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Behoite

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Poudrette quarry (Demix quarry; Uni-Mix quarry; Desourdy quarry), Mont Saint-Hilaire, Rouville Co., Québec, Canada
© Stephan Wolfsried

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Formula:
Be(OH)
 
2
System:OrthorhombicColour:Colourless or white, ...
Lustre:Vitreous, Greasy, DullHardness:4
Name:For beryllium, Be, and hydroxide, OH, in its composition.
This page provides mineralogical data about Behoite.

Classification of Behoite

IMA status:Approved
Strunz 8th edition ID:4/F.01-20
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:4.FA.05

4 : OXIDES (Hydroxides, V[5,6] vanadates, arsenites, antimonites, bismuthites, sulfites, selenites, tellurites, iodates)
F : Hydroxides (without V or U)
A : Hydroxides with OH, without H2O; corner-sharing tetrahedra
Dana 8th edition ID:6.2.2.1

6 : HYDROXIDES AND OXIDES CONTAINING HYDROXYL
2 : X(OH)2
Hey's CIM Ref.:7.4.2

7 : Oxides and Hydroxides
4 : Oxides of Be, Mg and the alkaline earths
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Type Occurrence of Behoite

Type Locality:Rode Ranch pegmatite, Llano Co., Texas, USA
Geological Setting of type material:In granite pegmatite as a near-surface alteration product of gadolinite
Associated Minerals at type locality:
Tengerite-(Y)QuartzMontmorilloniteMicroclineGadolinite
FluoriteCalciteBastnäsiteAlbite

Occurrences of Behoite

Geological Setting:In altered volcanic tuff; in pegmatite veins; in miarolitic cavities in nepheline syenite

Physical Properties of Behoite

Lustre:Vitreous, Greasy, Dull
Diaphaneity (Transparency):Translucent, Opaque
Colour:Colourless or white, rarely pale pink to pale grey; may show anomalous blue and brown interference colours in transmitted light
Hardness (Mohs):4
Fracture:Conchoidal
Density (measured):1.92 g/cm3
Density (calculated):1.93 g/cm3

Crystallography of Behoite

Crystal System:Orthorhombic
Class (H-M):2 2 2 - Disphenoidal
Space Group:P21 21 21
Cell Parameters:a = 4.62Å, b = 7.05Å, c = 4.55Å
Ratio:a:b:c = 0.655 : 1 : 0.645
Unit Cell Volume:V 148.20 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:4
Morphology:Crystals peudo-octahedral, {011} and {110}, or sphenoidal, to 7 mm; faces showing striae and etch pits; subhedral, as rounded crystal aggregates and crusts.
Twinning:Probably polysynthetically twinned, observed optically.
X-Ray Powder Diffraction:
d-spacingIntensity
2.39 (vvs)
3.88 (vs)
3.83 (vs)
2.95 (m)
2.79 (m)
1.99 (m)
Comments:Recorded on type material

Optical Data of Behoite

Type:Biaxial (-)
RI values: nα = 1.533 nβ = 1.544 nγ = 1.548
2V:Measured: 82° , Calculated: 60°
Maximum Birefringence:δ = 0.015

Chart shows birefringence interference colour range (at 30µm thickness) and does not take into account mineral colouration.
Surface Relief:Low
Dispersion:r < v, strong

Chemical Properties of Behoite

Formula:
Be(OH)
 
2
Essential elements:Be, H, O
All elements listed in formula:Be, H, O
Analyical Data:Emission spectroscopy shows Be as the only major element.
Relationship of Behoite to other Species
Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):
4.FA.05Clinobehoite
Be(OH)
 
2
4.FA.10Ashoverite
Zn(OH)
 
2
4.FA.10Sweetite
Zn(OH)
 
2
4.FA.10Wülfingite
Zn(OH)
 
2
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:
7.4.1Bromellite
BeO
7.4.3Clinobehoite
Be(OH)
 
2
7.4.4Chrysoberyl
BeAl
 
2
O
 
4
7.4.5Magnesiotaaffeite-2N’2S
Mg
 
3
Al
 
8
BeO
 
16
7.4.6Magnesiotaaffeite-6N’3S
(Mg,Fe,Zn)
 
2
Al
 
6
BeO
 
12
7.4.7Periclase
MgO
7.4.8Brucite
Mg(OH)
 
2
7.4.9Spinel
MgAl
 
2
O
 
4
7.4.10Meixnerite
Mg
 
6
Al
 
2
(OH)
 
18
·4H
 
2
O
7.4.11Lime
CaO
7.4.12Portlandite
Ca(OH)
 
2
7.4.13Mayenite
Ca
 
12
Al
 
14
O
 
33
7.4.14Hydrocalumite
Ca
 
2
Al(OH)
 
7
·2H
 
2
O
7.4.15Marokite
CaMn
 
2
O
 
4
7.4.16Ranciéite
(Ca,Mn)Mn
 
4
O
 
9
·3H
 
2
O
7.4.17Hollandite
Ba(Mn
4+
 
,Mn
2+
 
)
 
8
O
 
16
7.4.18Romanèchite
(Ba,H
 
2
O)
 
2
Mn
 
5
O
 
10
7.4.19Todorokite
(Mn,Mg,Ca,Ba,K,Na)
 
2
Mn
 
3
O
 
12
·3H
 
2
O
Other Names for Behoite
Synonyms:
IMA1969-031
German names:
Behoit
Russian names:
Бехоит
Spanish names:
Behoita
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 Behoite
Reference List:Ehlmann, A. J. and Mitchell, R. S. (1970): Behoite, beta-Be(OH)2, from the Rode Ranch pegmatite, Llano County, Texas. American Mineralogist 55, 1-9.



Horváth, L. and Gault, R. A. (1990): The mineralogy of Mont Saint-Hilaire, Quebec. Mineralogical Record 21, 284-359, esp. 220.



Zeitschrift für Anorganische und Allgemeine Chemie 624, 1130-1136.



Anthony, J. W. et al. (1997): Handbook of Mineralogy, Vol. 3, 50.
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    Localities for Behoite
    
	






    


    

    
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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.

    Canada
     
    

    • Québec
    

      • Rouville Co.
    

        • Mont Saint-Hilaire
    
    		Horváth, L and Gault, R.A. (1990), The mineralogy of Mont Saint-Hilaire Quebec. Mineralogical Record: 21: 284-359.
    China
     
    

    • Hunan Province
    

      • Chenzhou Prefecture
    

        • Linwu Co.
    

          • Xianghualing Sn-polymetallic ore field
    
    		Huang et al. (1988): Hsianghualing rocks, mineral deposits and minerals. Beijing Sci. Techn. Publ. Bur. (Beijing), 255 pp.
    Norway
     
    

    • Telemark
    

      • Porsgrunn
    

        • Mørje
    

          • Sagåsen (Strandåsen)
    
    		Hansen, R. & Berge,S.A.(1982):" Mineralnotater".NAGS-nytt 9(1),14 (in norwegian);Neumann (1985, p. 86).
    




A. O. Larsen, A. Åsheim and R. A. Gault, 2005.
    



Engvoldsen,T.,Andersen, F.,Berge, S.A. & Burvald, I. (1991): Pegmatittmineraler fra Larvik ringkompleks. STEIN 18(1),15-71
    

    • Vestfold
    

      • Larvik
    

        • Lågendalen
    

    



    



Engvoldsen,T.,Andersen, F.,Berge, S.A. & Burvald, I. (1991): Pegmatittmineraler fra Larvik ringkompleks. STEIN 18(1),15-71
    



Engvoldsen,T.,Andersen, F.,Berge, S.A. & Burvald, I. (1991): Pegmatittmineraler fra Larvik ringkompleks. STEIN 18(1),15-71
    




Collection of Peter Andresen.
    



Engvoldsen,T.,Andersen, F.,Berge, S.A. & Burvald, I. (1991): Pegmatittmineraler fra Larvik ringkompleks. STEIN 18(1),15-71
    USA
     
    

    • Texas
    

      • Burnet Co.
    
    		R&M 66:3 pp 196-224
    


      • Llano Co.
    

        • Kingsland Granite Company quarry (Petrick quarry)
    
    		Self-Collected by Franklin Roberts
    


Amer.Min.(1970) 55, 1-9
    

    • Utah
    

      • Juab Co.
    
    		Anthony, J. W. et al. (1997): Handbook of Mineralogy, Vol. 3, 50
    

    


    

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