Ginorite
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Formula:
Ca2B14O20(OH)6 · 5H2O
Colour:
White
Hardness:
3½
Specific Gravity:
2.09
Crystal System:
Monoclinic
Name:
After Piero Ginori Conti, of Florence, Italy, a leader in development of the Tuscan borax industry.
Classification of Ginorite
Approved, 'Grandfathered' (first described prior to 1959)
5/K.07-10
6.FC.15
6 : BORATES
F : Hexaborates
C : Phyllo-hexaborates
6 : BORATES
F : Hexaborates
C : Phyllo-hexaborates
26.6.7.1
26 : HYDRATED BORATES CONTAINING HYDROXYL OR HALOGEN
6 : Hexaborates
26 : HYDRATED BORATES CONTAINING HYDROXYL OR HALOGEN
6 : Hexaborates
9.3.19
9 : Borates
3 : Borates of Ca and Sr
9 : Borates
3 : Borates of Ca and Sr
Physical Properties of Ginorite
Transparency:
Transparent, Translucent
Colour:
White
Hardness:
3½ on Mohs scale
Cleavage:
Distinct/Good
On {010} with unstated quality.
On {010} with unstated quality.
Density:
2.09 g/cm3 (Measured)
Optical Data of Ginorite
Type:
Biaxial (+)
RI values:
nα = 1.517 nβ = 1.524 nγ = 1.577
2V:
Measured: 42° , Calculated: 42°
Max Birefringence:
δ = 0.060

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:
Low
Dispersion:
none
Chemical Properties of Ginorite
Formula:
Ca2B14O20(OH)6 · 5H2O
Elements listed:
Crystallography of Ginorite
Crystal System:
Monoclinic
Cell Parameters:
a = 13.37 Å, b = 14.36 Å, c = 12.26 Å
β = 101.2°
β = 101.2°
Ratio:
a:b:c = 0.931 : 1 : 0.854
Unit Cell V:
2,309.01 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Morphology:
Crystals are flat tablets {010}. Dense masses.
Type Occurrence of Ginorite
Geological Setting of Type Material:
Veins in sandstone
Associated Minerals at Type Locality:
Synonyms of Ginorite
Other Language Names for Ginorite
German:Cryptomorphit
Ginorit
Ginorit
Simplified Chinese:水硼钙石
Spanish:Cryptomorphita
Ginorita
Ginorita
Traditional Chinese:水硼鈣石
Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping
6.FC.05 | Tunellite | SrB6O9(OH)2 · 3H2O | Mon. 2/m : P21/b |
6.FC.05 | Nobleite | CaB6O9(OH)2 · 3H2O | Mon. 2/m |
6.FC.10 | Strontioborite | SrB8O11(OH)4 | Mon. |
6.FC.15 | Strontioginorite | CaSrB14O20(OH)6 · 5H2O | Mon. 2/m : P21/b |
6.FC.20 | Fabianite | CaB3O5OH | Mon. 2/m : P21/b |
Related Minerals - Dana Grouping (8th Ed.)
26.6.7.2 | Strontioginorite | CaSrB14O20(OH)6 · 5H2O | Mon. 2/m : P21/b |
Related Minerals - Hey's Chemical Index of Minerals Grouping
9.3.1 | Calciborite | Ca(B2O4) | Orth. |
9.3.2 | Sibirskite | Ca2(HB2O5)(OH) | Mon. |
9.3.3 | Fabianite | CaB3O5OH | Mon. 2/m : P21/b |
9.3.4 | Uralborite | Ca2[B3O3(OH)5 · OB(OH)3] | Mon. |
9.3.5 | Vimsite | CaB2O2(OH)4 | Mon. |
9.3.6 | Olshanskyite | Ca2[B3O3(OH)6](OH) · 3H2O | |
9.3.7 | Frolovite | Ca[B(OH)4]2 | Tric. |
9.3.8 | Korzhinskite | Ca(B2O4) · H2O | |
9.3.9 | Tyretskite | Ca2B5O9OH · H2O | Tric. |
9.3.10 | Nifontovite | Ca3B6O6(OH)12(H2O)2 | Mon. |
9.3.12 | Inyoite | Ca(H4B3O7)(OH) · 4H2O | Mon. 2/m |
9.3.13 | Gowerite | Ca[B5O8(OH)][B(OH)3] · 3H2O | Mon. |
9.3.14 | Colemanite | Ca[B3O4(OH)3] · H2O | Mon. 2/m : P21/b |
9.3.15 | Pentahydroborite | CaB2O(OH)6 · 2H2O | Tric. |
9.3.16 | Hexahydroborite | Ca[B(OH)4]2 · 2H2O or CaB2O4 · 6H2O | Mon. 2/m : B2/b |
9.3.17 | Meyerhofferite | Ca2(H3B3O7)2 · 4H2O | Tric. 1 : P1 |
9.3.18 | Priceite | Ca2B5O7(OH)5 · H2O | Mon. 2/m : P21/b |
9.3.20 | Probertite | NaCaB5O7(OH)4 · 3H2O | Mon. 2/m |
9.3.21 | Ulexite | NaCa[B5O6(OH)6] · 5H2O | Tric. 1 : P1 |
9.3.22 | Hydroboracite | CaMg[B3O4(OH)3]2 · 3H2O | Mon. |
9.3.23 | Inderborite | CaMg(H3B3O7)2 · 8H2O | Mon. 2/m |
9.3.24 | Wardsmithite | Ca5Mg[B4O7]6 · 30H2O | Hex. |
9.3.25 | Henmilite | Ca2Cu[B(OH)4]2(OH)4 | Tric. |
9.3.26 | Strontioborite | SrB8O11(OH)4 | Mon. |
9.3.27 | Veatchite | Sr2B11O16(OH)5 · H2O | Mon. m : Bb |
9.3.28 | Veatchite-A | Sr2B11O16(OH)5 · H2O | Tric. |
9.3.29 | P-Veatchite | Sr2B11O16(OH)5 · H2O | |
9.3.30 | Balavinskite | Sr2B6O11 · 4H2O | |
9.3.31 | Tunellite | SrB6O9(OH)2 · 3H2O | Mon. 2/m : P21/b |
9.3.32 | Strontioginorite | CaSrB14O20(OH)6 · 5H2O | Mon. 2/m : P21/b |
Other Information
IR Spectrum:
Chelkar dome material (Mott prospect material in brackets) [cm-1]: (3480sh), (3420sh), 3370 (3330), 3280, 3125 (3140), 3000sh (3020sh), 1650 (1655w), 1460s (1480sh), 1396s (1381s), 1339s (1329s), 1259 (1250), 1191 (1189), 1170 (1165sh), 1129s (
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 Ginorite
Reference List:
Sort by Year (asc) | by Year (desc) | by Author (A-Z) | by Author (Z-A)
D'Achiardi (1934) Periodico de Mineralogia-Roma: 5: 22.
American Mineralogist (1935): 20: 403.
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: 364-365.
Grew, E.S., and Anovitz, L.M. (1996) BORON: Mineralogy, Petrology and Geochemistry, second edition, as revised (2002).
Chukanov, N.V. (2014): Infrared spectra of mineral species: Extended library. Springer (Springer Geochemistry/Mineralogy), vol. 1, Dordrecht, 1726 pp.
Internet Links for Ginorite
mindat.org URL:
https://www.mindat.org/min-1696.html
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Localities for Ginorite
Locality List




All localities listed without proper references should be considered as questionable.
Argentina | |
| Bull. Soc. Franç. Minéralo. Cristallo. , 1974, 97, p. 497.; Alonso, R. N. (1999). On the origin of La Puna borates. Acta geológica hispánica, 34(2), 141-166.; CAHIT HELVACI & RICARDO N. ALONSO (2000) Borate Deposits of Turkey and Argentina; A Summary and Geological Comparison. Turkish Journal of Earth Sciences, 9:1-27. |
Canada | |
| How, H. (1861) On Natro-boro-calcite and another Borate occurring in the Gypsum of Nova Scotia. The American Journal of Science and Arts, Second Series: 32: 9-13. |
Italy (TL) | |
| D'Achiardi (1934) "Ginorite, nuovo borato di calcio di Sasso Pisano" Per. Min.: no. 5: 22-32; 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: 364. |
Kazakhstan | |
| Handbook of Mineralogy Vol V p 6; Pekov, I. (1998) Minerals First discovered on the territory of the former Soviet Union 369p. Ocean Pictures, Moscow |
| Evseev, A. A. (1995) Kazaknstan and Middle Asia. A brief Mineralogical Guide. World of Stone 8:24-30; Pekov, I. V. & Abramov, D. V. (1993): Boron deposit of the Inder and its minerals. World of Stones, 1, 23-30. |
Russia | |
| Garrett, Donald E. (1998) Borates. Handbook of Deposits, Processing, Properties, and Use. |
USA | |
| Mineralogy of Alabama Geol Surv Ala. Bull120 |
| Pemberton, H. Earl (1983), Minerals of California; Van Nostrand Reinholt Press: 238, 254. |
| Erd, R.C., J.F. McAllister & H. Almond (1959), Gowerite, a new hydrous calcium borate from Death Valley, California: American Mineralogist: 44: 911-919; Erd, R.C., J.F. McAllister, and A.C. Vlisidis (1970) Wardsmithite 5CaO • MgO •12B2O3 •30H2O, a new borate mineral from the Death Valley region, California. American Mineralogist: 55: 349-357; www.mineralsocal.org. |
| Allen, Robert D. (1957): 198; Allen, Robert D. & Henry C. Kramer (1957), Ginorite and sassolite from Death Valley, California, American Mineralogist: 42: 56-61; Erd, R.C., J.F. McAllister & H. Almond (1959), Gowerite, a new hydrous calcium borate from Death Valley, California: American Mineralogist: 44: 913; Erd, R.C., J.F. McAllister & A.C. Vlisidis (1961), Nobleite, another new hydrous calcium borate from the Death Valley region, California: American Mineralogist: 46: 561; Schaller, Waldemar Theodore, et al (1965), American Mineralogist: 65: 629-640; Erd, R.C., J.F. McAllister, and A.C. Vlisidis (1970) Wardsmithite 5CaO • MgO •12B2O3 •30H2O, a new borate mineral from the Death Valley region, California. American Mineralogist: 55: 350; Pemberton, H. Earl (1983), Minerals of California; Van Nostrand Reinholt Press: 254. |
Am Min 64:3-4 pp 369-375; Erd, R.C., J.F. McAllister, and G.D. Eberlein (1979) New data on hungchaoite, the second world occurrence, Death Valley region, California. American Mineralogist: 64: 369-375. |
East Coleman Mine, Furnace Creek, Death Valley, Inyo Co., California, USA