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Trikalsilite

Formula:
(Na,K)[AlSiO
 
4
]
System:HexagonalColour:Colourless
Hardness:6
Name:From Greek, "tria", three, because its "a" axis is three times shorter than that of its dimorph Kalsilite.


Nepheline Group.

Classification of Trikalsilite

IMA status:Valid - first described prior to 1959 (pre-IMA) - "Grandfathered"
Strunz 8th edition ID:8/J.02-30
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:9.FA.05

9 : SILICATES (Germanates)
F : Tektosilicates without zeolitic H2O
A : Tektosilicates without additional non-tetrahedral anions
Dana 8th edition ID:76.2.1.3

76 : TECTOSILICATES Al-Si Framework
2 : Al-Si Framework Feldspathoids and related species
Hey's CIM Ref.:16.4.3

16 : Silicates Containing Aluminum and other Metals
4 : Aluminosilicates of Na and K
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Type Occurrence of Trikalsilite

Type Locality:Kabfumu, Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo (Zaïre)
Year of Discovery:1957

Physical Properties of Trikalsilite

Lustre:Vitreous
Diaphaneity (Transparency):Transparent
Colour:Colourless
Hardness (Mohs):6

Crystallography of Trikalsilite

Crystal System:Hexagonal
Cell Parameters:a = 15.35Å, c = 8.53Å
Ratio:a:c = 1 : 0.556
Unit Cell Volume:V 1,740.59 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)

Chemical Properties of Trikalsilite

Formula:
(Na,K)[AlSiO
 
4
]
Essential elements:Al, Na, O, Si
All elements listed in formula:Al, K, Na, O, Si

Relationship of Trikalsilite 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.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.40Paracelsian
Ba[Al
 
2
Si
 
2
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:
16.4.1Nepheline
(Na,K)[AlSiO
 
4
]
16.4.2Panunzite
(Na,K)[AlSiO
 
4
]
16.4.4Anorthoclase
(Na,K)[AlSi
 
3
O
 
8
]
16.4.5Naujakasite
(Na,K)
 
6
(Fe
2+
 
,Mn
2+
 
,Ca)(Al,Fe)
 
4
Si
 
8
O
 
26
16.4.6Montesommaite
(K,Na)
 
9
Al
 
9
Si
 
23
O
 
64
·10H
 
2
O

Other Names for Trikalsilite

German names:
Trikalsilit
Russian names:
Трикальсилит
Spanish names:
Trikalsilita

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 Trikalsilite

Reference List:American Mineralogist (1957): 42: 286.

Bonaccorsi E., Merlino S., Pasero M. (1988), Trikalsilite: its structural relationships with nepheline and tetrakalsilite. Neues Jahrbuch für Mineralogie, Monatshefte (1988): (12): 559-567.

Internet Links for Trikalsilite

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    Localities for Trikalsilite

    (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.
    Democratic Republic of Congo (Zaïre)
     
    • Kivu
    		AmMin 42:287 (1957)
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