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Caminite

A valid IMA mineral species

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Photos of Caminite (2)

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Caminite

Nepskoe K salt deposit, Nepa River basin, Lower Tunguska, Irkutsk Oblast, Russia

Caminite

Nepskoe K salt deposit, Nepa River basin, Lower Tunguska, Irkutsk Oblast, Russia

Caminite

Nepskoe K salt deposit, Nepa River basin, Lower Tunguska, Irkutsk Oblast, Russia

Caminite

Nepskoe K salt deposit, Nepa River basin, Lower Tunguska, Irkutsk Oblast, Russia

Caminite

Nepskoe K salt deposit, Nepa River basin, Lower Tunguska, Irkutsk Oblast, Russia

Caminite

Nepskoe K salt deposit, Nepa River basin, Lower Tunguska, Irkutsk Oblast, Russia

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About CaminiteHide

Formula:

Mg₇(SO₄)₅(OH)₄ · H₂O

Colour:

Colourless, white

Hardness:

2½

Specific Gravity:

2.58 - 2.79

Crystal System:

Tetragonal

Name:

The name is from the Latin caminus, for chimney, since the mineral occurs in undersea black-smoker chimneys.

Type Locality:

ⓘ EPR 21° N, Juan de Fuca Ridge complex, East Pacific Rise, Pacific Ocean

Not to be confused with carminite.

Unique IdentifiersHide

Mindat ID:

875

Long-form identifier:

mindat:1:1:875:2

GUID
(UUID V4):

dcf4fe9b-f35c-47bb-9529-996c7258c704

IMA Classification of CaminiteHide

IMA status:

Approved

First published:

1986

Type description reference:

Haymon R M, Kastner M (1986) Caminite: A new magnesium-hydroxide-sulfate-hydrate mineral found in a submarine hydrothermal deposit, East Pacific Rise, 21°N. American Mineralogist 71, 819-825

Classification of CaminiteHide

Strunz-mindat (2024):

7.D0.05

7 : SULFATES (selenates, tellurates, chromates, molybdates, wolframates)
D : Sulfates (selenates, etc.) with additional anions, with H₂O
0 :

Dana 8th ed.:

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

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
Cmi	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 CaminiteHide

Transparency:

Transparent

Colour:

Colourless, white

Hardness:

2½ on Mohs scale

Cleavage:

Distinct/Good
{001}, good

Density:

2.58 - 2.79 g/cm³ (Measured) 2.14 g/cm³ (Calculated)

Optical Data of CaminiteHide

Type:

Uniaxial (-)

RI values:

n_ω = 1.534 n_ε = 1.532

Max Birefringence:

δ = 0.002

Image shows birefringence interference colour range (at 30µm thickness)
and does not take into account mineral colouration.

Surface Relief:

Low

Chemistry of CaminiteHide

Mindat Formula:

Mg₇(SO₄)₅(OH)₄ · H₂O

Elements listed:

H, Mg, O, S - search for minerals with similar chemistry

Crystallography of CaminiteHide

Crystal System:

Tetragonal

Class (H-M):

4/mmm (4/m 2/m 2/m) - Ditetragonal Dipyramidal

Space Group:

I4₁/amd

Setting:

I4₁/amd

Cell Parameters:

a = 5.242(1) Å, c = 12.995(3) Å

Ratio:

a:c = 1 : 2.479

Unit Cell V:

357.08 Å³ (Calculated from Unit Cell)

Comment:

synthetic

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)
0018250	Caminite	Keefer K D, Hochella M F, de Jong B H W S (1981) The structure of the magnesium hydroxide sulfate hydrate MgSO4.1/3Mg(OH)2.1/3H2O _cod_database_code 1100075 Acta Crystallographica B37 1003-1006		1981	synthetic	0	293
0019045	Caminite	Yamnova N A, Pushcharovskii D Y, Apollonov V N (1989) Crystalline structure of a new natural Mg-sulfate Mg3[SO4]2(OH)2 Vestnik Moskovskogo Universiteta Geologiya 44 76-78		1989	Nepa deposit of potassium salts, Eastern Siberia, Russia	0	293

CIF Raw Data - click here to close

data_global
_chemical_name_mineral 'Caminite'
loop_
_publ_author_name
'Keefer K D'
'Hochella M F'
'de Jong B H W S'
_journal_name_full 'Acta Crystallographica, Section B'
_journal_volume 37 
_journal_year 1981
_journal_page_first 1003
_journal_page_last 1006
_publ_section_title
;
 The structure of the magnesium hydroxide sulfate hydrate MgSO4.1/3Mg(OH)2.1/3H2O
 _cod_database_code 1100075
;
_database_code_amcsd 0018250
_chemical_compound_source 'Synthetic'
_chemical_formula_sum 'Mg1.333 S O5 H1.333'
_cell_length_a 5.242
_cell_length_b 5.242
_cell_length_c 12.995
_cell_angle_alpha 90
_cell_angle_beta 90
_cell_angle_gamma 90
_cell_volume 357.084
_exptl_crystal_density_diffrn      2.712
_symmetry_space_group_name_H-M 'I 41/a m d'
loop_
_space_group_symop_operation_xyz
  'x,y,z'
  '1/2+x,1/2+y,1/2+z'
  '1/4-y,3/4-x,1/4+z'
  '3/4-y,1/4-x,3/4+z'
  '1/4+y,3/4+x,1/4-z'
  '3/4+y,1/4+x,3/4-z'
  '1/4+y,3/4-x,1/4-z'
  '3/4+y,1/4-x,3/4-z'
  '1/4-y,3/4+x,1/4+z'
  '3/4-y,1/4+x,3/4+z'
  '1/2+x,-y,1/2+z'
  '+x,1/2-y,+z'
  '1/2-x,y,1/2-z'
  '-x,1/2+y,-z'
  '1/2+x,y,1/2-z'
  '+x,1/2+y,-z'
  '1/2-x,-y,1/2+z'
  '-x,1/2-y,+z'
  '1/4+y,1/4+x,3/4+z'
  '3/4+y,3/4+x,1/4+z'
  '1/4-y,1/4-x,3/4-z'
  '3/4-y,3/4-x,1/4-z'
  '1/4-y,1/4+x,3/4-z'
  '3/4-y,3/4+x,1/4-z'
  '1/4+y,1/4-x,3/4+z'
  '3/4+y,3/4-x,1/4+z'
  '-x,y,z'
  '1/2-x,1/2+y,1/2+z'
  'x,-y,-z'
  '1/2+x,1/2-y,1/2-z'
  '-x,-y,-z'
  '1/2-x,1/2-y,1/2-z'
loop_
_atom_site_label
_atom_site_fract_x
_atom_site_fract_y
_atom_site_fract_z
_atom_site_occupancy
Mg   0.00000   0.00000   0.50000   0.66667
S   0.00000   0.75000   0.12500   1.00000
O1   0.00000   0.51950   0.18950   1.00000
O2   0.00000   0.25000   0.37500   1.00000
H   0.00000   0.42000   0.41000   0.33333

X-Ray Powder DiffractionHide

Powder Diffraction Data:

d-spacing	Intensity
3.345 Å	(100)
3.220 Å	(80)
1.871 Å	(50)
1.620 Å	(25)
2.062 Å	(20)
2.041 Å	(20)
1.854 Å	(20)

Geological EnvironmentHide

Paragenetic Mode(s):

Paragenetic Mode	Earliest Age (Ga)
Stage 3b: Earth’s earliest hydrosphere	>4.45
15 : Black/white smoker minerals and other seafloor hydrothermal minerals
Stage 10a: Neoproterozoic oxygenation/terrestrial biosphere	<0.6
50 : Coal and/or oil shale minerals	<0.36
Stage 10b: Anthropogenic minerals	<10 Ka
54 : Coal and other mine fire minerals (see also #51 and #56)

Type Occurrence of CaminiteHide

Type Locality:

ⓘ EPR 21° N, Juan de Fuca Ridge complex, East Pacific Rise, Pacific Ocean

General Appearance of Type Material:

As imperfect dipyramidal crystals, to 500 µm.

Place of Conservation of Type Material:

No defined type material.

Geological Setting of Type Material:

Reaction of sea water with hydrothermal fluids in a midocean ridge submarine chimney vent.

Associated Minerals at Type Locality:

Anhydrite

Reference:

Haymon R M, Kastner M (1986) Caminite: A new magnesium-hydroxide-sulfate-hydrate mineral found in a submarine hydrothermal deposit, East Pacific Rise, 21°N. American Mineralogist 71, 819-825

Synonyms of CaminiteHide

IMA1983-015

Other Language Names for CaminiteHide

German:Caminit

Spanish:Caminita

Other InformationHide

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 CaminiteHide

mindat.org URL:

https://www.mindat.org/min-875.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 CaminiteHide

Reference List:

Keefer, K.D., Hochella, M.F., de Jong, B.H.W.S. (1981) The structure of the magnesium hydroxide sulfate hydrate MgSO4. 1/3Mg(OH)2. 1/3H2O. Acta Crystallographica, B37, 1003-1006.

Haymon, R.M., Kastner, M. (1986) Caminite: A new magnesium-hydroxide-sulfate-hydrate mineral found in a submarine hydrothermal deposit, East Pacific Rise, 21°N. American Mineralogist, 71, 819-825.

Haymon R M, Kastner M (1986) Caminite: A new magnesium-hydroxide-sulfate-hydrate mineral found in a submarine hydrothermal deposit, East Pacific Rise, 21°N. American Mineralogist 71, 819-825

Yamnova, N.A., Pushcharovskii, D.Y., Apollonov, V.N. (1989) Crystalline structure of a new natural Mg-sulfate Mg3[SO4]2(OH)2. Vestnik Moskovskogo Universiteta, Geologiya, 44, 76-78.

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

Localities for CaminiteHide

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.


India
Tamil Nadu Chengalpattu district ⓘ Kalpakkam ?	Deepthi et al. (2015)

Pacific Ocean (TL)
East Pacific Rise Juan de Fuca Ridge complex ⓘ EPR 21° N (TL)	Haymon et al. (1986)

Poland
Silesian Voivodeship Wodzisław County Radlin ⓘ Marcel mine heap	Kruszewski et al. (2019)

Russia
Irkutsk Oblast Lower Tunguska Nepa River basin ⓘ Nepskoe K salt deposit	Fersman Museum