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Vanthoffite

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Berlepsch Mine, Stassfurt, Stassfurt Potash deposit, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany
© Thomas Witzke

Formula:
Na
 
6
Mg(SO
 
4
)
 
4
System:MonoclinicColour:Colourless, gray, pale ...
Lustre:Vitreous, PearlyHardness:3½
Name:
Named after Jacobus Henricus van't Hoff (1852-1911), Professor of Chemistry, University of Amsterdam (1878-1896), University of Berlin (1896-1911), physical chemist and thermodynamicist, founder of stereochemistry, student of equilibria in salt solutions, nobelist (1901).
This page provides mineralogical data about Vanthoffite.

Classification of Vanthoffite

IMA status:Valid - first described prior to 1959 (pre-IMA) - "Grandfathered"
Strunz 8th edition ID:6/A.04-10
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:7.AC.05

7 : SULFATES (selenates, tellurates, chromates, molybdates, wolframates)
A : Sulfates (selenates, etc.) without additional anions, without H2O
C : With medium-sized and large cations
Dana 8th edition ID:28.4.1.1

28 : ANHYDROUS ACID AND NORMAL SULFATES
4 : Miscellaneous
Hey's CIM Ref.:25.3.8

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

Type Locality:Wilhelmshall, Halberstadt, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany
Year of Discovery:1902
Associated Minerals at type locality:
LangbeiniteHalite

Occurrences of Vanthoffite

Geological Setting:Oceanic salt deposits.

Physical Properties of Vanthoffite

Lustre:Vitreous, Pearly
Diaphaneity (Transparency):Transparent
Colour:Colourless, gray, pale yellow; colourless in transmitted light
Streak:Colourless
Hardness (Mohs):3½
Tenacity:Fragile
Fracture:Irregular/Uneven, Sub-Conchoidal
Density (measured):2.694 g/cm3
Density (calculated):2.687 g/cm3

Crystallography of Vanthoffite

Crystal System:Monoclinic
Class (H-M):2/m - Prismatic
Space Group:P21/b {P1 1 21/b} {P21/c} {P1 21/c 1} {P21/a}
Cell Parameters:a = 9.781(2) Å, b = 9.196(2) Å, c = 8.197(2) Å
β = 113.61(2)°
Ratio:a:b:c = 1.064 : 1 : 0.891
Unit Cell Volume:V 675.57 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:2
Morphology:Massive only; anhedral grains or bedded aggregates.

Optical Data of Vanthoffite

Type:Biaxial (-)
RI values: nα = 1.486 nβ = 1.488 nγ = 1.489
2V:Measured: 83° , Calculated: 70°
Maximum Birefringence:δ = 0.003

Chart shows birefringence interference colour range (at 30µm thickness) and does not take into account mineral colouration.
Surface Relief:Moderate
Dispersion:weak r < v

Chemical Properties of Vanthoffite

Formula:
Na
 
6
Mg(SO
 
4
)
 
4
Essential elements:Mg, Na, O, S
All elements listed in formula:Mg, Na, O, S

Relationship of Vanthoffite to other Species

Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):

- +
7.AC.10Efremovite
(NH
 
4
)
 
2
Mg
 
2
(SO
 
4
)
 
3
7.AC.10Langbeinite
K
 
2
Mg
 
2
(SO
 
4
)
 
3
7.AC.10Manganolangbeinite
K
 
2
Mn
 
2
(SO
 
4
)
 
3
7.AC.15Yavapaiite
KFe(SO
 
4
)
 
2
7.AC.15Eldfellite
NaFe
3+
 
(SO
 
4
)
 
2
7.AC.20Godovikovite
NH
 
4
(Al,Fe)(SO
 
4
)
 
2
7.AC.20Sabieite
NH
 
4
Fe(SO
 
4
)
 
2
7.AC.25Thenardite
Na
 
2
SO
 
4
7.AC.30Metathenardite
Na
 
2
SO
 
4
7.AC.35Aphthitalite
(K,Na)
 
3
Na(SO
 
4
)
 
2
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
25.3.7Caminite
Mg
 
7
[(OH)
 
4
|(SO
 
4
)
 
5
] · H
 
2
O
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 Vanthoffite

Other Languages:
German:Vanthoffit
Russian:Вантгоффит
Spanish:Vanthoffita

Other Information

Other Information:Soluble in water, slightly bitter taste.
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 Vanthoffite

Reference List:Kubierschky (1902) Akademie der Wissenschaften, Berlin, Ber.: 21: 404.

Görgey (1909) Mineralogische und petrographische Mitteilungen, Vienna: 28: 334.

Doelter, C. (1926) Handbuch der Mineral-chemie: 4(2): 93.

Ide (1935) Kali: 29: 83;...Min. Abs. (1936): 6: 351.

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. John Wiley and Sons, Inc., New York, 7th edition, revised and enlarged: 430.

Acta Crystallographica (1964): 17: 1613.

Zapiski Vserossiyskogo Mineralogicheskogo Obshchestva (1973): 102: 192-193.

Zeitschrift für Kristallographie (1986): 174: 5.

Internet Links for Vanthoffite

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    Localities for Vanthoffite

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