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Identity HelpWhat mineral has this analysis result?

15th Sep 2018 00:11 UTCRaphael Odutola

Could you kindly tell me the name of mineral with this analysis?

LOSS(900°c) 0.46% , Al2o3 25.67% , Sio2 65.38% , Fe2o3 0.27% , Cao 0.07% Mgo 0.03% , K2o 0.09% , Na2o 0.55%, Tio2 0.01% , Li2o 7.13%

15th Sep 2018 00:54 UTCŁukasz Kruszewski Expert

Hi. I've recasted this analysis and it calculates well into spodumene, with the empirical formula being (Li0.91Na0.03)(Al0.96Fe0.01)Si2.08O6.09.

15th Sep 2018 01:45 UTCDoug Daniels

Sure looks close to spodumene's ideal formula - 8.0% Li₂O, 27.4% Al₂O₃, 64.6% SiO₂. If you have a specimen, what does/did it look like, and where was it found?

15th Sep 2018 16:17 UTCRaphael Odutola

Please find attached the picture. It was found in Nigeria.

16th Sep 2018 04:29 UTCDoug Daniels

Not helpful.... what did the SPECIFIC specimen analyzed look like? A pile of rocks is useless for us to help. And, can you give a more specific location in Nigeria?

16th Sep 2018 23:28 UTCRaphael Odutola

It was found in Kaduna State and Nassarawa State Nigeria.

17th Sep 2018 03:37 UTCDoug Daniels

From the latest 3 photos - the first and third do suggest spodumene; the second one is a bit iffy. Something like XRD would be more definitive, but may not be accessible or affordable to you. More importantly, how important is it to know the identity? Are you looking to mine/sell the mineral? Just curious? Ideas such as these.

17th Sep 2018 06:21 UTCBen Grguric Expert

Second one could be petalite. Apparently when gently heated petalite often gives off a bluish phosphorescent light. Never tried it myself but simple enough experiment.

17th Sep 2018 15:39 UTCWayne Corwin

Ben

How much "gently heated"?

17th Sep 2018 23:51 UTCBen Grguric Expert

Don't know, never tried it. Dana mentions this property.

19th Sep 2018 01:28 UTCDoug Daniels

Ben - I too thought petalite as a possibility, but didn't bother to calculate the percentages. Plus, so far as I know it usually doesn't form big masses as shown (but I could well be wrong). As far as "gently heated" - maybe place a piece on a hot plate, and slowly raise the temperature (assuming Raphael has access to one)? Or use a butane/propane torch, again being very slow at heating the specimen.

I also noticed that Pough reports spodumene as being thermoluminescent, but no color was given (at least in my version). Also, my version of Dana's Manual has no entry for petalite, but doesn't mean the property doesn't exist. Too many references to check.

19th Sep 2018 01:37 UTCWayne Corwin

Doug

Petalite can come much bigger than that, I've seen bigger in New Hampshire, USA.

19th Sep 2018 01:39 UTCDoug Daniels

As I said, I could be wrong......

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