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Portlandite

Big Photo

Caspar quarry, Ettringer Bellerberg Mt. (Bellberg Mt.; Bellenberg Mt.; Billenberg Mt.; Boilenberg Mt.), Bellerberg volcano, Ettringen, Mayen, Eifel Mts, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany
© Stephan Wolfsried

Show Portlandite Photos (13)
Formula:
Ca(OH)
 
2
System:TrigonalColour:Colourless, light yellow
Hardness:2½ - 3
Name:In allusion to the occurrence of Ca(OH)2 as a product of hydration of portland cement.
This page provides mineralogical data about Portlandite.

Classification of Portlandite

IMA status:Valid - first described prior to 1959 (pre-IMA) - "Grandfathered"
Strunz 8th edition ID:4/F.03-100
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:4.FE.05

4 : OXIDES (Hydroxides, V[5,6] vanadates, arsenites, antimonites, bismuthites, sulfites, selenites, tellurites, iodates)
F : Hydroxides (without V or U)
E : Hydroxides with OH, without H2O; sheets of edge-sharing octahedra
Dana 8th edition ID:6.2.1.4

6 : HYDROXIDES AND OXIDES CONTAINING HYDROXYL
2 : X(OH)2
Hey's CIM Ref.:7.4.12

7 : Oxides and Hydroxides
4 : Oxides of Be, Mg and the alkaline earths
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Type Occurrence of Portlandite

Type Locality:Scawt Hill, Larne, Co. Antrim, Northern Ireland, UK
Year of Discovery:1933

Physical Properties of Portlandite

Lustre:Pearly
Diaphaneity (Transparency):Transparent
Colour:Colourless, light yellow
Hardness (Mohs):2½ - 3
Tenacity:Sectile
Cleavage:Perfect
{0001}
Density (measured):2.227 - 2.233 g/cm3
Density (calculated):2.24 g/cm3

Crystallography of Portlandite

Crystal System:Trigonal
Class (H-M):3m (3 2/m) - Hexagonal Scalenohedral
Cell Parameters:a = 3.59Å, c = 4.9Å
Ratio:a:c = 1 : 1.365
Unit Cell Volume:V 54.69 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Morphology:Minute hexagonal plates. Tabular {0001}, with {101¯0} as linear faces (artificial material).

Optical Data of Portlandite

Type:Uniaxial (-)
RI values: nω = 1.574 nε = 1.547
Maximum Birefringence:δ = 0.027

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

Chemical Properties of Portlandite

Formula:
Ca(OH)
 
2
Essential elements:Ca, H, O
All elements listed in formula:Ca, H, O

Relationship of Portlandite to other Species

Member of Group:
Brucite Group:
M
2+
 
(OH)
 
2
Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):

- +
4.FE.05Amakinite
(Fe
2+
 
,Mg)(OH)
 
2
4.FE.05Brucite
Mg(OH)
 
2
4.FE.05Pyrochroite
Mn(OH)
 
2
4.FE.05Theophrastite
Ni(OH)
 
2
4.FE.10Bayerite
Al(OH)
 
3
4.FE.10Doyleite
Al(OH)
 
3
4.FE.10Gibbsite
Al(OH)
 
3
4.FE.10Nordstrandite
Al(OH)
 
3
4.FE.15Böhmite
AlO(OH)
4.FE.15Lepidocrocite
γ-Fe
3+
 
O(OH)
4.FE.20Grimaldiite
CrO(OH)
4.FE.20Heterogenite
CoO(OH)
4.FE.25Feitknechtite
Mn
3+
 
O(OH)
4.FE.25Lithiophorite
(Al,Li)MnO
 
2
(OH)
 
2
4.FE.30Quenselite
PbMnO
 
2
(OH)
4.FE.35Ferrihydrite
Fe
 
5
O
 
3
(OH)
 
9
4.FE.40Feroxyhyte
Fe
3+
 
O(OH)
4.FE.40Vernadite
(Mn
4+
 
,Fe
3+
 
,Ca,Na)(O,OH)
 
2
 · nH
 
2
O
4.FE.45Quetzalcoatlite
Zn
 
6
Cu
 
3
(TeO
 
6
)
 
2
(OH)
 
6
·Ag
 
x
Pb
 
y
Cl
 
x+2y
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:

- +
7.4.1Bromellite
BeO
7.4.2Behoite
Be(OH)
 
2
7.4.3Clinobehoite
Be(OH)
 
2
7.4.4Chrysoberyl
BeAl
 
2
O
 
4
7.4.5Magnesiotaaffeite-2N’2S
Mg
 
3
Al
 
8
BeO
 
16
7.4.6Magnesiotaaffeite-6N’3S
(Mg,Fe,Zn)
 
2
Al
 
6
BeO
 
12
7.4.7Periclase
MgO
7.4.8Brucite
Mg(OH)
 
2
7.4.9Spinel
MgAl
 
2
O
 
4
7.4.10Meixnerite
Mg
 
6
Al
 
2
(OH)
 
18
·4H
 
2
O
7.4.11Lime
CaO
7.4.13Mayenite
Ca
 
12
Al
 
14
O
 
33
7.4.14Hydrocalumite
Ca
 
2
Al(OH)
 
7
·2H
 
2
O
7.4.15Marokite
CaMn
 
2
O
 
4
7.4.16Ranciéite
(Ca,Mn)Mn
 
4
O
 
9
·3H
 
2
O
7.4.17Hollandite
Ba(Mn
4+
 
,Mn
2+
 
)
 
8
O
 
16
7.4.18Romanèchite
(Ba,H
 
2
O)
 
2
Mn
 
5
O
 
10
7.4.19Todorokite
(Ca,K,Na,Mg,Ba,Mn)(Mn,Mg,Al)
 
6
O
 
12
·3H
 
2
O

Other Names for Portlandite

Other Languages:
German:Portlandit
Russian:Портландит
Spanish:Portlandita

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 Portlandite

Reference List:Tilley (1933), Mineralogical Magazine: 23: 419.

American Mineralogist (1934): 19: 35.

Palache, Charles, Harry Berman & Clifford Frondel (1944), The System of Mineralogy of James Dwight Dana and Edward Salisbury Dana Yale University 1837-1892, Volume I: Elements, Sulfides, Sulfosalts, Oxides. John Wiley and Sons, Inc., New York. 7th edition, revised and enlarged: 641-642.

American Mineralogist (1963): 48: 924-930.

Internet Links for Portlandite

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    Localities for Portlandite

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