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Benstonite

Big Photo

Minerva No. 1 Mine, Cave-in-Rock, Cave-in-Rock Sub-District, Illinois - Kentucky Fluorspar District, Hardin Co., Illinois, USA
© Rob Lavinsky

Show Benstonite Photos (9)
Formula:
(Ba,Sr)
 
6
(Ca,Mn)
 
6
Mg(CO
 
3
)
 
13
System:TrigonalColour:White to Ivory, very ...
Lustre:VitreousHardness:3 - 4
Name:Named after Orlando J. Benston (1901-1966), an ore dressing metallurgist with the University of Illinois.
This page provides mineralogical data about Benstonite.

Classification of Benstonite

IMA status:Approved
Strunz 8th edition ID:5/B.03-80
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:5.AB.55

5 : CARBONATES (NITRATES)
A : Carbonates without additional anions, without H2O
B : Alkali-earth (and other M2+) carbonates
Dana 8th edition ID:14.2.3.1

14 : ANHYDROUS NORMAL CARBONATES
2 : AB(XO3)2
Hey's CIM Ref.:11.5.7

11 : Carbonates
5 : Carbonates of Sr and Ba
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Type Occurrence of Benstonite

Type Locality:Baroid Sales Division pit, Baroid Mine (Chamberlain Creek Barite Mines), Chamberlain Creek Valley, Magnet Cove, Hot Spring Co., Arkansas, USA
Year of Discovery:1961

Occurrences of Benstonite

Geological Setting:Barite deposits

Physical Properties of Benstonite

Lustre:Vitreous
Diaphaneity (Transparency):Translucent
Colour:White to Ivory, very pale yellow, pale yellowish brown
Streak:White
Hardness (Mohs):3 - 4
Cleavage:Distinct/Good
Good on (31_42)
Density (measured):3.956 g/cm3
Density (calculated):3.695 g/cm3

Crystallography of Benstonite

Crystal System:Trigonal
Class (H-M):3 - Rhombohedral
Space Group:R3
Cell Parameters:a = 18.280Å, c = 8.652Å
Ratio:a:c = 1 : 0.473
Unit Cell Volume:V 2,503.80 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:3
Morphology:Rhombohedral crystals to 1cm.
X-Ray Powder Diffraction:
Image Loading

Radiation - Copper Kα
Data Set:
Horizontal Axis: ° to ° Vertical Axis: % Source Data: Filtered Data: Peaks:
Data courtesy of RRUFF project at University of Arizona, used with permission.

Optical Data of Benstonite

Type:Uniaxial (-)
RI values: nω = 1.690 nε = 1.527
Maximum Birefringence:δ = 0.163

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

Chemical Properties of Benstonite

Formula:
(Ba,Sr)
 
6
(Ca,Mn)
 
6
Mg(CO
 
3
)
 
13
Essential elements:Ba, C, Ca, Mg, O
All elements listed in formula:Ba, C, Ca, Mg, Mn, O, Sr

Relationship of Benstonite to other Species

Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):

- +
5.AB.05Calcite
CaCO
 
3
5.AB.05Gaspéite
(Ni,Mg,Fe)CO
 
3
5.AB.05Magnesite
MgCO
 
3
5.AB.05Otavite
CdCO
 
3
5.AB.05Rhodochrosite
MnCO
 
3
5.AB.05Siderite
FeCO
 
3
5.AB.05Smithsonite
ZnCO
 
3
5.AB.05Spherocobaltite
CoCO
 
3
5.AB.10Ankerite
Ca(Fe
2+
 
 ,Mg,Mn
2+
 
)(CO
 
3
)
 
2
5.AB.10Dolomite
CaMg(CO
 
3
)
 
2
5.AB.10Kutnohorite
Ca(Mn,Mg,Fe)(CO
 
3
)
 
2
5.AB.10Minrecordite
CaZn(CO
 
3
)
 
2
5.AB.15Aragonite
CaCO
 
3
5.AB.15Cerussite
PbCO
 
3
5.AB.15Strontianite
SrCO
 
3
5.AB.15Witherite
BaCO
 
3
5.AB.20Vaterite
CaCO
 
3
5.AB.25Huntite
CaMg
 
3
(CO
 
3
)
 
4
5.AB.30Norsethite
BaMg(CO
 
3
)
 
2
5.AB.35Alstonite
BaCa(CO
 
3
)
 
2
5.AB.40Olekminskite
Sr(Sr,Ba)(CO
 
3
)
 
2
5.AB.40Paralstonite
BaCa(CO
 
3
)
 
2
5.AB.45Barytocalcite
BaCa(CO
 
3
)
 
2
5.AB.50Carbocernaite
(Ca,Na)(Sr,Ce,Ba)(CO
 
3
)
 
2
5.AB.60Juangodoyite
Na
 
2
Cu(CO
 
3
)
 
2
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:

- +
11.5.1Strontianite
SrCO
 
3
11.5.2Witherite
BaCO
 
3
11.5.3Norsethite
BaMg(CO
 
3
)
 
2
11.5.4Alstonite
BaCa(CO
 
3
)
 
2
11.5.5Paralstonite
BaCa(CO
 
3
)
 
2
11.5.6Barytocalcite
BaCa(CO
 
3
)
 
2

Other Names for Benstonite

Other Languages:
German:Benstonit
Russian:Бенстонит
Spanish:Benstonita

Other Information

Fluorescence in UV light:Red or yellow in SW and LW and X-rays.
Red phosphorescence
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 Benstonite

Reference List:American Mineralogist: 47: 585-598.

Neues Jahrbuch für Mineralogie, Abhandlungen: 136: 326-327.

Internet Links for Benstonite

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  • Raman and XRD data at RRUFF project
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  • Benstonite details from Handbook of Mineralogy (PDF)
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    Localities for Benstonite

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