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Walstromite

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Esquire No. 8 claim (Lander's Gillespite locality), Big Creek, Fresno Co., California, USA
© JEFS

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Formula:
BaCa
 
2
[Si
 
3
O
 
9
]
System:TriclinicColour:Colourless to white
Hardness:3½
Name:Named after Robert "Bob" E. Walstrom, geologist and mineral collector, formerly of Fresno, CA, and now of Silver City, NM, USA. He has 12 minerals new to science to his credit, already published (2008), with more in the works.
This page provides mineralogical data about Walstromite.

Classification of Walstromite

IMA status:Approved 1964
Strunz 8th edition ID:8/E.02-10
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:9.CA.25

9 : SILICATES (Germanates)
C : Cyclosilicates
A : [Si3O9]6- 3-membered single rings (dreier-Einfachringe), without insular complex anions
Dana 8th edition ID:59.1.2.1

59 : CYCLOSILICATES Three-Membered Rings
1 : Three-Membered Rings, anhydrous, no other anions
Hey's CIM Ref.:14.7.3

14 : Silicates not Containing Aluminum
7 : Silicates of Ba, Sr and Zn
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Type Occurrence of Walstromite

Type Locality:Esquire No. 7 claim, Big Creek, Fresno Co., California, USA
Year of Discovery:1964

Physical Properties of Walstromite

Lustre:Sub-Vitreous, Pearly
Diaphaneity (Transparency):Transparent, Translucent
Colour:Colourless to white
Hardness (Mohs):3½

Crystallography of Walstromite

Crystal System:Triclinic
Cell Parameters:a = 6.74Å, b = 9.6Å, c = 6.68Å
α = 69.85°, β = 102.23°, γ = 97.11°
Ratio:a:b:c = 0.702 : 1 : 0.696
Unit Cell Volume:V 395.95 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)

Optical Data of Walstromite

Type:Biaxial (-)
RI values: nα = 1.668 nβ = 1.684 nγ = 1.685
2V:Measured: 30° , Calculated: 26°
Maximum Birefringence:δ = 0.017

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

Chemical Properties of Walstromite

Formula:
BaCa
 
2
[Si
 
3
O
 
9
]
Essential elements:Ba, Ca, O, Si
All elements listed in formula:Ba, Ca, O, Si
Common Impurities:Ti,Al,Fe,Mn,Mg,Sr,K

Relationship of Walstromite to other Species

Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):
9.CA.05Bazirite
BaZr[Si
 
3
O
 
9
]
9.CA.05Benitoite
BaTi[Si
 
3
O
 
9
]
9.CA.05Pabstite
Ba(Sn,Ti)[Si
 
3
O
 
9
]
9.CA.10Wadeite
K
 
2
Zr[Si
 
3
O
 
9
]
9.CA.15Calciocatapleiite
CaZrSi
 
3
O
 
9
·2H
 
2
O
9.CA.15Catapleiite
Na
 
2
Zr[Si
 
3
O
 
9
]·2H
 
2
O
9.CA.20Pseudowollastonite
CaSiO
 
3
9.CA.25Margarosanite
Pb(Ca,Mn
2+
 
)
 
2
[Si
 
3
O
 
9
]
9.CA.30Bobtraillite
(Na,Ca)
 
13
Sr
 
11
(Zr,Y,Nb)
 
14
[(Si
 
3
O
 
9
)
 
10
|(H
 
2
BSi
 
2
O
 
9
)
 
6
] · 12H
 
2
O
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:
14.7.1Sanbornite
Ba
 
2
[Si
 
4
O
 
10
]
14.7.2Krauskopfite
BaSi
 
2
O
 
5
·3H
 
2
O
14.7.4Macdonaldite
BaCa
 
4
Si
 
16
O
 
36
(OH)
 
2
·10H
 
2
O
14.7.5Ericssonite
BaMn
2+
2
Fe
3+
 
[O|OH|Si
 
2
O
 
7
]
14.7.6Orthoericssonite
BaMn
2+
2
Fe
3+
 
[O|OH|Si
 
2
O
 
7
]
14.7.7Gillespite
BaFe
2+
 
[Si
 
4
O
 
10
]
14.7.8Andrémeyerite
BaFe
2+
2
[Si
 
2
O
 
7
]
14.7.9Pellyite
Ba
 
2
Ca(Fe,Mg)
 
2
Si
 
6
O
 
17
14.7.10Taikanite
Sr
 
3
BaMn
2+
2
[O|Si
 
2
O
 
6
]
 
2
14.7.11Willemite
Zn
 
2
[SiO
 
4
]
14.7.12Hemimorphite
Zn
 
4
[(OH)
 
2
|Si
 
2
O
 
7
] · H
 
2
O
14.7.13Zincsilite
Zn
 
3
Si
 
4
O
 
10
(OH)
 
2
·4H
 
2
O
14.7.14Hardystonite
Ca
 
2
Zn[Si
 
2
O
 
7
]
14.7.15Petedunnite
Ca(Zn,Mn
2+
 
,Mg,Fe
2+
 
)[Si
 
2
O
 
6
]
14.7.16Clinohedrite
CaZn[SiO
 
4
] · H
 
2
O
14.7.17Junitoite
CaZn
 
2
[Si
 
2
O
 
7
] · H
 
2
O
14.7.18Larsenite
PbZn[SiO
 
4
]
14.7.19Esperite
PbCa
 
3
Zn
 
4
[SiO
 
4
]
 
4
14.7.20Hodgkinsonite
Mn
2+
 
Zn
 
2
[(OH)
 
2
|SiO
 
4
]
14.7.21Gerstmannite
(Mg,Mn
2+
 
)Zn[(OH)
 
2
|SiO
 
4
]
14.7.22Gageite
Mn
 
21
O
 
3
(Si
 
4
O
 
12
)
 
2
(OH)
 
20
14.7.23Franklinfurnaceite
Ca
 
2
FeMn
 
3
MnZn
 
2
Si
 
2
O
 
10
(OH)
 
8

Other Names for Walstromite

Synonyms:
IMA1964-009
German names:
Walstromit
Russian names:
Уолстромит
Spanish names:
Walstromita

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 Walstromite

Reference List:American Mineralogist (1965): 50: 314-340.

Glasser, L.S.D. & F.P. Glasser (1968), The crystal structure of walstromite: American Mineralogist: 53: 9-13.

American Mineralogist (1984): 69: 358.

Internet Links for Walstromite

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    Localities for Walstromite

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    USA
     
    • California
      • Fresno Co.
        • Big Creek
    		[Amer.Min.(1965) 50, 314-340; MinRec 33:161]
    Bob Walstrom, p.c.
        • Rush Creek
      • Mariposa Co.
        • Incline
    		[MinRec 30:414]
      • Tulare Co.
        • Chickencoop Canyon
    Mineral and/or Locality
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