 2/m 2/m) - Ditetragonal Dipyramidal
Space Group:I4/mmm {I4/m 2/m 2/m}
Cell Parameters:a = 3.897(2) Å, c = 22.81(2) Å
Ratio:a:c = 1 : 5.853
Unit Cell Volume:V 346.41 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:1
Morphology:Tabular on {001}.
Comment:Only subcell (but strongly dominant); real cell has tetragonal cell parameters ~14 and ~23 A (Welch, 2004)

Optical Data of Asisite

Type:Uniaxial (-)
RI values: nω = 2.390 nε = 2.320
Maximum Birefringence:δ = 0.070

Chart shows birefringence interference colour range (at 30µm thickness) and does not take into account mineral colouration.
Surface Relief:Very High

Chemical Properties of Asisite

Formula:
Pb
 
7
[O
 
4
|SiO
 
4
|Cl
 
2
]
Essential elements:Cl, O, Pb, Si
All elements listed in formula:Cl, O, Pb, Si

Relationship of Asisite to other Species

Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):

- +
3.DB.05Diaboleite
Pb
 
2
CuCl
 
2
(OH)
 
4
3.DB.10Pseudoboleite
Pb
 
31
Cu
 
24
Cl
 
62
(OH)
 
48
3.DB.15Boleite
KPb
 
26
Ag
 
9
Cu
 
24
(OH)
 
48
Cl
 
62
3.DB.20Cumengeite
Pb
 
21
Cu
 
20
Cl
 
42
(OH)
 
40
·6H
 
2
O
3.DB.25Bideauxite
Pb
 
2
Ag[(F,OH)
 
2
|Cl
 
3
]
3.DB.30Chloroxiphite
Pb
 
3
CuO
 
2
Cl
 
2
(OH)
 
2
3.DB.35Hematophanite
Pb
 
4
Fe
 
3
O
 
8
(OH,Cl)
3.DB.40Parkinsonite
(Pb,Mo,[])
 
8
O
 
8
Cl
 
2
3.DB.45Murdochite
PbCu
 
6
O
 
8-x
(Cl,Br)
 
2x
 x<=0.5
3.DB.50Yedlinite
Pb
 
6
(Cl,OH)
 
6
Cr
3+
 
(OH,O)
 
8
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:

- +
17.3.1Rustumite
Ca
 
10
(Si
 
2
O
 
7
)
 
2
(SiO
 
4
)Cl
 
2
(OH)
 
2
17.3.2Zunyite
Al
 
13
Si
 
5
O
 
20
(OH,F)
 
18
Cl
17.3.3Sodalite
Na
 
8
[Cl
 
2
|Al
 
6
Si
 
6
O
 
24
]
17.3.4Marialite
Na
 
4
[Cl|(AlSi
 
3
O
 
8
)
 
3
]
17.3.5Tugtupite
Na
 
4
[Cl|BeAlSi
 
4
O
 
12
]
17.3.6Eudialyte
Na
 
15
Ca
 
6
(Fe
2+
 
,Mn
2+
 
)
 
3
Zr
 
3
[Si
 
25
O
 
73
](O,OH,H
 
2
O)
 
3
(OH,Cl)
 
2
17.3.7Alluaivite
Na
 
19
(Ca,Mn)
 
6
(Ti,Nb)
 
3
Si
 
26
O
 
74
Cl·2H
 
2
O
17.3.8Nasonite
Pb
 
6
Ca
 
4
[Cl
 
2
|(Si
 
2
O
 
7
)
 
3
]
17.3.10Jagoite
(Pb,Ca)
 
3
FeSi
 
3
O
 
10
(Cl,OH)
17.3.11Friedelite
(Mn,Fe)
 
8
Si
 
6
O
 
15
(OH,Cl)
 
10
17.3.12Pyrosmalite-(Fe)
(Fe,Mn)
 
8
Si
 
6
O
 
15
(OH,Cl)
 
10
17.3.13Pyrosmalite
(Fe,Mn)
 
8
Si
 
16
O
 
15
(OH,Cl)
 
10
17.3.14Pyrosmalite-(Mn)
(Mn,Fe)
 
8
Si
 
6
O
 
15
(OH,Cl)
 
10
17.3.16Mcgillite
(Mn,Fe)
 
8
Si
 
6
O
 
15
(OH)
 
8
Cl
 
2
17.3.17Traskite
Ba
 
21
Ca(Fe
2+
 
,Mn,Ti)
 
4
(Ti,Fe,Mg)
 
12
(Si
 
12
O
 
36
)(Si
 
2
O
 
7
)
 
6
(O,OH)
 
30
Cl
 
6
·14H
 
2
O
17.3.18Muirite
Ba
 
10
Ca
 
2
Mn
2+
 
Ti[(OH,Cl,F)|HSi
 
2
O
 
7
]
 
5
17.3.19Verplanckite
Ba
 
2
(Mn,Fe,Ti)Si
 
2
O
 
6
(O,OH,Cl,F)
 
2
·3H
 
2
O or near

Other Names for Asisite

Synonyms:
IMA1987-003
Other Languages:
Dutch:Asisiet
German:Asisit
Italian:Asisite
Russian:Асисит
Spanish:Asisita

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 Asisite

Reference List:Rouse, R. C., Peacor, D. R., Dunn, P. J., Criddle, A. J., Stanley, C. J. and Innes, J. (1988): Asisite, a silicon-bearing lead oxychloride from the Kombat mine, South West Africa (Namibia). Am. Mineral. 73, 643-650.

Welch, M.D. (2004): Pb-Si ordering in sheet-oxychloride minerals: the super-structure of asisite, nominally Pb7SiO8Cl2. Mineralogical Magazine, 68, 247-254

Internet Links for Asisite

Search Engines:
  • Look for Asisite on Google
  • Look for Asisite images on Google
    • External Links:
  • Look for Asisite on Webmineral
  • Look for Asisite on Athena Mineralogy
  • Look for Asisite on Wikipedia
  • Look for Asisite on Mineralien Atlas
  • Raman and XRD data at RRUFF project
  • American Mineralogist Crystal Structure Database
  • Search for Asisite in the Natural History Museum (London) online catalogue
  • Asisite details from Handbook of Mineralogy (PDF)
    • Mineral Dealers:
  • Top quality minerals from Kristalle of California
  • Lapis Mineral Magazin
  • The Arkenstone - Fine Minerals
  • Fabre Minerals - search for Asisite specimens
  • Buy RARE Minerals from Rocks of Africa
  • Search for - Asisite - on e-Rocks Mineral Sales & Auctions
  • Buy fine minerals and gemstones from Pala International
  • rare and unusual minerals mainly crystallized
  • Buy Minerals and Crystals from Crystalarium.com
  • Fine Minerals from Dan Weinrich Minerals
  • Mineral Classics - Worldwide Collector Quality Minerals and Gems
  • Buy Fine Minerals from mineralsweb.com
    • Jobs:
  • Mining & Geology Jobs

    • Page Sponsor

    Sponsorship:This page is currently not sponsored. Click here to sponsor this page.

    Localities for Asisite

    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.
    Namibia
     
    • Otjozondjupa Region
      • Grootfontein District
        • Kombat
    		American Mineralogist (1988): 73: 643-650.
    Mineral and/or Locality
    Google
     
    www.mindat.org Web
    Copyright © Jolyon Ralph and Ida Chau 1993-2009. Site Map. Locality, mineral & photograph data are the copyright of the individuals who submitted them.Further information contact the Site hosted & developed by Jolyon Ralph. Mindat.org is an online information resource dedicated to providing free mineralogical information to all. Mindat relies on the contributions of hundreds of members and supporters. If you would like to add information to improve the quality of our database, then click here to register. Current server date and time: 16th Nov 2009 05:16:50