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Kaolinite

A valid IMA mineral species - grandfathered
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About KaoliniteHide

Formula:
Al2(Si2O5)(OH)4
Colour:
White to cream and pale-yellow, also often stained various hues, tans and browns being common.
Lustre:
Waxy, Pearly, Dull, Earthy
Hardness:
2 - 2½
Specific Gravity:
2.68
Crystal System:
Triclinic
Name:
Named in 1637 by Song Yingxing for the ancient Chinese type locality "Kaoling (Gaoling)", meaning high ridge.
Polymorph of:
Mineral used in pre-historic times. Presumably the most important mineral in clay used in pre-historic pottery. The photo http://www.mindat.org/photo-620484.html shows the Sumerian symbol for clay. ื—ืœื‘ื ื”ฯ€ฮท in Hebrew. ฮปฯŒฯ‚ in Greek. Lutum in Latin. Kaolinite, by name, was known since the Yuan (Mongol) dynasty in the thirteenth century as "Kaolin earth" and was first properly described by Song Yingxing in 1637 in his book Tian Gong Kai Wu (translated: "Introduction to Heaven's Handicrafts" or "The Exploitation of the Works of Nature"). Its usefulness was introduced to the West by a French priest in 1712 (de Fourestier, 2005).

Found largely in masses - clay beds - usually with a bright white color, also pale yellow to light brown color due to staining or mixture, rarely blue to blue gray.

See also the chemically identical halloysite-7ร….


Unique IdentifiersHide

Mindat ID:
2156
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:1:2156:8
GUID
(UUID V4):
e11f045d-0c58-4e34-b45f-48aefd3e3ffe

IMA Classification of KaoliniteHide

Approved, 'Grandfathered' (first described prior to 1959)
IMA Formula:
Al2Si2O5(OH)4

Classification of KaoliniteHide

9.ED.05

9 : SILICATES (Germanates)
E : Phyllosilicates
D : Phyllosilicates with kaolinite layers composed of tetrahedral and octahedral nets
Dana 7th ed.:
71.1.1.2
15.8

15 : Silicates of Aluminum

Mineral SymbolsHide

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

Please only use the official IMAโ€“CNMNC symbol. Older variants are listed for historical use only.

SymbolSourceReference
KlnIMAโ€“CNMNCWarr, L.N. (2021). IMAโ€“CNMNC approved mineral symbols. Mineralogical Magazine, 85(3), 291-320. doi:10.1180/mgm.2021.43
KlnKretz (1983)Kretz, R. (1983) Symbols of rock-forming minerals. American Mineralogist, 68, 277โ€“279.
KlnSiivolam & Schmid (2007)Siivolam, J. and Schmid, R. (2007) Recommendations by the IUGS Subcommission on the Systematics of Metamorphic Rocks: List of mineral abbreviations. Web-version 01.02.07. IUGS Commission on the Systematics in Petrology. download
KlnWhitney & Evans (2010)Whitney, D.L. and Evans, B.W. (2010) Abbreviations for names of rock-forming minerals. American Mineralogist, 95, 185โ€“187 doi:10.2138/am.2010.3371
KlnThe Canadian Mineralogist (2019)The Canadian Mineralogist (2019) The Canadian Mineralogist list of symbols for rock- and ore-forming minerals (December 30, 2019). download
KlnWarr (2020)Warr, L.N. (2020) Recommended abbreviations for the names of clay minerals and associated phases. Clay Minerals, 55, 261โ€“264 doi:10.1180/clm.2020.30

Pronunciation of KaoliniteHide

Pronunciation:
PlayRecorded byCountry
Jolyon RalphUnited Kingdom

Physical Properties of KaoliniteHide

Waxy, Pearly, Dull, Earthy
Transparency:
Translucent, Opaque
Colour:
White to cream and pale-yellow, also often stained various hues, tans and browns being common.
Streak:
White, or paler than the sample.
Hardness:
2 - 2½ on Mohs scale
Hardness Data:
Measured
Tenacity:
Sectile
Cleavage:
Perfect
on {001}.
Fracture:
Irregular/Uneven, Conchoidal, Sub-Conchoidal, Micaceous
Density:
2.68 g/cm3 (Measured)    2.63 g/cm3 (Calculated)

Optical Data of KaoliniteHide

Type:
Biaxial (-)
RI values:
nα = 1.553 - 1.563 nβ = 1.559 - 1.569 nγ = 1.560 - 1.570
2V:
Measured: 24° to 50°, Calculated: 44°
Birefringence:
0.017
Max Birefringence:
δ = 0.007
Image shows birefringence interference colour range (at 30µm thickness)
and does not take into account mineral colouration.
Surface Relief:
Low
Dispersion:
none
Pleochroism:
Non-pleochroic

Chemistry of KaoliniteHide

Mindat Formula:
Al2(Si2O5)(OH)4
Common Impurities:
Fe,Mg,Na,K,Ti,Ca,H2O

Crystallography of KaoliniteHide

Crystal System:
Triclinic
Class (H-M):
1 - Pedial
Space Group:
P1
Cell Parameters:
a = 5.13 Å, b = 8.89 Å, c = 7.25 Å
α = 90°, β = 104.5°, γ = 89.8°
Ratio:
a:b:c = 0.577 : 1 : 0.816
Unit Cell V:
320.11 ร…ยณ (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:
1
Morphology:
Visible crystals extremely rare, typically 2-5 nanometer range, but may be up to 1.5 mm across. Platy, pseudohexagonal. Fibers and spheres have been observed using SEM imaging.

Crystal StructureHide

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IDSpeciesReferenceLinkYearLocalityPressure (GPa)Temp (K)
0017947KaoliniteGruner W (1932) The Crystal Structure of Kaolinite _cod_database_code 1011045 Zeitschrift fur Kristallographie 83 75-8819320293
0012232KaoliniteBish D L, Von Dreele R B (1989) Rietveld refinement of non-hydrogen atomic positions in kaolinite Clays and Clay Minerals 37 289-2961989Keokuk, Iowa, USA0293
0012237KaoliniteBish D L (1993) Rietveld refinement of the kaolinite structure at 1.5 K Clays and Clay Minerals 41 738-7441993Keokuk, Iowa, USA01.5
CIF Raw Data - click here to close

X-Ray Powder DiffractionHide

Powder Diffraction Data:
d-spacingIntensity
7.17 ร…(100)
4.37 ร…(60)
4.19 ร…(45)
3.58 ร…(80)
1.62 ร…(70)
1.59 ร…(60)
1.59 ร…(90)
Comments:
Data for kaolinite-1A. Several polytypes are known: -1Md, -2M1 ("dickite"), -2M2 ("nacrite"). Each has a slightly different powder pattern.

Geological EnvironmentHide

Paragenetic Mode(s):
Geological Setting:
A primary constiuent of clay beds formed by the decomposition of feldspar-bearing rocks.

Type Occurrence of KaoliniteHide

Synonyms of KaoliniteHide

Other Language Names for KaoliniteHide

Varieties of KaoliniteHide

Chrome-KaoliniteA Cr-bearing kaolinite.
Fe-KaoliniteA green, iron rich variety of Kaolinite
Keramite (of Hunt)Probably an impure Kaolinite, possibly dehydrated Halloysite
LivesiteA clay mineral intermediate to kaolinite and halloysite; a disordered kaolinite.
ParakaoliniteThe hypothetical end-member of the Kaolinite-Serpentine series

Relationship of Kaolinite to other SpeciesHide

Other Members of this group:
DickiteAl2(Si2O5)(OH)4Mon. m : Bb
HalloysiteAl2(Si2O5)(OH)4Mon. m : Bb
NacriteAl2(Si2O5)(OH)4Mon. m : Bb

Common AssociatesHide

Associated Minerals Based on Photo Data:
239 photos of Kaolinite associated with QuartzSiO2
68 photos of Kaolinite associated with ChalcopyriteCuFeS2
57 photos of Kaolinite associated with AzuriteCu3(CO3)2(OH)2
48 photos of Kaolinite associated with CalciteCaCO3
46 photos of Kaolinite associated with PyriteFeS2
42 photos of Kaolinite associated with HematiteFe2O3
38 photos of Kaolinite associated with SideriteFeCO3
38 photos of Kaolinite associated with FluoriteCaF2
27 photos of Kaolinite associated with OrthoclaseK(AlSi3O8)
27 photos of Kaolinite associated with SphaleriteZnS

Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat GroupingHide

9.ED.ClinochrysotileMon. 2/m
9.ED.05DickiteAl2(Si2O5)(OH)4Mon. m : Bb
9.ED.05NacriteAl2(Si2O5)(OH)4Mon. m : Bb
9.ED.05Odinite(Fe,Mg,Al,Fe,Ti,Mn)2.4((Si,Al)2O5)(OH)4Mon. m : Bm
9.ED.10HalloysiteAl2(Si2O5)(OH)4Mon. m : Bb
9.ED.10HisingeriteFe3+2(Si2O5)(OH)4 ยท 2H2OMon.
9.ED.10HydrohalloysiteAl2Si2O5(OH)4 ยท 2H2OMon. m
9.ED.15AmesiteMg2Al(AlSiO5)(OH)4Tric. 1 : P1
9.ED.15AntigoriteMg3(Si2O5)(OH)4Mon. m : Bm
9.ED.15Berthierine(Fe2+,Fe3+,Al)3(Si,Al)2O5(OH)4Mon. m : Bm
9.ED.15Brindleyite(Ni,Al)3(Si,Al)2O5(OH)4Mon.
9.ED.15CaryopiliteMn2+3Si2O5(OH)4Mon.
9.ED.15CronstedtiteFe2+2Fe3+((Si,Fe3+)2O5)(OH)4Trig. 3m : P3 1m
9.ED.15Fraipontite(Zn,Al)3((Si,Al)2O5)(OH)4Mon.
9.ED.15Greenalite(Fe2+,Fe3+)2-3Si2O5(OH)4Mon.
9.ED.15KellyiteMn2+2Al(AlSiO5)(OH)4Hex. 6 : P63
9.ED.15LizarditeMg3(Si2O5)(OH)4Trig. 3m : P3 1m
9.ED.15ManandoniteLi2Al4(Si2AlB)O10(OH)8Orth. 2 2 2 : C2 2 21
9.ED.15NรฉpouiteNi3Si2O5(OH)4Orth.
9.ED.15PecoraiteNi3(Si2O5)(OH)4Mon.
9.ED.15GuidottiiteMn2Fe3+(Fe3+SiO5)(OH)4Hex. 6 : P63
9.ED.15 vaChromoamesiteMg2(Al,Cr)(AlSiO5)(OH)4
9.ED.20Allophane(Al2O3)(SiO2)1.3-2 ยท 2.5-3H2OAmor.
9.ED.20ChrysocollaCu2-xAlx(H2-xSi2O5)(OH)4 ยท nH2O, x < 1Orth.
9.ED.20ImogoliteAl2SiO3(OH)4
9.ED.20Neotocite(Mn,Fe,Mg)SiO3 ยท H2OAmor.
9.ED.25BismutoferriteFe3+2Bi(SiO4)2(OH)Mon. m : Bm
9.ED.25ChapmaniteFe3+2Sb3+(Si2O5)O3(OH)Mon. m : Bm
9.ED.30PianliniteAl2Si2O6(OH)2Orth.

Fluorescence of KaoliniteHide

Not fluorescent in UV.

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.
Industrial Uses:
Numerous: fillers and coatings in/on papers, for making china and various other earthenware items, an absorbant in dye tracers, a pore-forming enhancer for dye uptake in inks, as an absobant for spills, as a stain preventing coating on lithographic plate

Kaolinite in petrologyHide

Internet Links for KaoliniteHide

References for KaoliniteHide

Reference List:

Localities for KaoliniteHide

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 ListShow

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