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Caminite

Big Photo

Nepskoe K salt deposit, Nepa River basin, Lower Tunguska, Irkutskaya Oblast', Prebaikalia (Pribaikal'e), Eastern-Siberian Region, Russia
© 2007, JGW

Formula:
Mg
 
7
[(OH)
 
4
|(SO
 
4
)
 
5
] · H
 
2
O
System:TetragonalColour:Colourless, white
Hardness:2½


Not to be confused with carminite.

Classification of Caminite

IMA status:Approved
Strunz 8th edition ID:6/D.02-10
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:7.BB.05

7 : SULFATES (selenates, tellurates, chromates, molybdates, wolframates)
B : Sulfates (selenates, etc.) with additional anions, without H2O
B : With medium-sized cations
Dana 8th edition ID:31.10.9.1

31 : HYDRATED SULFATES CONTAINING HYDROXYL OR HALOGEN
10 : Miscellaneous
Hey's CIM Ref.:25.3.7

25 : Sulphates
3 : Sulphates of Mg
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Type Occurrence of Caminite

Type Locality:TAG mound (EPR 21° N), Juan de Fuca Ridge complex, East Pacific Rise, Pacific Ocean
Year of Discovery:1983

Physical Properties of Caminite

Colour:Colourless, white
Hardness (Mohs):2½

Crystallography of Caminite

Crystal System:Tetragonal
Cell Parameters:a = 5.23Å, c = 12.98Å
Ratio:a:c = 1 : 2.482
Unit Cell Volume:V 355.04 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)

Optical Data of Caminite

Type:Uniaxial (-)
RI values: nω = 1.534 nε = 1.532
Maximum Birefringence:δ = 0.002

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

Chemical Properties of Caminite

Formula:
Mg
 
7
[(OH)
 
4
|(SO
 
4
)
 
5
] · H
 
2
O
Essential elements:H, Mg, O, S
All elements listed in formula:H, Mg, O, S

Relationship of Caminite to other Species

Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):

- +
7.BB.10Hauckite
Fe
3+
3
(Mg,Mn
2+
 
)
 
24
Zn
 
18
[(OH)
 
81
|(CO
 
3
)
 
2
|(SO
 
4
)
 
4
]
7.BB.15Antlerite
Cu
 
3
[(OH)
 
4
|SO
 
4
]
7.BB.20Dolerophanite
Cu
 
2
[O|SO
 
4
]
7.BB.25Brochantite
Cu
 
4
[(OH)
 
6
|SO
 
4
]
7.BB.30Vergasovaite
Cu
 
3
[O|SO
 
4
|(MoO
 
4
,SO
 
4
)]
7.BB.35Klebelsbergite
Sb
 
4
[O
 
4
|(OH)
 
2
|SO
 
4
]
7.BB.40Schuetteite
Hg
2+
3
[O
 
2
|SO
 
4
]
7.BB.45Paraotwayite
Ni(OH)
 
2-x
(SO
 
4
,CO
 
3
)
 
0.5x
7.BB.50Xocomecatlite
Cu
 
3
[(OH)
 
4
|TeO
 
4
]
7.BB.55Pauflerite
(V
4+
 
O)[SO
 
4
]
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:

- +
25.3.1Kieserite
MgSO
 
4
·H
 
2
O
25.3.2Sanderite
MgSO
 
4
·2H
 
2
O
25.3.3Starkeyite
MgSO
 
4
·4H
 
2
O
25.3.4Pentahydrite
MgSO
 
4
·5H
 
2
O
25.3.5Hexahydrite
MgSO
 
4
·6H
 
2
O
25.3.6Epsomite
MgSO
 
4
·7H
 
2
O
25.3.8Vanthoffite
Na
 
6
Mg(SO
 
4
)
 
4
25.3.9Blödite
Na
 
2
Mg(SO
 
4
)
 
2
·4H
 
2
O
25.3.10Konyaite
Na
 
2
Mg(SO
 
4
)
 
2
·5H
 
2
O
25.3.11Löweite
Na
 
12
Mg
 
7
(SO
 
4
)
 
13
25.3.12Uklonskovite
NaMg[F|SO
 
4
] · 2H
 
2
O
25.3.13Langbeinite
K
 
2
Mg
 
2
(SO
 
4
)
 
3
25.3.14Leonite
K
 
2
Mg(SO
 
4
)
 
2
·4H
 
2
O
25.3.15Picromerite
K
 
2
Mg(SO
 
4
)
 
2
·6H
 
2
O
25.3.16Efremovite
(NH
 
4
)
 
2
Mg
 
2
(SO
 
4
)
 
3
25.3.17Boussingaultite
(NH
 
4
)
 
2
Mg(SO
 
4
)
 
2
·6H
 
2
O
25.3.18Pickeringite
MgAl
 
2
(SO
 
4
)
 
4
·22H
 
2
O

Other Names for Caminite

Synonyms:
IMA1983-015
Other Languages:
German:Caminit
Spanish:Caminita

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 Caminite

Reference List:American Mineralogist: 71: 819-825.

Acta Crystallographica: B37: 1003-1006.

Internet Links for Caminite

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    Localities for Caminite

    (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.
    Pacific Ocean
     
    • East Pacific Rise
      • Juan de Fuca Ridge complex
    		Am Min 71 (1986), 819
    Russia
     
    • Eastern-Siberian Region
      • Prebaikalia (Pribaikal'e)
        • Irkutskaya Oblast'
          • Lower Tunguska
            • Nepa River basin
    		Fersman Museum, Moscow, website.
    Mineral and/or Locality
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