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Weberite

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Perzhanskoe ore field (Perga Be deposit), Zhytomyr Oblast' (Zhitomir Oblast'), Ukraine
© Pavel M. Kartashov

Show Weberite Photos (6)
Formula:
Na
 
2
Mg[F|AlF
 
6
]
System:OrthorhombicColour:Grayish white; ...
Hardness:3½
Name:Named after Theobald Weber (1823-1886), a founder of the Danish cryolite industry in 1857.
This page provides mineralogical data about Weberite.

Classification of Weberite

IMA status:Valid - first described prior to 1959 (pre-IMA) - "Grandfathered"
Strunz 8th edition ID:3/C.03-30
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:3.CB.25

3 : HALIDES
C : Complex halides
B : Neso-aluminofluorides
Dana 8th edition ID:11.6.13.1

11 : HALIDE COMPLEXES
6 : Aluminofluorides - Isolated Octahedra
Hey's CIM Ref.:8.6.8

8 : Halides - Fluorides, Chlorides, Bromides and Iodides; also Fluoborates and Fluosilicates
6 : Halides of Al
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Type Occurrence of Weberite

Type Locality:Cryolite deposit, Ivittuut (Ivigtut), Arsuk Firth, Arsuk, Kitaa (West Greenland) Province, Greenland
Year of Discovery:1938
Associated Minerals at type locality:
TopazPyriteMica GroupFluoriteCryolite
Chiolite

Physical Properties of Weberite

Lustre:Vitreous
Diaphaneity (Transparency):Translucent
Colour:Grayish white; colourless in transmitted light.
Streak:White
Hardness (Mohs):3½
Cleavage:Poor/Indistinct
On {101} poor; on {010} indistinct.
Fracture:Irregular/Uneven
Density (measured):2.96 g/cm3
Density (calculated):2.97 g/cm3

Crystallography of Weberite

Crystal System:Orthorhombic
Class (H-M):mmm (2/m 2/m 2/m) - Dipyramidal
Space Group:Immm (I2/m 2/m 2/m)
Cell Parameters:a = 7.31Å, b = 7.06Å, c = 9.99Å
Ratio:a:b:c = 1.035 : 1 : 1.415
Unit Cell Volume:V 515.57 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Morphology:Irregular grains and masses. Inclusions in cryolite.

Optical Data of Weberite

Type:Biaxial (+)
RI values: nα = 1.346 nβ = 1.348 nγ = 1.350
2V:Measured: 83° , Calculated: 88°
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:none

Chemical Properties of Weberite

Formula:
Na
 
2
Mg[F|AlF
 
6
]
Essential elements:Al, F, Mg, Na
All elements listed in formula:Al, F, Mg, Na

Relationship of Weberite 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.30Karasugite
SrCa[Al(F,OH)
 
7
]
3.CB.35Usovite
Ba
 
2
CaMgAl
 
2
F
 
14
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:

- +
8.6.1Zharchikhite
AlF(OH)
 
2
8.6.2Chloraluminite
AlCl
 
3
·6H
 
2
O
8.6.3Cadwaladerite
Al(OH)
 
2
Cl·4H
 
2
O
8.6.4Cryolithionite
Na
 
3
Li
 
3
[AlF
 
6
]
 
2
8.6.5Cryolite
Na
 
3
[AlF
 
6
]
8.6.6Chiolite
Na
 
3
Al
 
3
F
 
14
8.6.7Elpasolite
NaK
 
2
[AlF
 
6
]
8.6.9Ralstonite
NaMgAl(F,OH)
 
6
·H
 
2
O
8.6.10Koenenite
Na
 
4
Mg
 
9
Al
 
4
Cl
 
12
(OH)
 
22
8.6.11 Chlor-manasseite
Mg
 
x
Al(OH)
 
2x+2
Cl·(x-0.8)H
 
2
O x about 1.75
8.6.12Gearksutite
Ca[Al(F,OH)
 
5
(H
 
2
O)]
8.6.13Prosopite
CaAl
 
2
(F,OH)
 
8
8.6.14Yaroslavite
Ca
 
3
Al
 
2
F
 
10
(OH)
 
2
·H
 
2
O
8.6.15Carlhintzeite
Ca
 
2
[F|AlF
 
6
] · H
 
2
O
8.6.16Colquiriite
CaLi[AlF
 
6
]
8.6.17Thomsenolite
NaCaAlF
 
6
·H
 
2
O
8.6.18Pachnolite
NaCaAlF
 
6
·H
 
2
O
8.6.19Zirklerite
(Fe,Mg,Ca)
 
9
Al
 
4
Cl
 
18
(OH)
 
12
·14H
 
2
O (?)

Other Names for Weberite

Other Languages:
German:Weberit
Russian:Веберит
Spanish:Weberita

Other Information

Other Information:Slightly soluble in water. Readily soluble in an AlCl3 solution.
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 Weberite

Reference List:Bøgvad (1938) Meddelelser om Grønland: 119(7): 1.

American Mineralogist (1939): 24: 278.

Brosset (1943) American Chemical Society: 37: 13.

Ferguson (1949) American Mineralogist: 34: 383.

Palache, C., Berman, H., & Frondel, C. (1951), The System of Mineralogy of James Dwight Dana and Edward Salisbury Dana, Yale University 1837-1892, Volume II: Halides, Nitrates, Borates, Carbonates, Sulfates, Phosphates, Arsenates, Tungstates, Molybdates, Etc. John Wiley and Sons, Inc., New York, 7th edition, revised and enlarged: 127-128.

Tschermaks Mineralogische und Petrographische Mitteilungen (1978): 25: 57-62.

Journal of Solid State Chemistry (1982): 43: 213.

Articles/Blogs about Weberite

Internet Links for Weberite

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  • Raman and XRD data at RRUFF project
  • American Mineralogist Crystal Structure Database
  • Search for Weberite in the Natural History Museum (London) online catalogue
  • Weberite details from Handbook of Mineralogy (PDF)
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    Localities for Weberite

    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.
    Antarctica
     
    • Western Antarctica
      • Antarctic Peninsula
        • South Shetland Islands
    		Viramonte, J.G., Sureda, R.J., Bossi, G.E., Fourcade, N.H., Omarini, R.H., Geochemical and mineralogical study of the high temperature fumaroles from Decepcion Island, South Shetland, Antarctica. Inst. Assoc. of Volc. and chemistry of the erath interior. Symposium Andean and Antarctic Volcanology Problems. Chile (1974).
    Australia
     
    • South Australia
      • Eyre peninsula
        • Middleback Range
          • Iron Knob
    • Tasmania
      • Waratah district
        • Waratah
    		Bottrill
    Greenland
     
    • Kitaa (West Greenland) Province
      • Arsuk
        • Arsuk Firth
          • Ivittuut (Ivigtut)
    		Meddelelser om Grønland (1938), 119(7), 1; Palache, C., Berman, H., & Frondel, C. (1951), The System of Mineralogy of James Dwight Dana and Edward Salisbury Dana, Yale University 1837-1892, Volume II: 112, 128.
    Ukraine
     
    • Zhytomyr Oblast' (Zhitomir Oblast')
    		Yurk Yu.Yu., Gurov E.P., Gurova E.P. (1973) Pecularities of fluorin mineralogy of Ukrainian crystalline shield, - Naukova Dumka, Kiev, pp.184 (in Russian).
    USA
     
    • Colorado
      • Boulder Co.
        • Jamestown District
    		Minerals of Colorado (1997) E.B. Eckels
      • El Paso Co.
        • Cheyenne District (St. Peters Dome District)
    		Minerals of Colorado (1997) Eckel, E. B.
          • St Peters Dome
    		Minerals of Colorado (1997) Eckels, E. B.; Am Min 51:299-323
      • Fremont Co.
    		"Minerals of Colorado, updated & revised", p. 16, by Eckel, Edwin B., 1997
    • Nevada
      • Mineral Co.
        • Fitting District
          • Gillis Range
    		Mineralogical Record: 31: 204.
    Mineral and/or Locality
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