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Benitoite

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Dallas Gem Mine (Benitoite Mine; Benitoite Gem Mine), New Idria District, San Benito Co., California, USA
© 1995-2001 Trinity Mineral Co.

Show Benitoite Photos (129)
Formula:
BaTi[Si
 
3
O
 
9
]
System:HexagonalColour:Sapphire blue, white to ...
Hardness:6 - 6½
Name:After the type locality in San Benito County, California, USA.


Benitoite Group. The titanium analogue of Pabstite.

Classification of Benitoite

IMA status:Valid - first described prior to 1959 (pre-IMA) - "Grandfathered"
Strunz 8th edition ID:8/E.01-10
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:9.CA.05

9 : SILICATES (Germanates)
C : Cyclosilicates
A : [Si3O9]6- 3-membered single rings (dreier-Einfachringe), without insular complex anions
Dana 8th edition ID:59.1.1.2

59 : CYCLOSILICATES Three-Membered Rings
1 : Three-Membered Rings, anhydrous, no other anions
Hey's CIM Ref.:14.9.9

14 : Silicates not Containing Aluminum
9 : Silicates of Ti
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Type Occurrence of Benitoite

Type Locality:Dallas Gem Mine (Benitoite Mine; Benitoite Gem Mine), New Idria District, San Benito Co., California, USA
Year of Discovery:1907

Physical Properties of Benitoite

Lustre:Vitreous
Diaphaneity (Transparency):Transparent, Translucent
Colour:Sapphire blue, white to colorless, pink
Hardness (Mohs):6 - 6½
Cleavage:Poor/Indistinct
Poor on {1011}
Fracture:Conchoidal
Density (measured):3.65 g/cm3
Density (calculated):3.68 g/cm3

Crystallography of Benitoite

Crystal System:Hexagonal
Class (H-M):6 m2 - Ditrigonal Dipyramidal
Space Group:P62c
Cell Parameters:a = 6.641Å, c = 9.7597(10) Å
Ratio:a:c = 1 : 1.47
Unit Cell Volume:V 372.76 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:2
Morphology:Flat pyramidal crystals
Twinning:By rotation around [0001]
Crystal Atlas:
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Benitoite no.1 - Goldschmidt (1913-1926)
Benitoite no.9 - Goldschmidt (1913-1926)

About Crystal Atlas

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X-Ray Powder Diffraction:
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Radiation - Copper Kα
Data Set:
Horizontal Axis: ° to ° Vertical Axis: % Source Data: Filtered Data: Peaks:
Data courtesy of RRUFF project at University of Arizona, used with permission.

Optical Data of Benitoite

Type:Uniaxial (+)
RI values: nω = 1.756 - 1.757 nε = 1.802 - 1.804
Maximum Birefringence:δ = 0.046

Chart shows birefringence interference colour range (at 30µm thickness) and does not take into account mineral colouration.
Surface Relief:Very High
Pleochroism:Visible
Comments:O= colorless
E= purple, indigo, greenish blue

Chemical Properties of Benitoite

Formula:
BaTi[Si
 
3
O
 
9
]
Essential elements:Ba, O, Si, Ti
All elements listed in formula:Ba, O, Si, Ti
Common Impurities:Na

Relationship of Benitoite to other Species

Related to:
  • Benitoite Group
    • Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):

    - +
    9.CA.05Bazirite
    BaZr[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.25Walstromite
    BaCa
     
    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:

    - +
    14.9.1Natisite
    Na
     
    2
    		Ti[O|SiO
     
    4
    		]
    14.9.2Lorenzenite
    Na
     
    2
    		Ti
     
    2
    		[O
     
    3
    		|Si
     
    2
    		O
     
    6
    		]
    14.9.3Lintisite
    LiNa
     
    3
    		Ti
     
    2
    		[O|Si
     
    2
    		O
     
    6
    		]
     
    2
    		 · 2H
     
    2
    		O
    14.9.4Davanite
    K
     
    2
    		TiSi
     
    6
    		O
     
    15
    14.9.5Kazakovite
    Na
     
    6
    		Ti[Si
     
    6
    		O
     
    16
    		(OH)
     
    2
    		]
    14.9.6Titanite
    CaTi[O|SiO
     
    4
    		]
    14.9.7Ohmilite
    Sr
     
    3
    		(Ti,Fe
    3+
     
    		)[(O,OH)|(Si
     
    2
    		O
     
    6
    		)
     
    2
    		] · 2-3H
     
    2
    		O
    14.9.8Lamprophyllite
    (Sr,K,Ba)
     
    2
    		(Na,Ti,Mn
    2+
     
    		,Fe
    3+
     
    		)
     
    4
    		Ti
     
    2
    		[O|(O,OH,F)|Si
     
    2
    		O
     
    7
    		]
     
    2
    14.9.10Batisite
    Na
     
    2
    		BaTi
     
    2
    		[O|Si
     
    2
    		O
     
    6
    		]
     
    2
    14.9.11Fresnoite
    Ba
     
    2
    		Ti[O|Si
     
    2
    		O
     
    7
    		]
    14.9.12Joaquinite-(Ce)
    Ba
     
    2
    		NaCe
     
    2
    		FeTi
     
    2
    		Si
     
    8
    		O
     
    26
    		(OH,F) · H
     
    2
    		O
    14.9.13Orthojoaquinite-(Ce)
    Ba
     
    2
    		NaCe
     
    2
    		FeTi
     
    2
    		Si
     
    8
    		O
     
    26
    		(O,OH) · H
     
    2
    		O
    14.9.14Strontiojoaquinite
    Sr
     
    2
    		Ba
     
    2
    		(Na,Fe)
     
    2
    		Ti
     
    2
    		Si
     
    8
    		O
     
    24
    		(O,OH)
     
    2
    		·H
     
    2
    		O
    14.9.15Bario-orthojoaquinite
    (Ba,Sr)
     
    4
    		Fe
     
    2
    		Ti
     
    2
    		Si
     
    8
    		O
     
    26
    		·H
     
    2
    		O
    14.9.16Strontio-orthojoaquinite
    Sr
     
    2
    		Ba
     
    2
    		(Na,Fe)
     
    2
    		Ti
     
    2
    		Si
     
    8
    		O
     
    24
    		(O,OH)
     
    2
    		·H
     
    2
    		O
    14.9.17Bafertisite
    Ba(Fe
    3+
     
    		,Mn
    2+
     
    		)
     
    2
    		Ti[O|(O,OH)
     
    2
    		|Si
     
    2
    		O
     
    7
    		]
    14.9.18Hejtmanite
    Ba(Mn
    2+
     
    		,Fe
    2+
     
    		)
     
    2
    		Ti[O|(OH,F)
     
    2
    		|Si
     
    2
    		O
     
    7
    		]
    14.9.19Delindeite
    (Na,K)
     
    2.7
    		(Ba,Ca)
     
    4
    		(Ti,Fe,Al)
     
    6
    		Si
     
    8
    		O
     
    26
    		(OH)
     
    14
    14.9.20Barytolamprophyllite
    (Ba,Na)
     
    2
    		(Na,Ti,Fe
    3+
     
    		)
     
    4
    		Ti
     
    2
    		[O|(OH,F)|Si
     
    2
    		O
     
    7
    		]
     
    2
    14.9.21Trimounsite-(Y)
    Y
     
    2
    		Ti
     
    2
    		[O
     
    5
    		|SiO
     
    4
    		]
    14.9.22Perrierite-(Ce)
    (Ce,Ca,Th)
     
    4
    		(Mg,Fe
    2+
     
    		)
     
    2
    		(Ti,Fe
    3+
     
    		)
     
    3
    		[O
     
    4
    		|Si
     
    2
    		O
     
    7
    		]
     
    2
    14.9.23Chevkinite
    (Ca,Ce,Th)
     
    4
    		(Fe,Mn)
     
    2
    		(Ti,Fe)
     
    3
    		Si
     
    4
    		O
     
    22
    14.9.24Strontiochevkinite
    (Sr,La,Ce,Ca)
     
    4
    		Fe
    3+
     
    		(Ti,Zr)
     
    2
    		Ti
     
    2
    		[O
     
    4
    		|Si
     
    2
    		O
     
    7
    		]
     
    2
    14.9.25Tisinalite
    Na
     
    3
    		H
     
    3
    		(Mn,Ca,Fe)TiSi
     
    6
    		(O,OH)
     
    18
    		·2H
     
    2
    		O
    14.9.26Neptunite
    Na
     
    2
    		KLi(Fe
    2+
     
    		,Mn
    2+
     
    		)
     
    2
    		Ti
     
    2
    		[Si
     
    8
    		O
     
    24
    		]
    14.9.27Manganoneptunite
    Na
     
    2
    		KLi(Mn
    2+
     
    		,Fe
    2+
     
    		)
     
    2
    		Ti
     
    2
    		[Si
     
    8
    		O
     
    24
    		]
    14.9.28Kupletskite
    (K,Na)
     
    3
    		(Mn,Fe)
     
    7
    		Ti
     
    2
    		Si
     
    8
    		O
     
    26
    		(OH)
     
    4
    		F
    14.9.29Astrophyllite
    (K,Na)
     
    3
    		(Fe,Mn)
     
    7
    		Ti
     
    2
    		Si
     
    8
    		O
     
    24
    		(O,OH)
     
    7
    14.9.30Hydroastrophyllite
    (H
     
    3
    		O,K,Ca)
     
    3
    		(Fe,Mn)
     
    5-65
    		Ti
     
    2
    		Si
     
    8
    		(O,OH)
     
    31
    14.9.31Magnesioastrophyllite
    (Na,K)
     
    4
    		Mg
     
    2
    		(Fe,Fe,Mn)
     
    5
    		Ti
     
    2
    		Si
     
    8
    		O
     
    24
    		(O,OH,F)
     
    7
    14.9.32Baratovite
    KCa
     
    7
    		(Ti,Zr)
     
    2
    		Li
     
    3
    		Si
     
    12
    		O
     
    36
    		F
     
    2
    14.9.34Aenigmatite
    Na
     
    2
    		Fe
    2+
    5
    		TiO
     
    2
    		]Si
     
    6
    		O
     
    18
    		]
    14.9.35Schorlomite
    Ca
     
    3
    		(Ti,Fe
    3+
     
    		)
     
    2
    		[(Si,Fe
    3+
     
    		,Fe
    2+
     
    		)O
     
    4
    		]
     
    3
    14.9.36Tinaksite
    K
     
    2
    		Na(Ca,Mn
    2+
     
    		)
     
    2
    		Ti[O|Si
     
    7
    		O
     
    18
    		(OH)]
    14.9.37Janhaugite
    (Na,Ca)
     
    3
    		(Mn,Fe)
     
    3
    		(Ti,Zr,Nb)
     
    2
    		Si
     
    4
    		O
     
    15
    		(OH,F,O)
     
    3
    14.9.38Koashvite
    Na
     
    6
    		(Ca,Mn)(Ti,Fe)Si
     
    6
    		O
     
    18
    		·H
     
    2
    		O

    Other Names for Benitoite

    Synonyms:
    Benitoide
    Other Languages:
    Dutch:Benitoiet
    Finnish:Benitoiitti
    French:Benitoïte
    German:Benitoit
    Italian:Benitoite
    Lithuanian:Benitoitas
    Polish:Benitoit
    Portuguese:Benitoíte
    Russian:Бенитоит
    Spanish:Benitoita

    Other Information

    Fluorescence in UV light:Invariably fluorescent blue in SW UV.
    Other Information:Cathodoluminescent
    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 Benitoite

    Reference List:Louderback, G.D. & W.C. Blasdale (1907), Benitoite, a new California gem mineral, with chemical analysis by Walter C. Blasdale, University of California, Department of Geological Science Bull.: 5: 149-153.

    Kraus, E.H. (1908), Interpretation of the chemical composition of the mineral benitoite, Science, new series: 7: 710-711.

    Louderback, G.D. & W.C. Blasdale (1908), Benitoite, its mineralogy, paragenesis, and geological occurrence (abstract), Science, new series: 27: 411.

    Louderback, G. D. (1910): Benitoite, its Paragenesis and Mode of Occurrence. Univ. Calif. Pub. 5, 331.

    Blasdale, W.C. (1908), Chemical formula of the mineral benitoite: Science, new series: 28: 233-234.

    Hlawatsch, C. (1909), Bemerkungen, von über die Krystallklasse des Benitoit: Tschermak's Mitt., Band 28, pp. 178-181, 1909…(abstract): Zeitschr. Kristallographic, Band 50, p. 617, 1912.

    Hlawatsch, C. (1909), Die Kristalform des Benitoit: Centralbl. Mineralogie, 1909, pp. 293-302, 410.

    Hlawatsch, C. (1909), Bemerkungen über den Benitoit: Zeitschr. Kristallographic, Band 46, p. 602, 1909.

    Louderback, G.D. & W.C. Blasdale (1909), Benitoite, its paragenesis and mode of occurrence, University of California, Departmenty of Geologic Science Bull.: 5: 331-380.

    Palache, Charles (1909), Note on a crystal form of benitoite: Am. Jour. Sci., 4th. series: 27: 398; …(abstract): Zeitschr. Kristallographie, Band 46: 379.

    Valeton, J.J.P. (1927), Über die Struktur des Benitoits: Fortschr. Mineralogie, Band 12: 91-92.

    Zachariasen, W.H. (1930), The crystal structure of benitoite, BaTiSi3O9: Zeitschr. Kristallographie, Band 74: 139-146

    Fischer, K. (1969), Verfeinerung der Kristallstructur von Benitoite: Zeits. Krist.: 129: 222-243.

    Laird, J. & A.L. Albee (1972), Chemical composition and physical, optical, and structural properties of benitoite, neptunite and joaquinite: American Mineralogist: 57: 85-102.

    Neues Jahrbuch für Mineralogie, Monatshefte (1987): 16-30.

    Gaft, M., Nagli, L., Waychunas, G., and Weiss, D. (2004) The nature of blue luminescence from natural benitoite BaTiSi3O9. Physics and Chemistry of Minerals: 31: 365-373.

    Articles/Blogs about Benitoite

    Article entries:
    The Care and Feeding of Your Benitoite SpecimenRick Kennedy

    Internet Links for Benitoite

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

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    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.
    Japan
     
    • Honshu Island
      • Chubu Region
        • Niigata Prefecture
          • Itoigawa
    		The Mineral Species of Japan (5th ed) Matsubara
    USA
     
    • Arkansas
      • Hot Spring Co.
        • Magnet Cove
    		Barwood, H (1995), Benitoite and Joaquinite in Arkansas, Min.News: 11(5):2, 5.
    • California
      • Fresno Co.
        • Big Creek
    		[MinRec 33:161]
        • Rush Creek
      • Kern Co.
        • Lost Hills
      • Mariposa Co.
        • Incline
    		[MinRec 30:414]
    No reference listed
    No reference listed
        • New Idria District
          • Clear Creek area
    		American Mineralogist, Volume 69, pages 358-373, 1984
    NJMMh, 16 (1987) / Wise, W.S & Gill, R.H. (1977): Minerals of the Benitoite Gem mine. Mineralogical Record 8, 442-452
    www.benitoitemine.com
    • Montana
      • Meagher Co.
    		Chakhmouradian A.R. & Mitchell R.H. (2002) The mineralogy of Ba- and Zr-rich alkaline pegmatites from Gordon Butte, Crazy Mountains (Montana, USA): comparisons between potassic and sodic agpaitic pegmatites. Contrib. Mineral. Petrol., 143, 93-114. ; Chakhmouradian, A. R. & Mitchell, R. H. (2002): The mineralogy of Ba- and Zr-rich alkaline pegmatites from Gordon Butte, Crazy Mountains (Montana, USA): comparisons between potassic and sodic agpaitic pegmatites. Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology 143, 93-114.
    Mineral and/or Locality
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