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Dinite

A valid IMA mineral species - grandfathered

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Dinite

Lignite deposits, Castelnuovo di Garfagnana, Garfagnana, Lucca Province, Tuscany, Italy

Dinite

Lignite deposits, Castelnuovo di Garfagnana, Garfagnana, Lucca Province, Tuscany, Italy

Dinite

Lignite deposits, Castelnuovo di Garfagnana, Garfagnana, Lucca Province, Tuscany, Italy

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About DiniteHide

Formula:

C₂₀H₃₆

structural formula may be written as: (CH₂)₃C(CH₃)₂C(CH₃)C(H)(CH₂)₂C(H)C(H)(CH₂)₃C(CH₃)(C₂H₅)

Lustre:

Waxy

Hardness:

Specific Gravity:

1.01 - 1.02

Crystal System:

Orthorhombic

Name:

The name "Dinite" was chosen by Prof. G. Meneghini in honour of Prof. Olinto Dini (1802-1866), (Italian teacher and professor of physics, University of Pisa), who found the mineral.
This naming of dinite was reported by Petri (1852).

Type Locality:

ⓘ Lignite deposits, Castelnuovo di Garfagnana, Garfagnana, Lucca Province, Tuscany, Italy

Chemically: isopimarane, also known as (13α)-pimaran, (13α)-pimarane, and systematically (4aR,4bS,7S,8aS,10aS)-7-ethyltetradecahydro-1,1,4a,7-tetramethylphenanthrene.

Unique IdentifiersHide

Mindat ID:

6904

Long-form identifier:

mindat:1:1:6904:1

GUID
(UUID V4):

8a78160f-0689-4c16-a543-5d77d330cb78

IMA Classification of DiniteHide

IMA status:

Approved, 'Grandfathered' (first described prior to 1959)

Type description reference:

Franzini, L., Pasero, M., Perchiazzi, N.(1991): Re-discovery and re-definition of dinite, C20H36, a forgotten organic mineral from Garfagnana, northern Tuscany, Italy. Eur. J. Mineral.: 3: 855-861.

Classification of DiniteHide

Strunz-mindat (2024):

10.BA.15

10 : ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
B : Hydrocarbons
A : Hydrocarbons

Dana 8th ed.:

50.3.5.1

50 : ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
3 : Hydrocarbons

Mineral SymbolsHide

As of 2021 there are now IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols (abbreviations) for each mineral species, useful for tables and diagrams.

Symbol	Source	Reference
Din	IMA–CNMNC	Warr, L.N. (2021). IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols. Mineralogical Magazine, 85(3), 291-320. doi:10.1180/mgm.2021.43

Physical Properties of DiniteHide

Lustre:

Waxy

Transparency:

Transparent

Hardness:

1 on Mohs scale

Tenacity:

Very brittle

Density:

1.01 - 1.02 g/cm³ (Measured) 1.02 g/cm³ (Calculated)

Chemistry of DiniteHide

Mindat Formula:

C₂₀H₃₆

structural formula may be written as: (CH₂)₃C(CH₃)₂C(CH₃)C(H)(CH₂)₂C(H)C(H)(CH₂)₃C(CH₃)(C₂H₅)

Elements listed:

C, H - search for minerals with similar chemistry

Crystallography of DiniteHide

Crystal System:

Orthorhombic

Class (H-M):

2 2 2 - Disphenoidal

Space Group:

P2₁ 2₁ 2₁

Cell Parameters:

a = 12.356(4) Å, b = 12.762(4) Å, c = 11.427(3) Å

Ratio:

a:b:c = 0.968 : 1 : 0.895

Unit Cell V:

1,801.89 Å³ (Calculated from Unit Cell)

Morphology:

Massive

Crystal StructureHide

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Data courtesy of the American Mineralogist Crystal Structure Database. Click on an AMCSD ID to view structure

ID	Species	Reference	Link	Year	Locality	Pressure (GPa)	Temp (K)
0006432	Dinite	Franzini L, Pasero M, Perchiazzi N (1991) Re-discovery and re-definition of dinite, C20H36, a forgotten organic mineral from Garfagnana, northern Tuscany, Italy European Journal of Mineralogy 3 855-861		1991	Garfagnana, northern Tuscany, Italy	0	293

CIF Raw Data - click here to close

data_global
_chemical_name_mineral 'Dinite'
loop_
_publ_author_name
'Franzini L'
'Pasero M'
'Perchiazzi N'
_journal_name_full 'European Journal of Mineralogy'
_journal_volume 3 
_journal_year 1991
_journal_page_first 855
_journal_page_last 861
_publ_section_title
;
 Re-discovery and re-definition of dinite, C20H36,
 a forgotten organic mineral from Garfagnana, northern Tuscany, Italy
;
_database_code_amcsd 0006432
_chemical_compound_source 'Garfagnana, northern Tuscany, Italy'
_chemical_formula_sum 'C5'
_cell_length_a 12.356
_cell_length_b 12.762
_cell_length_c 11.427
_cell_angle_alpha 90
_cell_angle_beta 90
_cell_angle_gamma 90
_cell_volume 1801.892
_exptl_crystal_density_diffrn      0.886
_symmetry_space_group_name_H-M 'P 21 21 21'
loop_
_space_group_symop_operation_xyz
  'x,y,z'
  '-x,1/2+y,1/2-z'
  '1/2+x,1/2-y,-z'
  '1/2-x,-y,1/2+z'
loop_
_atom_site_label
_atom_site_fract_x
_atom_site_fract_y
_atom_site_fract_z
_atom_site_U_iso_or_equiv
C1   0.08010   0.67920   0.24100   0.05000
C2   0.16570   0.69880   0.33410   0.06400
C3   0.34290   0.65720   0.43330   0.05900
C4   0.44560   0.59170   0.43160   0.05700
C5   0.61550   0.54620   0.30870   0.05700
C6   0.65820   0.55090   0.18340   0.09300
C7   0.58350   0.49980   0.09320   0.10600
C8   0.47030   0.54980   0.09600   0.08800
C9   0.23210   0.59290   0.12330   0.06800
C10   0.13840   0.67330   0.12330   0.06200
C11   0.26220   0.62380   0.33970   0.05000
C12   0.49700   0.58860   0.31030   0.05000
C13   0.41760   0.54670   0.21790   0.05700
C14   0.31570   0.61770   0.21920   0.04800
C15   0.00000   0.77240   0.24480   0.08800
C16  -0.09460   0.76720   0.16100   0.09200
C17   0.01880   0.57600   0.26610   0.08200
C18   0.68740   0.61740   0.38310   0.08000
C19   0.62710   0.43590   0.36400   0.09500
C20   0.38000   0.42820   0.24310   0.09300

X-Ray Powder DiffractionHide

Powder Diffraction Data:

d-spacing	Intensity
8.92 Å	(ms)
8.32 Å	(ms)
7.00 Å	(s)
6.36 Å	(mw)
6.14 Å	(w)
5.76 Å	(vw)
5.53 Å	(vs)
5.06 Å	(vs)
4.80 Å	(mw)
4.44 Å	(w)
4.16 Å	(vw)
4.02 Å	(ms)
3.870 Å	(m)
3.793 Å	(m)
3.706 Å	(mw)
3.502 Å	(mw)
3.412 Å	(w)
3.303 Å	(mw)
3.235 Å	(mw)
3.066 Å	(mw)
2.982 Å	(m)
2.900 Å	(w)
2.835 Å	(w)
2.745 Å	(mw)
2.696 Å	(m)
2.494 Å	(w)
2.432 Å	(m)
2.301 Å	(m)
2.251 Å	(mw)
2.173 Å	(m)
2.143 Å	(mw)
2.094 Å	(m)
2.025 Å	(w)
1.994 Å	(mw)
1.966 Å	(mw)
1.923 Å	(mw)
1.849 Å	(w)
1.748 Å	(mw)
1.667 Å	(w)
1.644 Å	(w)

Geological EnvironmentHide

Paragenetic Mode(s):

Paragenetic Mode	Earliest Age (Ga)
Stage 10a: Neoproterozoic oxygenation/terrestrial biosphere	<0.6
53 : Other minerals with taphonomic origins	<0.4

Type Occurrence of DiniteHide

Type Locality:

ⓘ Lignite deposits, Castelnuovo di Garfagnana, Garfagnana, Lucca Province, Tuscany, Italy

General Appearance of Type Material:

It has an "icy" appearance; it is transparent and very brittle.

Place of Conservation of Type Material:

Museo di Storia Naturale e del Territorio, University of Pisa. No. 8875.

Geological Setting of Type Material:

It is found in the bituminous fossil woods occurin under the alluvial deposits of Garfagnana, along the Serchio Valley.

Reference:

Franzini, L., Pasero, M., Perchiazzi, N.(1991): Re-discovery and re-definition of dinite, C20H36, a forgotten organic mineral from Garfagnana, northern Tuscany, Italy. Eur. J. Mineral.: 3: 855-861.

Other Language Names for DiniteHide

German:Dinit

Russian:Динит

Spanish:Dinita

Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat Grouping Hide

10.BA.	Freitalite	C₁₄H₁₀	Mon. 2/m : P2₁/b
10.BA.05	Fichtelite	C₁₉H₃₄	Mon. 2 : P2₁
10.BA.10	Branchite	C₂₀H₃₄	Tric. 1 : P1
10.BA.20	Idrialite	C₂₂H₁₄	Orth.
10.BA.25	Kratochvílite	C₁₃H₁₀	Orth. mmm (2/m 2/m 2/m)
10.BA.30	Carpathite	C₂₄H₁₂	Mon. 2/m : P2₁/b
10.BA.35	Phylloretine	C₁₈H₁₈	Orth.
10.BA.40	Ravatite	C₁₄H₁₀	Mon. 2 : P2₁
10.BA.45	Simonellite	C₁₉H₂₄	Orth. mmm (2/m 2/m 2/m) : Pnna
10.BA.50	Evenkite	C₂₁H₄₄	Orth. mmm (2/m 2/m 2/m) : Pbcm
10.BA.55	Wampenite	C₁₈H₁₆	Mon. 2/m : P2₁/b
10.BA.60	Scharizerite

Other InformationHide

IR Spectrum:

The IR spectrum was obtained with a Perkin-Elmer FTIR 1600 spectrometer using a solution of dinite in "Nujol". The spectrum presents the typical features of a saturated hydrocarbon.

Thermal Behaviour:

The fusion point was measured at 33-34° C, using Kopffler apparatus.

Health Risks:

No information on health risks for this material has been entered into the database. You should always treat mineral specimens with care.

Internet Links for DiniteHide

mindat.org URL:

https://www.mindat.org/min-6904.html
Please feel free to link to this page.

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External Links:

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Raman and XRD data at RRUFF project

References and PDF downloads at RRUFF project

American Mineralogist Crystal Structure Database

Handbook of Mineralogy page PDF

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References for DiniteHide

Reference List:

Petri, G.: (1852): Sulla dinite, nuovo minerale di origine organica. Gazz. Med. Ital., Toscana, ser. II: 4: 233-234.

Kinghorn, A.D., Falk, H., Gibbons, S., Kobayashi, J., (2017): Progress in the Chemistry of Organic Natural Products. ISSN 2191-7043 (electronic ISSN 2192-4309), Springer International Publishing AG, Cham, Switzerland, 245 pp.

(2023) Dinite. Handbook of Mineralogy. Mineralogical Society of America

Localities for DiniteHide

This 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.

Locality ListHide

- This locality has map coordinates listed.

- This locality has estimated coordinates. ⓘ - Click for references and further information on this occurrence. ? - Indicates mineral may be doubtful at this locality.

- Good crystals or important locality for species.

- World class for species or very significant. (TL) - Type Locality for a valid mineral species. (FRL) - First Recorded Locality for everything else (eg varieties). ~~Struck out~~ - Mineral was erroneously reported from this locality. Faded * - Never found at this locality but inferred to have existed at some point in the past (e.g. from pseudomorphs).

All localities listed without proper references should be considered as questionable.


Israel
Southern District (HaDarom District) Tamar Regional Council Hatrurim Basin ⓘ Halamish wadi (Ẕuq Tamrur)	Galuskin et al. (2023)

Italy
Campania Naples ⓘ Somma-Vesuvius Complex	Panikorovskii et al. (2017)
Tuscany Lucca Province Garfagnana Castelnuovo di Garfagnana ⓘ Lignite deposits (TL)	Franzini M. et al. (1991)

Dinite

About DiniteHide

Unique IdentifiersHide

IMA Classification of DiniteHide

Classification of DiniteHide

Mineral SymbolsHide

Physical Properties of DiniteHide

Chemistry of DiniteHide

Crystallography of DiniteHide

Crystal StructureHide

X-Ray Powder DiffractionHide

Geological EnvironmentHide

Type Occurrence of DiniteHide

Other Language Names for DiniteHide

Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat GroupingHide

Other InformationHide

Internet Links for DiniteHide

References for DiniteHide

Localities for DiniteHide

Locality ListHide

Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat Grouping Hide