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Bischofite

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Stassfurt, Stassfurt Potash deposit, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany
© Thomas Witzke

Formula:
MgCl
 
2
 · 6H
 
2
O
System:MonoclinicColour:Colourless to white; ...
Hardness:1 - 2
Name:For Karl Gustav Bischof (1792-1870), German geologist and mineral chemist, Professor of Chemistry in the University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany, and for F. Bischof, director of the Stassfurt salt works


A relatively rare constituent of saline deposits. Secondary in origin in part. Formed by alteration of Carnallite by water.

Classification of Bischofite

IMA status:Valid - first described prior to 1959 (pre-IMA) - "Grandfathered"
Strunz 8th edition ID:3/A.12-30
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:3.BB.15

3 : HALIDES
B : Simple halides, with H2O
B : M:X = 1:2
Dana 8th edition ID:9.2.9.1

9 : NORMAL HALIDES
2 : AX2
Hey's CIM Ref.:8.4.3

8 : Halides - Fluorides, Chlorides, Bromides and Iodides; also Fluoborates and Fluosilicates
4 : Halides of the alkaline earths and Mg
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Type Occurrence of Bischofite

Type Locality:Leopoldshall, Stassfurt, Stassfurt Potash deposit, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany
Year of Discovery:1877
Associated Minerals at type locality:
KieseriteHaliteCarnallite

Occurrences of Bischofite

Geological Setting:In saline deposits; probably in part formed from carnallite

Physical Properties of Bischofite

Lustre:Vitreous, Dull
Diaphaneity (Transparency):Transparent, Translucent
Colour:Colourless to white; colourless in transmitted light
Streak:White
Hardness (Mohs):1 - 2
Hardness Data:Measured
Fracture:Irregular/Uneven, Conchoidal
Density (measured):1.591 - 1.604 g/cm3
Density (calculated):1.5895 g/cm3

Crystallography of Bischofite

Crystal System:Monoclinic
Class (H-M):2/m - Prismatic
Space Group:B2/m (B1 1 2/m) [C2/m] {C1 2/m 1}
Cell Parameters:a = 9.8607Å, b = 7.1071Å, c = 6.0737Å
β = 93.758°
Ratio:a:b:c = 1.387 : 1 : 0.855
Unit Cell Volume:V 424.74 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:2
Morphology:Crystals short prismatic along [001]; commonly foliated, fibrous, crystalline granular, also massive
Twinning:May twin polysynthetically under pressure
Crystal Atlas:
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Bischofite no.2 - Goldschmidt (1913-1926)
Bischofite no.3 - Goldschmidt (1913-1926)

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X-Ray Powder Diffraction:
d-spacingIntensity
4.095 (100)
2.646 (69)
2.880 (58)
2.732 (39)
2.305 (39)
2.228 (27)
Comments:Recorded on synthetic material

Optical Data of Bischofite

Type:Biaxial (+)
RI values: nα = 1.495 nβ = 1.507 nγ = 1.528
2V:Measured: 79° , Calculated: 76°
Maximum Birefringence:δ = 0.033

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

Chemical Properties of Bischofite

Formula:
MgCl
 
2
 · 6H
 
2
O
Essential elements:Cl, H, Mg, O
All elements listed in formula:Cl, H, Mg, O
Analyical Data:Wet chemical analysis of material from Leopoldshall, Germany (1) and electron microprobe analysis of material from Stassfurt, Germany (2); water contents calculated from the mass balances.

Deliquescent.
       (1)      (2)

Mg   (11.86)  (11.5)
Ca             (0.9)
Cl   (35.04)  (34.2)
H2O  (53.10)  (51.4)
SO3            (2.0)

sum  100.00   100.00 wt.-%
Common Impurities:Ca,S

Relationship of Bischofite to other Species

Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):
3.BB.05Eriochalcite
CuCl
 
2
·2H
 
2
O
3.BB.10Rokühnite
FeCl
 
2
·2H
 
2
O
3.BB.20Nickelbischofite
NiCl
 
2
·6H
 
2
O
3.BB.25Sinjarite
CaCl
 
2
·2H
 
2
O
3.BB.30Antarcticite
CaCl
 
2
 · 6H
 
2
O
3.BB.35Tachyhydrite
CaMg
 
2
Cl
 
6
·12H
 
2
O
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:
8.4.1Sellaite
MgF
 
2
8.4.2Neighborite
NaMgF
 
3
8.4.4Korshunovskite
Mg
 
2
[(OH)
 
3
|Cl] · 4H
 
2
O
8.4.5Carnallite
KMgCl
 
3
·6H
 
2
O
8.4.6Tachyhydrite
CaMg
 
2
Cl
 
6
·12H
 
2
O
8.4.7Fluorite
CaF
 
2
8.4.8Sinjarite
CaCl
 
2
·2H
 
2
O
8.4.9Antarcticite
CaCl
 
2
 · 6H
 
2
O
8.4.10Chlorocalcite
KCaCl
 
3
8.4.11Rorisite
CaFCl
8.4.12Jarlite
Na(Sr,Ca)
 
3
Al
 
3
F
 
16
8.4.13Calcjarlite
Na(Ca,Sr)
 
3
Al
 
3
(OH)
 
2
F
 
14
8.4.14Tikhonenkovite
Sr[AlF
 
4
(OH)(H
 
2
O)]
8.4.15Acuminite
Sr[AlF
 
4
(OH)(H
 
2
O)]
8.4.16Frankdicksonite
BaF
 
2
8.4.17Usovite
Ba
 
2
CaMgAl
 
2
F
 
14
8.4.18Bøgvadite
Na
 
2
SrBa
 
2
[Al
 
4
F
 
20
]

Other Names for Bischofite

Synonyms:
Bischofite (of Ochsenius)
German names:
Bischofit
Russian names:
Бишофит
Spanish names:
Bischofita
Varieties:
Brom-bischofite

Other Information

Other Information:Readily soluble in alcohol and in water.
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 Bischofite

Reference List:Ochsenius, C. (1877): Die Bildung der Steinsalzlager und ihrer Mutterlaugensalze unter specieller Berücksichtigung der Flöze von Douglashall in der Egeln´schen Mulde. Verlag Pfeffer (Halle), 172 p.

Ochsenius, C. (1877): Jahresbericht über die Fortschritte der Chemie und verwandter Theile anderer Wissenschaften: 1284, 1285.

Ochsenius, C. (1877): Zeitschrift für Kristallographie, Mineralogie und Petrographie, Leipzig: 1: 414.

Przibylla (1904) Centralblatt für Mineralogie, Geologie und Paleontologie, Stuttgart: 238.

Dewar (1905) Chem. News: 91: 216.

Mügge (1906) Neues Jahrbuch für Mineralogie, Geologie und Paleontologie, Heidelberg, Stuttgart: I: 91.

Görgey (1910) Mineralogische und petrographische Mitteilungen, Vienna: 29: 200.

Doelter, C. (1928) Handbuch der Mineral-chemie: 4(2): 1212.

Palache, Charles, Harry Berman & Clifford Frondel (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: 46-47.

Heide, K. and Kühn, W. (1965): Bischofit im carnallitschen Stassfurtlager der stillgelegten Kaliwerke Aschersleben/Anhalt (Schachtanlage V). Chemie der Erde 24, 211-214 (in German).

Sorrell, C. A., and Ramey, R. R. (1974): X-ray powder data and unit cell parameters of MgCl2.6H2O. Journal of Chemical and Engineering Data 19, 31-32.

Agron, P. A., and Busing, W. R. (1985): Magnesium dichloride hexahydrate, MgCl2.6H2O, by neutron diffraction. Acta Crystallographica C41, 8-10.

Anthony, J. W. et al. (1997): Handbook of Mineralogy, Vol. 3, 59.

Internet Links for Bischofite

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    Localities for Bischofite

    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.
    Canada
     
    • Saskatchewan
      • Rocanville
    		No reference listed
    China
     
    • Qinghai (Chinghai) Province
      • Hainan Autonomous Prefecture
    		Sun Da-peng, Li Bing-xiao, Ma Yua-hua, and Lin Qun-zhu (2002): Journal of Salt Lake Research 10(4), 1-12.
    Germany
     
    • Hesse
      • Fulda
        • Neuhof
    		S. Weiß: "Mineralfundstellen, Deutschland West", Weise (Munich), 1990
      • North Hesse
        • Werra Valley
          • Heringen
    		Weiss: "Mineralfundstellen, Deutschland West", Weise (Munich), 1990
          • Phillippsthal
    		Weiss: "Mineralfundstellen, Deutschland West", Weise (Munich), 1990
    • Lower Saxony
      • Celle
        • Hänigsen
    		Bode "Mineralien und Fundstellen BRD" from 1989 ISBN 3-925094-24-5 Pg.9
        • Wathlingen
    		Weiss: "Mineralfundstellen, Deutschland West", Weise (Munich), 1990
      • Vienenburg
    		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: 47; Anthony, J. W. et al. (1997): Handbook of Mineralogy, Vol. 3, 59
    • Saxony-Anhalt
    		Anthony, J. W. et al. (1997): Handbook of Mineralogy, Vol. 3, 59
      • Stassfurt Potash deposit
        • Stassfurt
    		Dana 6:A3:14,43,46; Dana 7:II:430; Zr. Kr.:50(1911):139.
    C. Ochsenius (1877): Die Bildung der Steinsalzlager und ihrer Mutterlaugensalze unter specieller Berücksichtigung der Flötze von Douglashall in der Egeln´schen Mulde.- Halle, Verlag Pfeffer, 172 p.; 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: 47.
        • Tarthun
    		No reference listed
    • Thuringia
      • Thuringian Forest
        • Bad Salzungen
    		XRD analysis (T. Witzke)
    Hungary
     
    • Heves Co.
      • Mátra Mts.
        • Recsk
    		No reference listed
    Italy
     
    • Sicily
      • Caltanissetta Province
    		AA. VV., 1996. Collezionare minerali. Hobby & Work.
      • Enna Province
    		AA. VV., 1996. Collezionare minerali. Hobby & Work.
    Kazakhstan
     
    • Aqtöbe Oblysy (Aktubinsk [Aktyubinsk; Aktubinskaya] Oblast')
      • Aksai Valley
    • Atyrau Oblysy (Atyrau Oblast')
      • Atyrau (Gur'yev)
    		Anthony, J. W. et al. (1997): Handbook of Mineralogy, Vol. 3, 59
    Peru
     
    • Lima Department
    		P. Andresen collection, obtained from A. Robbemond, 2004.
    Poland
     
    • Wielkopolskie
    		Jirásek, J.: Solný důl Kłodawa (Polsko). Minerál, 2004, roč. 12, č. 2, s. 98-102. ISSN 1213-0710 (excerpted from unpublished thesis Hanczke, T.: Mineralogia i petrografia soli czechstyńskich kopalni "Kłodawa". Doktroská práce, Uniwersytet Jagiellonski, Instytut nauk geologicznych, 1967.)
    Russia
     
    • Far-Eastern Region
      • Kamchatka Oblast'
    		No reference listed
    USA
     
    • New Mexico
      • Eddy Co.
    		Northrop, Minerals of New Mexico, 3rd. rev. ed. (1996)
    • Utah
      • Tooele Co.
    		UGMS Bull 117 Minerals and Mineral Localities of Utah
    UGMS Bull 117 Minerals and Mineral Localities of Utah
    Mineral and/or Locality
    Google
     
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