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Wairakite

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Toi mine, Toi-cho, Shizuoka Prefecture, Chubu Region, Honshu Island, Japan
© Knut Eldjarn

Show Wairakite Photos (3)
Formula:
Ca[Al
 
2
Si
 
4
O
 
12
] · 2H
 
2
O
System:MonoclinicColour:Colorless to white
Hardness:5½ - 6
Name:Named after its discovery locality, Wairakei, North Island, New Zealand.


Zeolite Group. Analcime-Wairakite Series.

Classification of Wairakite

IMA status:Approved
Strunz 8th edition ID:8/J.27-30
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:9.GB.05

9 : SILICATES (Germanates)
G : Tektosilicates with zeolitic H2O; zeolite family
B : Chains of single connected 4-membered rings
Dana 7th edition ID:77.1.1.3
Dana 8th edition ID:77.1.1.3

77 : TECTOSILICATES Zeolites
1 : Zeolite group - True zeolites
Hey's CIM Ref.:16.9.20

16 : Silicates Containing Aluminum and other Metals
9 : Aluminosilicates of Ca
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Type Occurrence of Wairakite

Type Locality:Lake Taupo, Wairakei geothermal area, Wairakei, North Island, New Zealand
Year of Discovery:1955

Physical Properties of Wairakite

Lustre:Vitreous, Dull
Diaphaneity (Transparency):Transparent, Translucent
Colour:Colorless to white
Streak:White
Hardness (Mohs):5½ - 6
Cleavage:Distinct/Good
Distinct on the {100}
Fracture:Conchoidal

Crystallography of Wairakite

Crystal System:Monoclinic
Class (H-M):2/m - Prismatic
Cell Parameters:a = 13.69Å, b = 13.64Å, c = 13.56Å
β = 90.51°
Ratio:a:b:c = 1.004 : 1 : 0.994
Unit Cell Volume:V 2,531.98 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)

Optical Data of Wairakite

Type:Biaxial (+/-)
RI values: nα = 1.498 nγ = 1.502
2V:Measured: 70° to 105°
Maximum Birefringence:δ = 0.004

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

Chemical Properties of Wairakite

Formula:
Ca[Al
 
2
Si
 
4
O
 
12
] · 2H
 
2
O
Essential elements:Al, Ca, H, O, Si
All elements listed in formula:Al, Ca, H, O, Si
Common Impurities:Fe,Mg,Sr,Na,K,Cs

Relationship of Wairakite to other Species

Series:Forms a series with Analcime (see here)
Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):
9.GB.05Ammonioleucite
(NH
 
4
,K)AlSi
 
2
O
 
6
9.GB.05Analcime
Na
 
2
[Al
 
2
Si
 
4
O
 
12
] · 2H
 
2
O
9.GB.05Hsianghualite
Ca
 
3
Li
 
2
Be
 
3
[F
 
2
|(SiO
 
4
)
 
3
]
9.GB.05Lithosite
K
 
6
Al
 
4
Si
 
8
O
 
25
·2H
 
2
O
9.GB.05Leucite
KAlSi
 
2
O
 
6
9.GB.05Pollucite
(Cs,Na)
 
2
[Al
 
2
Si
 
4
O
 
12
] · 2H
 
2
O
9.GB.10Laumontite
CaAl
 
2
Si
 
4
O
 
12
·4H
 
2
O
9.GB.15Yugawaralite
CaAl
 
2
Si
 
6
O
 
16
·4H
 
2
O
9.GB.20Roggianite
Ca
 
2
Be(OH)
 
2
Al
 
2
Si
 
4
O
 
13
·2.5H
 
2
O
9.GB.25Goosecreekite
Ca[Al
 
2
Si
 
6
O
 
16
] · 5H
 
2
O
9.GB.30Montesommaite
(K,Na)
 
9
Al
 
9
Si
 
23
O
 
64
·10H
 
2
O
9.GB.35Parthéite
CaAl
 
2
Si
 
2
O
 
8
·2H
 
2
O
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:
16.9.1Gehlenite
Ca
 
2
Al[AlSiO
 
7
]
16.9.2Anorthite
Ca[Al
 
2
Si
 
2
O
 
8
]
16.9.3Yoshiokaite
(Ca,Na)[Al(Al,Si)O
 
4
]
16.9.4Svyatoslavite
Ca[Al
 
2
Si
 
2
O
 
8
]
16.9.5Dmisteinbergite
Ca[Al
 
2
Si
 
2
O
 
8
]
16.9.6Grossular
Ca
 
3
Al
 
2
[SiO
 
4
]
 
3
16.9.7Vuagnatite
CaAl[OH|SiO
 
4
]
16.9.8Zoisite
{Ca
 
2
}{Al
 
3
}[O|OH|SiO
 
4
|Si
 
2
O
 
7
]
16.9.9Clinozoisite
{Ca
 
2
}{Al
 
3
}[O|OH|SiO
 
4
|Si
 
2
O
 
7
]
16.9.10Prehnite
Ca
 
2
Al
 
2
Si
 
3
O
 
12
(OH)
16.9.11Kamaishilite
Ca
 
2
[(OH)
 
2
|Al
 
2
SiO
 
6
]
16.9.12Bicchulite
Ca
 
2
[(OH)
 
2
|Al
 
2
SiO
 
6
]
16.9.13Margarite
CaAl
 
2
[(OH)
 
2
|Al
 
2
Si
 
2
O
 
10
]
16.9.14Chantalite
CaAl
 
2
[(OH)
 
4
|SiO
 
4
]
16.9.15Cebollite
Ca
 
5
Al
 
2
Si
 
3
O
 
12
(OH)
 
4
 or near
16.9.17Katoite
Ca
 
3
Al
 
2
[(OH)
 
8-6
|(SiO
 
4
)
 
1-1.5
]
16.9.18Lawsonite
CaAl
 
2
[(OH)
 
2
|Si
 
2
O
 
7
] · H
 
2
O
16.9.19Parthéite
CaAl
 
2
Si
 
2
O
 
8
·2H
 
2
O
16.9.21Vertumnite
Ca
 
4
Al
 
4
Si
 
4
O
 
6
(OH)
 
24
·3H
 
2
O
16.9.22Scolecite
Ca[Al
 
2
Si
 
3
O
 
10
] · 3H
 
2
O
16.9.23Laumontite
CaAl
 
2
Si
 
4
O
 
12
·4H
 
2
O
16.9.24Yugawaralite
CaAl
 
2
Si
 
6
O
 
16
·4H
 
2
O
16.9.25Gismondine-Ca
CaAl
 
2
Si
 
2
O
 
8
·4H
 
2
O
16.9.26Epistilbite
CaAl
 
2
Si
 
6
O
 
16
·5H
 
2
O
16.9.27Goosecreekite
Ca[Al
 
2
Si
 
6
O
 
16
] · 5H
 
2
O
16.9.28Cowlesite
CaAl
 
2
Si
 
3
O
 
10
·6H
 
2
O
16.9.30Stellerite
Ca[Al
 
2
Si
 
7
O
 
18
] · 7H
 
2
O
16.9.31Strätlingite
Ca
 
2
Al
 
2
SiO
 
7
·8H
 
2
O
16.9.32Amstallite
CaAl(Si,Al)
 
4
O
 
8
(OH)
 
4
·(H
 
2
O,Cl)
Related Minerals - Dana Grouping):
77.1.1.1Analcime
Na
 
2
[Al
 
2
Si
 
4
O
 
12
] · 2H
 
2
O
77.1.1.2Pollucite
(Cs,Na)
 
2
[Al
 
2
Si
 
4
O
 
12
] · 2H
 
2
O

Other Names for Wairakite

Synonyms:
Calcium-Analcime
German names:
Wairakit
Russian names:
Вайракит
Spanish names:
Wairakita

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 Wairakite

Reference List:Mineralogical Magazine (1955): 30: 5-6, 691-698.

Kiss, K. & H.T. Page (1969), Electron microscopic identification of single crystals of wairakite, a rare component: Clays and Clay Minerals: 17: 31-35.

American Mineralogist (1979): 64: 993-1001.

Neuhoff, P.S., J.F. Stebbins, & D.K. Bird (2003), Si-Al disorder and solid solutions in analcime, chabazite, and wairakite: American Mineralogist: 88: 410-423.

Internet Links for Wairakite

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  • Raman and XRD data at RRUFF project
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  • Search for Wairakite in the Natural History Museum (London) online catalogue
  • Wairakite details from Handbook of Mineralogy (PDF)
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    Localities for Wairakite

    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.
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    (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.
    Algeria
     
    • Constantine Province
      • Constantine District
        • Edough-Cap de Fer Massif
    		Ch. Marignac, Bull. Minéral. , 1988, 111, pp. 359-381.
    Argentina
     
    • Neuquén
    		Tschernich, 1992. Zeolites of the World, p.149, 517
    No reference listed
    Australia
     
    • Tasmania
    		Bottrill & Baker (in prep) Catalogue of minerals of Tasmania
    Canada
     
    • British Columbia
      • Alberni Mining Division
        • Vancouver Island
    		Tschernich, R. (1992): Zeolites of the World, p.50,517
    France
     
    • Auvergne
      • Haute-Loire
        • Brioude - Massiac area
          • Lavoûte-Chilhac
            • Saint-Privat-du-Dragon
    		B; Lasnier : "Persistance d'une série granulitique au coeur du Massif Central Français - Haut-Allier. Les termes basiques, ultrabasiques et carbonatés". Thesis, 1977.
    Germany
     
    • Rhineland-Palatinate
      • Eifel Mts
        • Daun
          • Üdersdorf
    		Hentschel, G., Neufunde von Üdersdorf, Lapis, Weise Verlag, München, 09/1993
    Indonesia
     
    • Sumatra
      • Lampung Province
    		www.geothermie.de/egec-geothernet/ci_prof/asia/indonesia/0418.PDF.
    Italy
     
    • Veneto
      • Vicenza Province
    		Lapis, 15 (12), 27-32+50.
    Japan
     
    • Honshu Island
      • Chubu Region
        • Shizuoka Prefecture
          • Toi-cho
    Knut Eldjarn specimen
      • Kanto Region
        • Gunma Prefecture
    		Labels of numerous Japanese collectors and dealers (Alfredo Petrov specimen confirmed by powder XRD)
      • Tohoku Region
        • Aomori Prefecture
          • Kuroishi City
    		Onuki et al (1988) Journal of Mineralogy, Petrology and Economic Geology, 83, 311-317.
    New Zealand
     
    • Bay of Plenty
    		R. Martin collection
    • North Island
      • Te Aroha
    		Courtney, S.F., King, P. & Rodgers, K.A., (1990). A Check List of Minerals from the Tui Mine, Te Aroha, New Zealand. New Zealand Natural Sciences 17: 95-98.
      • Tongariro
        • Taupo
    		The Rotokawa geothermal System. Krupp & Seward 1978, Economic Geology. 82 pp 1109-1129
      • Wairakei
    		Zeolites of the World, Rudy W. Tschernich 1992
    Min.Mag.(1955) 30, 691-708
    Spain
     
    • Canary Islands
      • Las Palmas Province
        • Lanzarote
    		Strasser, A., Kirchner, E., (2006): Minerale aus einem Alkali-Basalt-Differentiat vom Risco Famara, Lanzarote, Kanarische Inseln, Der Aufschluss, Vol. 57, 335-338
    U.S. Virgin Islands
     
    • St Croix Co.
      • St Croix Island
    		AmMin 50:752
    USA
     
    • Alaska
      • Aleutians East Borough
        • Unalaska Island
    		wwwdggs.dnr.state.ak.us/scan1/ri/text/RI84-23.PDF.
    • California
      • Kern Co.
        • Rosamond
    		Zeolites of the World, Rudy W. Tschernich 1992
      • Sonoma Co.
    		R. Tschernich, Zeolites of the world, 1975; http://www.mineralsocal.org
    • Colorado
      • Huerfano Co.
    		Minerals of Colorado (1997) E.B. Eckels
      • Las Animas Co.
    		Minerals of Colorado (1997) Eckels, E. B.
    • Michigan
      • Keweenaw Co.
    		Mineralogy of Michigan (2004) Heinrich & Robinson
    • Nevada
      • Storey Co.
    		NBMG Spec Pub 31 Minerals of Nevada
    • Oregon
      • Columbia Co.
        • Goble
    		Micro Probe Vol. 6 No. 5 Fall 1987
    • Washington
      • Cowlitz Co.
        • Wolf Point
    		Micro Probe Vol. 10 N0. 3 Spring '01
      • Lewis Co.
    		Minerals of Washington, Bart Cannon, 1975
      • Pierce Co.
    		Zeolites of the World, Rudy W. Tschernich 1992
    Minerals of Washington, Bart Cannon, 1975
    • Wyoming
      • Park Co.
    		Tschernich, R. (1992): Zeolites of the World, 71
    Mineral and/or Locality
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