Falcondoite
This page is currently not sponsored. Click here to sponsor this page.
About Falcondoite
Formula:
(Ni,Mg)4Si6O15(OH)2 · 6H2O
Colour:
whitish-green
Lustre:
Resinous
Hardness:
2 - 3
Specific Gravity:
1.9
Crystal System:
Orthorhombic
Member of:
Name:
Named after the mining company Falconbridge Dominicana C por A. (Falcondo), which mines at the type locality.
A nickel silicate forming friable masses of minute fibers, less than 10 microns in length.
The Ni analogue of sepiolite.
The Ni analogue of sepiolite.
Classification of Falcondoite
Approved
Approval Year:
1976
8/H.33-50
9.EE.25
9 : SILICATES (Germanates)
E : Phyllosilicates
E : Single tetrahedral nets of 6-membered rings connected by octahedral nets or octahedral bands
9 : SILICATES (Germanates)
E : Phyllosilicates
E : Single tetrahedral nets of 6-membered rings connected by octahedral nets or octahedral bands
74.3.1b.2
74 : PHYLLOSILICATES Modulated Layers
3 : Modulated Layers with joined strips
74 : PHYLLOSILICATES Modulated Layers
3 : Modulated Layers with joined strips
14.26.6
14 : Silicates not Containing Aluminum
26 : Silicates of Ni
14 : Silicates not Containing Aluminum
26 : Silicates of Ni
Physical Properties of Falcondoite
Resinous
Transparency:
Translucent
Colour:
whitish-green
Hardness:
2 - 3 on Mohs scale
Tenacity:
Brittle
Density:
1.9 g/cm3 (Measured) 2.54 g/cm3 (Calculated)
Optical Data of Falcondoite
Type:
Biaxial
Dispersion:
r < v strong
Chemical Properties of Falcondoite
Formula:
(Ni,Mg)4Si6O15(OH)2 · 6H2O
IMA Formula:
Ni4Si6O15(OH)2 · 6H2O
Elements listed:
Common Impurities:
Al,Cr,Fe
Crystallography of Falcondoite
Crystal System:
Orthorhombic
Cell Parameters:
a = 13.5 Å, b = 26.9 Å, c = 5.24 Å
Ratio:
a:b:c = 0.502 : 1 : 0.195
Unit Cell V:
1902.91 ų
Z:
4
X-Ray Powder Diffraction
Powder Diffraction Data:
d-spacing | Intensity |
---|---|
12.2 | (100) |
3.33 | (30) |
3.19 | (25) |
2.62 | (30) |
2.58 | (35) |
2.44 | (30) |
2.39 | (20) |
( | |
( |
Type Occurrence of Falcondoite
Place of Conservation of Type Material:
Royal Ontarion Museum, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Geological Setting of Type Material:
In garnierite veins cutting a laterite, associated with a serpentinized harzbergite massif
Synonyms of Falcondoite
Other Language Names for Falcondoite
German:Falcondoit
Spanish:Falcondoita
Relationship of Falcondoite to other Species
Member of:
Other Members of this group:
Ferrisepiolite | (Fe3+,Fe2+,Mg)4((Si,Fe3+)6O15)(O,OH)2 · 6H2O | Orth. mmm (2/m 2/m 2/m) |
Loughlinite | Na2Mg3Si6O16 · 8H2O | Orth. |
Sepiolite | Mg4(Si6O15)(OH)2 · 6H2O | Orth. mmm (2/m 2/m 2/m) : Pnna |
Common Associates
Associated Minerals Based on Photo Data:
Willemseite | 5 photos of Falcondoite associated with Willemseite on mindat.org. |
Nullaginite | 1 photo of Falcondoite associated with Nullaginite on mindat.org. |
Antigorite | 1 photo of Falcondoite associated with Antigorite on mindat.org. |
Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping
9.EE.05 | Bementite | Mn7Si6O15(OH)8 | Mon. |
9.EE.10 | Brokenhillite | Mn8Si6O15(OH)10 | Hex. 6mm : P63mc |
9.EE.10 | Pyrosmalite-(Fe) | Fe2+8Si6O15(OH,Cl)10 | Trig. 3m (3 2/m) : P3m1 |
9.EE.10 | Friedelite | Mn2+8Si6O15(OH,Cl)10 | Mon. 2/m : B2/m |
9.EE.10 | Pyrosmalite-(Mn) | Mn2+8Si6O15(OH,Cl)10 | Trig. |
9.EE.10 | Mcgillite | (Mn,Fe)8Si6O15(OH)8Cl2 | Mon. 2/m : B2/m |
9.EE.15 | Nelenite | (Mn,Fe)16(Si12O30)(OH)14[As3+3O6(OH)3] | Mon. |
9.EE.15 | Schallerite | Mn2+16As3Si12O36(OH)17 | Trig. 3m : P3m1 |
9.EE.20 | Palygorskite | (Mg,Al)5(Si,Al)8O20(OH)2 · 8H2O | Mon. 2/m : B2/m |
9.EE.20 | Tuperssuatsiaite | Na2Fe3Si8O20(OH)2 · 4H2O | Mon. 2/m : B2/m |
9.EE.20 | Yofortierite | Mn5Si8O20(OH)2 · 8-9H2O | Mon. 2/m : B2/m |
9.EE.20 | Windhoekite | Ca2Fe3+2.67[Si8O20](OH)4 · 10H2O | Mon. 2/m : B2/m |
9.EE.25 | Loughlinite | Na2Mg3Si6O16 · 8H2O | Orth. |
9.EE.25 | Sepiolite | Mg4(Si6O15)(OH)2 · 6H2O | Orth. mmm (2/m 2/m 2/m) : Pnna |
9.EE.25 | Kalifersite | (K,Na)5Fe3+7Si20O50(OH)6 · 12H2O | Tric. |
9.EE.30 | Gyrolite | NaCa16Si23AlO60(OH)8 · 14H2O | Tric. 1 : P1 |
9.EE.30 | Orlymanite | Ca4Mn3Si8O20(OH)6 · 2H2O | Hex. |
9.EE.30 | Tungusite | Ca4Fe2Si6O15(OH)6 | Tric. 1 : P1 |
9.EE.35 | Reyerite | (Na,K)2Ca14(Si,Al)24O58(OH)8 · 6H2O | Trig. |
9.EE.35 | Truscottite | (Ca,Mn)14Si24O58(OH)8 · 2H2O | Trig. |
9.EE.40 | Natrosilite | Na2Si2O5 | Mon. |
9.EE.45 | Makatite | Na2Si4O8(OH)2 · 4H2O | Mon. 2/m : P21/b |
9.EE.50 | Varennesite | Na8Mn2Si10O25(OH,Cl)2 · 12H2O | Orth. |
9.EE.55 | Raite | Na4Mn2+3Ti0.25Si8O20(OH)2 · 10H2O | Orth. 2 2 2 : C2 2 2 |
9.EE.60 | Intersilite | Na6Mn2+Ti[Si10O24(OH)](OH)3 · 4H2O | Mon. |
9.EE.65 | Shafranovskite | Na3K2(Mn,Fe,Na)4[Si9(O,OH)27](OH)2 · nH2O | Trig. |
9.EE.65 | Zakharovite | Na4Mn5Si10O24(OH)6 · 6H2O | Trig. |
9.EE.70 | Zeophyllite | Ca13Si10O28(OH)2F8 · 6H2O | Trig. 3 : R3 |
9.EE.75 | Minehillite | (K,Na)2-3Ca28Zn4Al4Si40O112(OH)16 | Hex. |
9.EE.80 | Fedorite | (Na,K)2-3(Ca4Na3)Si16O38(OH,F)2 · 3.5H2O | Tric. 1 : P1 |
9.EE.80 | Martinite | (Na,◻,Ca)12Ca4(Si,S,B)14B2O38(OH,Cl)2F2·4H2O | Tric. 1 : P1 |
9.EE.85 | Lalondeite | (Na,Ca)6(Ca,Na)3Si16O38(F,OH)2·3H2O | Tric. 1 : P1 |
Related Minerals - Dana Grouping (8th Ed.)
74.3.1b.1 | Sepiolite | Mg4(Si6O15)(OH)2 · 6H2O | Orth. mmm (2/m 2/m 2/m) : Pnna |
74.3.1b.3 | Loughlinite | Na2Mg3Si6O16 · 8H2O | Orth. |
Related Minerals - Hey's Chemical Index of Minerals Grouping
14.26.1 | Liebenbergite | (Ni,Mg)2SiO4 | Orth. |
14.26.2 | Pecoraite | Ni3(Si2O5)(OH)4 | Mon. |
14.26.3 | Népouite | (Ni,Mg)3(Si2O5)(OH)4 | Orth. |
14.26.4 | Willemseite | Ni3Si4O10(OH)2 | Mon. |
14.26.5 | Karpinskite | (Ni,Mg)2Si2O5(OH)2 (?) |
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 Falcondoite
Reference List:
Sort by Year (asc) | by Year (desc) | by Author (A-Z) | by Author (Z-A)
Springer, G. (1976): Falcondoite, nickel analogue of sepiolite. The Canadian Mineralogist, 14, 407-409.
Internet Links for Falcondoite
mindat.org URL:
https://www.mindat.org/min-1444.html
Please feel free to link to this page.
Please feel free to link to this page.
Search Engines:
External Links:
Mineral Dealers:
Localities for Falcondoite
Locality List




All localities listed without proper references should be considered as questionable.
Australia | |
| Bottrill, R. S. & Baker, W.E. (2008): A Catalogue of The Minerals of Tasmania. Tasmanian Gelogical Survey Bulletin 73, 254 p |
Dominican Republic | |
| Villanova-de-Benavent, C., Proenza, J. A., Galí, S., Nieto, F., García-Casco, A., Roqué-Rosell, J., ... & Lewis, J. F. (2014). Mineralogy of Niphyllosilicates in the Falcondo Nilaterite deposit (Dominican Republic): A multiscale approach. In Proceedings ot the twenty first meeting of the International Mineralogical Association IMA (Vol. 298). |
| Springer, G. (1976): Falcondoite, nickel analogue of sepiolite. The Canadian Mineralogist, 14, 407-409. |
Indonesia | |
| Sufriadin, S. (2012). Thermal and Infrared Studies of Garnierite from the Soroako Nickeliferous Laterite Deposit, Sulawesi, Indonesia. Indonesian Journal of Geology, 7(2). |
Falcondo Mine, Bonao, La Vega Province, Dominican Republic