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Virgilite

Formula:
LiAlSi
 
2
O
 
6
System:HexagonalColour:Colourless
Name:For Virgil Everett Barnes (1903-1998), Professor of Mineralogy, University of Texas, Austin, Texas, USA.
This page provides mineralogical data about Virgilite.

Classification of Virgilite

IMA status:Approved 1977
Strunz 8th edition ID:8/J.03-20
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:9.FA.15

9 : SILICATES (Germanates)
F : Tektosilicates without zeolitic H2O
A : Tektosilicates without additional non-tetrahedral anions
Dana 8th edition ID:75.3.1.1

75 : TECTOSILICATES Si Tetrahedral Frameworks
3 : Si Tetrahedral Frameworks with silica derivative structures
Hey's CIM Ref.:16.1.4

16 : Silicates Containing Aluminum and other Metals
1 : Aluminosilicates of Li
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Type Occurrence of Virgilite

Type Locality:Macusani, Carabaya Province, Puno Department, Peru
General Appearance of Type Material:colorless euhedral crystals up to 50 microns across.
Place of Conservation of Type Material:National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, USA, Meteorite collection number NMNH 2143-17
Geological Setting of type material:found in volcanic glass
Associated Minerals at type locality:
SpinelQuartzK FeldsparBiotite

Physical Properties of Virgilite

Lustre:Vitreous
Diaphaneity (Transparency):Transparent
Colour:Colourless
Hardness (Vickers):VHN100=681 - 722
Hardness Data:Could not be measured
Density (calculated):2.46 g/cm3

Crystallography of Virgilite

Crystal System:Hexagonal
Class (H-M):6 2 2 - Trapezohedral
Space Group:P62 2 2
Cell Parameters:a = 5.13Å, c = 5.45Å
Ratio:a:c = 1 : 1.062
Unit Cell Volume:V 124.21 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
X-Ray Powder Diffraction:
d-spacingIntensity
4.442 (13)
3.441 (100)
1.870 (25)
1.605 (9)
1.408 (9)

Optical Data of Virgilite

Type:Uniaxial (-)

Chemical Properties of Virgilite

Formula:
LiAlSi
 
2
O
 
6
Essential elements:Al, Li, O, Si
All elements listed in formula:Al, Li, O, Si
Common Impurities:Fe,P

Relationship of Virgilite to other Species

Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):

- +
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.05Trikalsilite
(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.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.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.40Paracelsian
Ba[Al
 
2
Si
 
2
O
 
8
]
9.FA.45Svyatoslavite
Ca[Al
 
2
Si
 
2
O
 
8
]
9.FA.45Kumdykolite
NaAlSi
 
3
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
CaB
 
2
Si
 
2
O
 
8
9.FA.65Maleevite
BaB
 
2
Si
 
2
O
 
8
9.FA.65Pekovite
SrB
 
2
Si
 
2
O
 
8
9.FA.70Lingunite
(Na,Ca)AlSi
 
3
O
 
8
9.FA.75Kokchetavite
KAlSi
 
3
O
 
8
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:

- +
16.1.1Petalite
LiAlSi
 
4
O
 
10
16.1.2Spodumene
LiAl[Si
 
2
O
 
6
]
16.1.3Eucryptite
LiAl[SiO
 
4
]
16.1.5Cookeite
LiAl
 
4
(Si
 
3
Al)O
 
10
(OH)
 
8
16.1.6Bikitaite
LiAlSi
 
2
O
 
6
·H
 
2
O
16.1.7Lunijianlaite
Li
 
0.7
Al
 
6.2
(Si
 
7
AlO
 
20
)(OH,O)
 
10
16.1.8Swinefordite
Li(Al,Li,Mg)
 
4
(Si,Al)
 
8
O
 
20
,(OH,F)
 
4
·xH
 
2
O
16.1.9Holmquistite
☐[Li
 
2
][Mg
 
3
Al
 
2
][(OH)
 
2
|Si
 
8
O
 
22
]
16.1.13Clinoferroholmquistite
[ ][Li
 
2
][Fe
2+
3
Al
 
2
][(OH)
 
2
|Si
 
8
O
 
22
]
16.1.14Magnesioholmquistite
16.1.15Bityite
CaLiAl
 
2
[(OH)
 
2
|BeAlSi
 
2
O
 
10
]
16.1.16Sogdianite
(K,Na)
 
2
(Li,Fe)
 
3
(Zr,Ti,Fe)Si
 
12
O
 
30
16.1.17Sugilite
KNa
 
2
(Fe,Mn,Al)
 
2
Li
 
3
Si
 
12
O
 
30

Other Names for Virgilite

Synonyms:
IMA1977-009
Other Languages:
German:Virgilit
Japanese:ヴァージライト
Russian:Виргилит
Spanish:Virgilita

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 Virgilite

Reference List:French, B.M., P.A. Jezek, and D.E. Appleman (1978) Virgilite: a new lithium
aluminum silicate mineral from the Macusani glass, Peru. Amer. Mineral., 63, 461-465.

American Mineralogist (1980): 65: 811-812.

Internet Links for Virgilite

Search Engines:
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  • Look for Virgilite on Mineralien Atlas
  • Raman and XRD data at RRUFF project
  • American Mineralogist Crystal Structure Database
  • Search for Virgilite in the Natural History Museum (London) online catalogue
  • Virgilite details from Handbook of Mineralogy (PDF)
    • Mineral Dealers:
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    Localities for Virgilite

    (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.
    Peru
     
    • Puno Department
      • Carabaya Province
    		AM 63 (1978), 461; HB2/2 (1995)
    Mineral and/or Locality
    Google
     
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