Chiolite
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About Chiolite
Formula:
Na5Al3F14
Colour:
Nearly colourless, snow-white
Lustre:
Vitreous, Pearly
Hardness:
3½ - 4
Specific Gravity:
2.998
Crystal System:
Tetragonal
Name:
From the Greek χιώυ, snow, and λίθος, stone, in allusion to its appearance and similarity to cryolite (ice-stone).
This page provides mineralogical data about Chiolite.
Classification of Chiolite
Approved, 'Grandfathered' (first described prior to 1959)
3/C.03-20
3.CE.05
3 : HALIDES
C : Complex halides
E : Phyllo-aluminofluorides
3 : HALIDES
C : Complex halides
E : Phyllo-aluminofluorides
11.6.11.1
11 : HALIDE COMPLEXES
6 : Aluminofluorides - Isolated Octahedra
11 : HALIDE COMPLEXES
6 : Aluminofluorides - Isolated Octahedra
8.6.6
8 : Halides - Fluorides, Chlorides, Bromides and Iodides; also Fluoborates and Fluosilicates
6 : Halides of Al
8 : Halides - Fluorides, Chlorides, Bromides and Iodides; also Fluoborates and Fluosilicates
6 : Halides of Al
Physical Properties of Chiolite
Vitreous, Pearly
Transparency:
Transparent, Translucent
Colour:
Nearly colourless, snow-white
Hardness:
3½ - 4 on Mohs scale
Cleavage:
Perfect
On {001}; on {011} distinct.
On {001}; on {011} distinct.
Density:
2.998 g/cm3 (Measured) 2.989 g/cm3 (Calculated)
Optical Data of Chiolite
Type:
Uniaxial (-)
RI values:
nω = 1.349 nε = 1.342
Max Birefringence:
δ = 0.007

Image shows birefringence interference colour range (at 30µm thickness)
and does not take into account mineral colouration.
and does not take into account mineral colouration.
Surface Relief:
Moderate
Chemical Properties of Chiolite
Formula:
Na5Al3F14
Elements listed:
Crystallography of Chiolite
Crystal System:
Tetragonal
Class (H-M):
4/mmm (4/m 2/m 2/m) - Ditetragonal Dipyramidal
Space Group:
P4/mnc
Cell Parameters:
a = 7.01 Å, c = 10.4 Å
Ratio:
a:c = 1 : 1.484
Unit Cell V:
511.06 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Morphology:
Crystals dipyramidal {011}. Distinct crystals small and rare. Massive, granular.
Twinning:
On {011}, distorted into prismatic shapes at times.
Crystal Structure
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Data courtesy of the American Mineralogist Crystal Structure Database. Click on an AMCSD ID to view structure
ID | Species | Reference | Link | Year | Locality | Pressure (GPa) | Temp (K) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
0013413 | Chiolite | Jacoboni C, Leble A, Rousseau J J (1981) Determination precise de la structure de la chiolite Na5Al3F14 et etude par R.P.E. de Na5Al3F14:Cr3+ Journal of Solid State Chemistry 36 297-304 | 1981 | synthetic | 0 | 293 | |
0015747 | Chiolite | Brosset C (1938) Die kristallstruktur des chioliths Zeitschrift fur Anorganische und Allgemeine Chemie 238 201-208 | 1938 | 0 | 293 |
CIF Raw Data - click here to close
X-Ray Powder Diffraction
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Radiation - Copper Kα
Data courtesy of RRUFF project at University of Arizona, used with permission.
Type Occurrence of Chiolite
Geological Setting of Type Material:
Cryolite-bearing pegmatite.
Associated Minerals at Type Locality:
Synonyms of Chiolite
Other Language Names for Chiolite
Common Associates
Associated Minerals Based on Photo Data:
7 photos of Chiolite associated with Cryolite | Na2NaAlF6 |
5 photos of Chiolite associated with Pyrite | FeS2 |
4 photos of Chiolite associated with Topaz | Al2(SiO4)(F,OH)2 |
3 photos of Chiolite associated with Hydrokenoralstonite | Na0.5(Al,Mg)2(F,OH)6 · H2O |
2 photos of Chiolite associated with Chlorite Group | |
2 photos of Chiolite associated with Jarlite | Na(Sr,Na)7MgAl6F32(OH,H2O)2 |
2 photos of Chiolite associated with Sericite | KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
2 photos of Chiolite associated with Fluorite | CaF2 |
1 photo of Chiolite associated with Elpasolite | K2NaAlF6 |
Related Minerals - Hey's Chemical Index of Minerals Grouping
8.6.1 | Zharchikhite | AlF(OH)2 | Mon. |
8.6.2 | Chloraluminite | AlCl3 · 6H2O | Trig. |
8.6.3 | Cadwaladerite | Al5(H2O)3(OH)12 · n(Cl,H2O) | Amor. |
8.6.4 | Cryolithionite | Na3Al2(LiF4)3 | Iso. m3m (4/m 3 2/m) : Ia3d |
8.6.5 | Cryolite | Na2NaAlF6 | Mon. 2/m |
8.6.7 | Elpasolite | K2NaAlF6 | Iso. m3 (2/m 3) : Pa3 |
8.6.8 | Weberite | Na2Mg[AlF6]F | Orth. mmm (2/m 2/m 2/m) : Immm |
8.6.9 | Hydrokenoralstonite | Na0.5(Al,Mg)2(F,OH)6 · H2O | Iso. m3m (4/m 3 2/m) : Fd3m |
8.6.10 | Koenenite | Na4Mg9Al4Cl12(OH)22 | Trig. 3m (3 2/m) : R3m |
8.6.11 | Chlor-manasseite | MgxAl(OH)2x+2Cl · (x-0.8)H2O x about 1.75 | |
8.6.12 | Gearksutite | Ca[Al(F,OH)5(H2O)] | Tric. 1 : P1 |
8.6.13 | Prosopite | CaAl2F4[(OH)4-xFx] | Mon. 2/m : B2/b |
8.6.14 | Yaroslavite | Ca3Al2F10(OH)2 · H2O | Orth. |
8.6.15 | Carlhintzeite | Ca2[AlF6]F · H2O | Tric. |
8.6.16 | Colquiriite | CaLi[AlF6] | Trig. |
8.6.17 | Thomsenolite | NaCa[AlF6] · H2O | Mon. 2/m : P21/b |
8.6.18 | Pachnolite | NaCa[AlF6] · H2O | Mon. 2/m |
8.6.19 | Zirklerite | (Fe,Mg,Ca)9Al4Cl18(OH)12 · 14H2O (?) | Trig. |
Other Information
Health Risks:
No information on health risks for this material has been entered into the database. You should always treat mineral specimens with care.
References for Chiolite
Reference List:
Sort by Year (asc) | by Year (desc) | by Author (A-Z) | by Author (Z-A)
von Wörth and Chodnev (1845-46) Verh. min. Ges.: 208 (as Chiolith).
Hermann and Auerbach (1846) Journal für praktische Chemie, Leipzig: 37: 188 (as Chiolith).
Rammelsberg (1848) Annalen der Physik, Halle, Leipzig: 74: 314.
Dana, J.D. (1850) System of Mineralogy, 3rd. Edition, New York: 234 (as Chodneffite).
Koksharov, N. von (1862) Materialien zur Mineralogie Russlands. 11 volumes with atlas: vol. 4: 389.
Naumann, C.F. (1864) Elemente der Mineralogie. Leipzig. 5th. edition: 219 (as Nipholith).
Hagemann (1866): On Some Minerals associated with the Cryolite in Greenalnd. American Journal of Science and Arts. 42, 93. (as Arksutite).
Dana, J.D. (1868) System of Mineralogy, 5th. Edition, New York. (aided by G.J. Brush): 128.
Groth (1883) Zeitschrift für Kristallographie, Mineralogie und Petrographie, Leipzig: 7: 478.
Nordenskiöld, A. E. (1886) Mineralogiska bidrag. 10. Arksutit från Ivigtut i Grönland. Geologiska Föreningens i Stockholm Förhandlinger 8: 172-175
Bøggild (1912) Zeitschrift für Kristallographie, Mineralogie und Petrographie, Leipzig: 51: 598.
Goldschmidt, V. (1913) Atlas der Krystallformen. 9 volumes, atlas, and text: vol. 2: 138.
Clausen (1936) Zeitschrift für Kristallographie, Mineralogie und Petrographie, Leipzig: 95: 394.
Brosset (1938) Zeitschrift für anorganische und allgemeine Chemie, Hamburg, Leipzig: 238: 201.
Caglioti and Giacomello (1938) Naturwissenschaften: 26: 317.
Brosset (1943) Chemical Abstracts, Easton, PA: 37: 13.
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: 123-124.
Journal of Solid State Chemistry: 36: 297-304.
Internet Links for Chiolite
mindat.org URL:
https://www.mindat.org/min-1006.html
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Localities for Chiolite
Locality List




All localities listed without proper references should be considered as questionable.
Greenland | |
| Nordenshiöld, A. E. (1886): Mineralogiska bidrag. 10. Arksutit från Ivigtut i Grönland. Geologiska Föreningens i Stockholm Förhandlinger 8: 172-175; 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: 112, 124; Petersen, O.V. and Secher, K. (1993): The minerals of Greenland. Mineralogical Record 24 (2): 1-65 (p.36) |
Russia (TL) | |
| Polyakov, V.O. (1985): Alumofluorites of the Il’meny Mountains. In: Minerals from Deposits of the Central and Southern Urals (Sverdlovsk), 3-11.; Pekov, I. (1998) Minerals First discovered on the territory of the former Soviet Union 369p. Ocean Pictures, Moscow; Bailey, J. C: Formation of cryolite and other aluminofluorides: A petrologic review. Bull. geol. Soc. Denmark, vol. 29, pp. 1-45. Copenhagen, June 10th, 1980. |
| Victor V. Sharygin analytycal data (2012); ; ; E. V. Sklyarov, D. P. Gladkochub, A. B. Kotov, A. E. Starikova, V. V. Sharygin, S. D. Velikoslavinsky, A. M. Larin, A. M. Mazukabzov, E. V. Tolmacheva, E. A. Khromova (2016): Genesis of the Katugin rare-metal ore deposit: Magmatism versus metasomatism. Russian Journal of Pacific Geology 10, 155–167.; Starikova, A. E., Bazarova, E. P., Savel’eva, V. B., Sklyarov, E. V., Khromova, E. A., & Kanakin, S. V. (2019) Pyrochlore-Group Minerals in the Granite-Hosted Katugin Rare-Metal Deposit, Transbaikalia, Russia. Minerals, 9(8), 490. |
Ukraine | |
| Bailey, J. C: Formation of cryolite and other aluminofluorides: A petrologic review. Bull. geol. Soc. Denmark, vol. 29, pp. 1-45. Copenhagen, June 10th, 1980. |
USA | |
| Kearns, L.E. (1995) Alumino-fluorides from the Morefield pegmatite, Amelia County, Virginia. The Mineralogical Record: 26(6): 551-556.; Richards, R.P., Kearns, L.E., Cook, W.R. (1998) Morphology of Chiolite twins from the Morefield mine, Amelia County, Virginia. The Canadian Mineralogist: 36: 1009-1016. |
Pit No. 69, Ilmen Mountains, Chelyabinsk Oblast, Russia