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Usovite

Big Photo

Clara Mine, Rankach valley, Oberwolfach, Wolfach, Black Forest, Baden-Württemberg, Germany
© Stephan Wolfsried

Formula:
Ba
 
2
CaMgAl
 
2
F
 
14
System:MonoclinicColour:Brown to dark brown
Lustre:Vitreous, GreasyHardness:3½
Name:Named after Mikhail Antonovich Usov (1883-1939), Director, All-Union Scientific Research Institute of Geology (Russia).
This page provides mineralogical data about Usovite.

Classification of Usovite

IMA status:Approved 1966
Strunz 8th edition ID:3/C.03-40
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:3.CB.35

3 : HALIDES
C : Complex halides
B : Neso-aluminofluorides
Dana 8th edition ID:11.6.14.1

11 : HALIDE COMPLEXES
6 : Aluminofluorides - Isolated Octahedra
Hey's CIM Ref.:8.4.17

8 : Halides - Fluorides, Chlorides, Bromides and Iodides; also Fluoborates and Fluosilicates
4 : Halides of the alkaline earths and Mg
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Type Occurrence of Usovite

Type Locality:Fluorite vein, Parvaya Noiba River, Enisei Range (Yenisei Ridge; Enisei Ridge), Krasnoyarsk Territory (Krasnoyarsk Kray; Krasnoyarskii Krai), Eastern-Siberian Region, Russia
Year of Discovery:1967

Physical Properties of Usovite

Lustre:Vitreous, Greasy
Diaphaneity (Transparency):Translucent
Colour:Brown to dark brown
Streak:White
Hardness (Mohs):3½

Crystallography of Usovite

Crystal System:Monoclinic
Cell Parameters:a = 13.56Å, b = 5.2Å, c = 15.55Å
β = 91.35°
Ratio:a:b:c = 2.608 : 1 : 2.99
Unit Cell Volume:V 1,096.16 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)

Optical Data of Usovite

Type:Biaxial (+)
RI values: nα = 1.441 nβ = 1.442 nγ = 1.444
2V:Measured: 70° , Calculated: 72°
Maximum Birefringence:δ = 0.003

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

Chemical Properties of Usovite

Formula:
Ba
 
2
CaMgAl
 
2
F
 
14
Essential elements:Al, Ba, Ca, F, Mg
All elements listed in formula:Al, Ba, Ca, F, Mg

Relationship of Usovite to other Species

Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):

- +
3.CB.05Cryolithionite
Na
 
3
Li
 
3
[AlF
 
6
]
 
2
3.CB.15Cryolite
Na
 
3
[AlF
 
6
]
3.CB.15Elpasolite
NaK
 
2
[AlF
 
6
]
3.CB.15Simmonsite
Na
 
2
Li[AlF
 
6
]
3.CB.20Colquiriite
CaLi[AlF
 
6
]
3.CB.25Weberite
Na
 
2
Mg[F|AlF
 
6
]
3.CB.30Karasugite
SrCa[Al(F,OH)
 
7
]
3.CB.40Pachnolite
NaCaAlF
 
6
·H
 
2
O
3.CB.40Thomsenolite
NaCaAlF
 
6
·H
 
2
O
3.CB.45Carlhintzeite
Ca
 
2
[F|AlF
 
6
] · H
 
2
O
3.CB.50Yaroslavite
Ca
 
3
Al
 
2
F
 
10
(OH)
 
2
·H
 
2
O
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:

- +
8.4.1Sellaite
MgF
 
2
8.4.2Neighborite
NaMgF
 
3
8.4.3Bischofite
MgCl
 
2
 · 6H
 
2
O
8.4.4Korshunovskite
Mg
 
2
[(OH)
 
3
|Cl] · 4H
 
2
O
8.4.5Carnallite
KMgCl
 
3
·6H
 
2
O
8.4.6Tachyhydrite
CaMg
 
2
Cl
 
6
·12H
 
2
O
8.4.7Fluorite
CaF
 
2
8.4.8Sinjarite
CaCl
 
2
·2H
 
2
O
8.4.9Antarcticite
CaCl
 
2
 · 6H
 
2
O
8.4.10Chlorocalcite
KCaCl
 
3
8.4.11Rorisite
CaFCl
8.4.12Jarlite
Na(Sr,Na)
 
7
MgAl
 
6
F
 
32
(OH,H
 
2
O)
 
2
8.4.13Calcjarlite
Na(Ca,Sr)
 
3
Al
 
3
(OH)
 
2
F
 
14
8.4.14Tikhonenkovite
Sr[AlF
 
4
(OH)(H
 
2
O)]
8.4.15Acuminite
Sr[AlF
 
4
(OH)(H
 
2
O)]
8.4.16Frankdicksonite
BaF
 
2
8.4.18Bøgvadite
Na
 
2
SrBa
 
2
[Al
 
4
F
 
20
]

Other Names for Usovite

Synonyms:
IMA1966-038
Other Languages:
German:Usovit
Spanish:Usovita

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 Usovite

Reference List:Zapiski Vserossiyskogo Mineralogicheskogo Obshchestva (1967): 96(1): 63-66.

American Mineralogist (1967): 52: 1582.

American Mineralogist (1975): 60: 739.

Dopovidi Akademii Nauk Ukrainskoi RSR, Seriya B. Geologichni, Himichni ta Biologichni Nauki: 3: 47-50.

Internet Links for Usovite

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    Localities for Usovite

    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.
    Germany
     
    • Baden-Württemberg
      • Black Forest
        • Wolfach
          • Oberwolfach
            • Rankach valley
    		KOLITSCH, U. (1997): Ianthinit und weitere Neufunde aus der Grube Clara im mittleren Schwarzwald. - Erzgräber 11 (2), 76-88; WALENTA, K. (1999): Neue Mineralfunde von der Grube Clara. 8. Folge, 1. Teil. Lapis 24 (11), 34-37.
    Russia
     
    • Eastern-Siberian Region
      • Krasnoyarsk Territory (Krasnoyarsk Kray; Krasnoyarskii Krai)
        • Enisei Range (Yenisei Ridge; Enisei Ridge)
          • Parvaya Noiba River
    		Pekov, I. (1998) Minerals First discovered on the territory of the former Soviet Union 369p. Ocean Pictures, Moscow
    Mineral and/or Locality
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