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Elpasolite

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Le Cetine di Cotorniano Mine (Le Cetine Mine; Cetine Mine; Rosia), Chiusdino, Siena Province, Tuscany, Italy
© Elmar Lackner

Show Elpasolite Photos (14)
Formula:
NaK
 
2
[AlF
 
6
]
System:IsometricColour:Colourless
Hardness:2½
Name:For the type locality, El Paso County, Colorado, USA.
This page provides mineralogical data about Elpasolite.

Classification of Elpasolite

IMA status:Valid - first described prior to 1959 (pre-IMA) - "Grandfathered"
Strunz 8th edition ID:3/B.03-40
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:3.CB.15

3 : HALIDES
C : Complex halides
B : Neso-aluminofluorides
Dana 8th edition ID:11.6.2.1

11 : HALIDE COMPLEXES
6 : Aluminofluorides - Isolated Octahedra
Hey's CIM Ref.:8.6.7

8 : Halides - Fluorides, Chlorides, Bromides and Iodides; also Fluoborates and Fluosilicates
6 : Halides of Al
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Type Occurrence of Elpasolite

Type Locality:St Peters Dome, Cheyenne District (St. Peters Dome District), El Paso Co., Colorado, USA
Year of Discovery:1883
Geological Setting of type material:Lining solution cavities in pachnolite in a cryolite-bearing pegmatite.
Associated Minerals at type locality:
Pachnolite

Physical Properties of Elpasolite

Lustre:Sub-Vitreous, Greasy
Diaphaneity (Transparency):Transparent, Translucent
Colour:Colourless
Streak:White
Hardness (Mohs):2½
Cleavage:None Observed
Fracture:Irregular/Uneven
Density (measured):2.995 g/cm3
Density (calculated):3.015 g/cm3

Crystallography of Elpasolite

Crystal System:Isometric
Class (H-M):m3 (2/m 3) - Diploidal
Space Group:Pa3 {P21/a 3}
Cell Parameters:a = 8.12Å
Unit Cell Volume:V 535.39 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Morphology:Indistinct crystals at times with indistinct octahedral and cubic faces. Massive. Artificial crystals are cubo-octahedral.

Chemical Properties of Elpasolite

Formula:
NaK
 
2
[AlF
 
6
]
Essential elements:Al, F, K, Na
All elements listed in formula:Al, F, K, Na

Relationship of Elpasolite to other Species

Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):

- +
3.CB.05Cryolithionite
Na
 
3
Li
 
3
[AlF
 
6
]
 
2
3.CB.15Cryolite
Na
 
3
[AlF
 
6
]
3.CB.15Simmonsite
Na
 
2
Li[AlF
 
6
]
3.CB.20Colquiriite
CaLi[AlF
 
6
]
3.CB.25Weberite
Na
 
2
Mg[F|AlF
 
6
]
3.CB.30Karasugite
SrCa[Al(F,OH)
 
7
]
3.CB.35Usovite
Ba
 
2
CaMgAl
 
2
F
 
14
3.CB.40Pachnolite
NaCaAlF
 
6
·H
 
2
O
3.CB.40Thomsenolite
NaCaAlF
 
6
·H
 
2
O
3.CB.45Carlhintzeite
Ca
 
2
[F|AlF
 
6
] · H
 
2
O
3.CB.50Yaroslavite
Ca
 
3
Al
 
2
F
 
10
(OH)
 
2
·H
 
2
O
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:

- +
8.6.1Zharchikhite
AlF(OH)
 
2
8.6.2Chloraluminite
AlCl
 
3
·6H
 
2
O
8.6.3Cadwaladerite
Al(OH)
 
2
Cl·4H
 
2
O
8.6.4Cryolithionite
Na
 
3
Li
 
3
[AlF
 
6
]
 
2
8.6.5Cryolite
Na
 
3
[AlF
 
6
]
8.6.6Chiolite
Na
 
5
Al
 
3
F
 
14
8.6.8Weberite
Na
 
2
Mg[F|AlF
 
6
]
8.6.9Ralstonite
NaMgAl(F,OH)
 
6
·H
 
2
O
8.6.10Koenenite
Na
 
4
Mg
 
9
Al
 
4
Cl
 
12
(OH)
 
22
8.6.11 Chlor-manasseite
Mg
 
x
Al(OH)
 
2x+2
Cl·(x-0.8)H
 
2
O x about 1.75
8.6.12Gearksutite
Ca[Al(F,OH)
 
5
(H
 
2
O)]
8.6.13Prosopite
CaAl
 
2
(F,OH)
 
8
8.6.14Yaroslavite
Ca
 
3
Al
 
2
F
 
10
(OH)
 
2
·H
 
2
O
8.6.15Carlhintzeite
Ca
 
2
[F|AlF
 
6
] · H
 
2
O
8.6.16Colquiriite
CaLi[AlF
 
6
]
8.6.17Thomsenolite
NaCaAlF
 
6
·H
 
2
O
8.6.18Pachnolite
NaCaAlF
 
6
·H
 
2
O
8.6.19Zirklerite
(Fe,Mg,Ca)
 
9
Al
 
4
Cl
 
18
(OH)
 
12
·14H
 
2
O (?)

Other Names for Elpasolite

Other Languages:
German:Elpasolit
Russian:Эльпасолит
Spanish:Elpasolita

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 Elpasolite

Reference List:Cross and Hillebrand (1883) American Journal of Science: 26: 283.

Cross and Hillebrand (1885) USGS Bulletin 20: 57.

Menzer (1932) Forschritte der Mineralogie, Kristallographie und Petrographie, Jena: 17: 61.

Frondel, C. (1948) American Mineralogist: 33: 84-87.

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: Halides, Nitrates, Borates, Carbonates, Sulfates, Phosphates, Arsenates, Tungstates, Molybdates, Etc. John Wiley and Sons, Inc., New York, 7th edition, revised and enlarged: 114.

Neues Jahrbuch für Mineralogie, Monatshefte (1987): 481-487.

Pekov, I.V., Chukanov, N.V., Kononkova, N.N., Zubkova, N.V., Rabadanov, M.K., and Pushcharovsky, D.Y. (2008): Elpasolite from Hyperalkaline Pegmatite of the Khibiny Pluton, Kola Peninsula. Symmetry of Elpasolite. Geology of Ore Deposits 50(8), 749-754.

Internet Links for Elpasolite

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    Localities for Elpasolite

    Show Locality List (12 Items)
    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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