Humberstonite
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About Humberstonite
James Thomas Humberstone
Formula:
Na7K3Mg2(SO4)6(NO3)2 · 6H2O
Colour:
colorless
Lustre:
Vitreous
Hardness:
2½
Specific Gravity:
2.252
Crystal System:
Trigonal
Name:
Named in honor of James Thomas Humberstone (8 July 1850, Dover, England, UK - 12 June 1939, Iquique, Chile) chemist, who invented the Shanks System, a method to make sodium carbonate. He started the Peru Nitrate Company to extract saltpetre in the Tarapacá Province. The town of Humberstone, Chile, named after him, became part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2005.
This page provides mineralogical data about Humberstonite.
Classification of Humberstonite
Approved
Approval year:
1967
First published:
1967
6/D.16-40
7.DG.10
7 : SULFATES (selenates, tellurates, chromates, molybdates, wolframates)
D : Sulfates (selenates, etc.) with additional anions, with H2O
G : With large and medium-sized cations; with NO3, CO3, B(OH)4, SiO4 or IO3
7 : SULFATES (selenates, tellurates, chromates, molybdates, wolframates)
D : Sulfates (selenates, etc.) with additional anions, with H2O
G : With large and medium-sized cations; with NO3, CO3, B(OH)4, SiO4 or IO3
32.2.2.1
32 : COMPOUND SULFATES
2 : Hydrated Compound Sulfates
32 : COMPOUND SULFATES
2 : Hydrated Compound Sulfates
13.10
13 : Nitrates
13 : Nitrates
Physical Properties of Humberstonite
Vitreous
Transparency:
Transparent
Colour:
colorless
Hardness:
2½ on Mohs scale
Tenacity:
Brittle
Cleavage:
Perfect
{0001}
{0001}
Fracture:
Irregular/Uneven
Density:
2.252 g/cm3 (Measured) 2.252 g/cm3 (Calculated)
Optical Data of Humberstonite
Type:
Uniaxial (-)
RI values:
nω = 1.474(2) nε = 1.436(2)
Max Birefringence:
δ = 0.038
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 Humberstonite
Formula:
Na7K3Mg2(SO4)6(NO3)2 · 6H2O
IMA Formula:
K3Na7Mg2(SO4)6(NO3)2 · 6H2O
Crystallography of Humberstonite
Crystal System:
Trigonal
Class (H-M):
3 - Rhombohedral
Space Group:
R3
Cell Parameters:
a = 10.905(3) Å, c = 24.394(9) Å
Ratio:
a:c = 1 : 2.237
Unit Cell V:
2,512.26 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:
3
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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0005366 | Humberstonite | Burns P C, Hawthorne F C (1994) The crystal structure of humberstonite, a mixed sulfate-nitrate mineral The Canadian Mineralogist 32 381-385 |  | 1994 | 0 | 293 |
CIF Raw Data - click here to close
Type Occurrence of Humberstonite
General Appearance of Type Material:
aggregates of thin, colorless, transparent,
hexagonal-shaped crystals, up to 0.30 mm across
hexagonal-shaped crystals, up to 0.30 mm across
Place of Conservation of Type Material:
U. S. National Museum, Washington, D. C. (USNM 120898)
Geological Setting of Type Material:
playa salt deposits
Associated Minerals at Type Locality:
Reference:
Ericksen, G.E., Fahey, J.J., Mrose, M.E. (1967) Humberstonite, Na7K3Mg2(SO4)6(NO3)2·6H2O: A new saline mineral from the Atacama Desert, Chile. Geological Society of America, Abstracts Annual Meetings: 1967: 59-59.
Synonyms of Humberstonite
Other Language Names for Humberstonite
Common Associates
Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping
| 7.DG. | Mathesiusite | K5(UO2)4(SO4)4(VO5) · 4H2O | Tet. 4/m : P4/n |
| 7.DG.05 | Darapskite | Na3(SO4)(NO3) · H2O | Mon. 2/m |
| 7.DG.10 | Clinoungemachite | (Na, K, Fe, SO4) | Mon. 2/m |
| 7.DG.10 | Ungemachite | K3Na8Fe(SO4)6(NO3)2 · 6H2O | Trig. 3 : R3 |
| 7.DG.15 | Bentorite | Ca6(Cr3+,Al)2(SO4)3(OH)12 · 26H2O | Trig. 3m : P3 1c |
| 7.DG.15 | Charlesite | Ca6(Al,Si)2(SO4)2[B(OH)4](OH,O)12 · 26H2O | Trig. 3m : P3 1c |
| 7.DG.15 | Ettringite | Ca6Al2(SO4)3(OH)12 · 26H2O | Trig. 3m : P3 1c |
| 7.DG.15 | Jouravskite | Ca3Mn4+(SO4)(CO3)(OH)6 · 12H2O | Hex. 6 : P63 |
| 7.DG.15 | Sturmanite | Ca6(Fe3+,Al,Mn3+)2(SO4)2[B(OH)4](OH)12 · 25H2O | Trig. 3m : P3 1c |
| 7.DG.15 | Thaumasite | Ca3(SO4)[Si(OH)6](CO3) · 12H2O | Hex. 6 : P63 |
| 7.DG.15 | Carraraite | Ca3(SO4)[Ge(OH)6](CO3) · 12H2O | Hex. |
| 7.DG.15 | Buryatite | Ca3(Si,Fe,Al)(SO4)[B(OH)4]O(OH)5 · 12H2O | Trig. 3m : P3 1c |
| 7.DG.20 | Rapidcreekite | Ca2(SO4)(CO3) · 4H2O | Orth. |
| 7.DG.20 | Korkinoite | Ca4(SO4)2(CO3)2 · 9(H2O) | Orth. mmm (2/m 2/m 2/m) : Pmmm |
| 7.DG.25 | Tatarskite | Ca6Mg2(SO4)2(CO3)2(OH)4Cl4 · 7H2O | Orth. |
| 7.DG.30 | Nakauriite | Cu8(SO4)4(CO3)(OH)6 · 48H2O | Orth. |
| 7.DG.35 | Chessexite | (Na,K)4Ca2(Mg,Zn)3Al8(SO4)10(SiO4)2 · 40H2O | Orth. |
| 7.DG.40 | Carlosruizite | K6(Na,K)4Na6Mg10(SeO4)12(IO3)12 · 12H2O | Trig. 3m (3 2/m) : P3c1 |
| 7.DG.40 | Fuenzalidaite | K6(Na,K)4Na6Mg10(SO4)12(IO3)12 · 12H2O | Trig. 3m (3 2/m) : P3c1 |
| 7.DG.45 | Chelyabinskite | (Ca,Mg)3(SO4,CO3)2[Si(OH)6] · 9H2O (?) | Orth. |
Related Minerals - Hey's Chemical Index of Minerals Grouping
| 13.1 | Nitratine | NaNO3 | Trig. 3m (3 2/m) : R3c |
| 13.2 | Niter | KNO3 | Orth. mmm (2/m 2/m 2/m) : Pmma |
| 13.3 | Gerhardtite | Cu2(NO3)(OH)3 | Orth. 2 2 2 : P21 21 21 |
| 13.4 | Nitromagnesite | Mg(NO3)2 · 6H2O | Mon. 2/m |
| 13.5 | Nitrocalcite | Ca(NO3)2 · 4H2O | Mon. 2/m |
| 13.6 | Nitrobarite | Ba(NO3)2 | Iso. m3 (2/m 3) : Pa3 |
| 13.7 | Buttgenbachite | Cu19(NO3)2(OH)32Cl4 · 2H2O | Hex. 6/mmm (6/m 2/m 2/m) : P63/mmc |
| 13.8 | Sveite | KAl7(NO3)4(OH)16Cl2 · 8H2O | Mon. |
| 13.9 | Darapskite | Na3(SO4)(NO3) · H2O | Mon. 2/m |
| 13.11 | Mbobomkulite | (Ni,Cu)Al4((NO3)2,SO4)(OH)12 · 3H2O | Mon. |
| 13.12 | Hydrombobomkulite | (Ni,Cu)Al4((NO3)2,SO4)(OH)12 · 13-14H2O | Mon. |
| 13.13 | Nickelalumite | (Ni,Cu)Al4(SO4,(NO3)2)(OH)12 · 3H2O | Mon. |
Fluorescence of Humberstonite
none
Other Information
Notes:
Soluble in water and insoluble in acetone and ethyl alcohol.
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 Humberstonite
Reference List:
Sort by Year (asc) | by Year (desc) | by Author (A-Z) | by Author (Z-A)
Ericksen, G.E., Fahey, J.J., Mrose, M.E. (1967) Humberstonite, Na7K3Mg2(SO4)6(NO3)2·6H2O: A new saline mineral from the Atacama Desert, Chile. Geological Society of America, Abstracts Annual Meetings: 1967: 59-59.
Mrose, M.E., Fahey, J.J., Ericksen, G.E. (1970) Mineralogical studies of the nitrate deposits of Chile. III. Humberstonite, K3Na7Mg2(SO4)6(NO3)2·6H2O, a new saline mineral. American Mineralogist: 55: 1518-1533.
Burns, P.C., Hawthorne, F.C. (1994) The crystal structure of humberstonite, a mixed sulfate-nitrate mineral. The Canadian Mineralogist: 32: 381-385.
Internet Links for Humberstonite
mindat.org URL:
https://www.mindat.org/min-1944.html
Please feel free to link to this page.
Please feel free to link to this page.
External Links:
Mineral Dealers:
Localities for Humberstonite
symbol to view information about a locality.
The Locality List
- This locality has map coordinates listed.
- This locality has estimated coordinates.
ⓘ - Click for further information on this occurrence.
? - Indicates mineral may be doubtful at this locality.
- Good crystals or important locality for species.
- World class for species or very significant.
(TL) - Type Locality for a valid mineral species.
(FRL) - First Recorded Locality for everything else (eg varieties).
All localities listed without proper references should be considered as questionable.
Chile (TL) | |
| Geol.Soc.Amer., Progr. annual meeting (1967) p. 59 |
| http://www.mineralatlas.com/mineral%20photos/H/humberstonitecp.htm |
| Collao, S., Arce, E., & Andía, A. (2002). Mineralogia, Quimica E Inclusiones Fluidas En Los Depositos DE Nitratos DE Maria Elena, IIa. Region, Chile. Boletín de la Sociedad Chilena de Química, 47(2), 181-190. |
| Pueyo, J. J., Chong, G. & Vega, M. (1998): Mineralogy and parental brine evolution in the Pedro de Valdivia nitrate deposit, Antofagasta, Chile. Revista Geologica de Chile 25, 3-15. (in Spanish) ; Marta, V. E. G. A., & Pueyo, J. (1996) Parental Brine Evolution in the Chilean Nitrate Deposits (Pedro de Valdivia, II Region de Antofagasta). Mineralogical and Petrographic Data. Third ISAG, S1 Malo (France), 17-19/9/1996 |
| samples analysed by Gerhard Mohn and Joy Desor |
China | |
| Akihiko Okada, Sadayo Yabuki, and Congqiang Liu (1994): RIKEN Review 5, 3-4 |
| Akihiko Okada, Sadayo Yabuki, and Congqiang Liu (1994): RIKEN Review 5, 3-4 |
| Yanling Tang (2005): Non-metallic deposits of Xinjiang, China [Zhongguo Xinjiang Fei Jinshu Kuangchuang]. Geological Publishing House (Beijing), 289 pp. |
| Bingxiao Li (1992): Journal of Lake Sciences 4(1), 48-55; Keqin Cai, Jianhua Gao, Dejun Zhao, and Youku Yu (1992): Acta Mineralogica Sinica 12(2), 143-151 | |
| Akihiko Okada, Sadayo Yabuki, and Congqiang Liu (1994): RIKEN Review 5, 3-4 | |
| Yanling Tang (2005): Non-metallic deposits of Xinjiang, China [Zhongguo Xinjiang Fei Jinshu Kuangchuang]. Geological Publishing House (Beijing), 289 pp. |
Namibia | |
| Eckardt, F. D., & Drake, N. (2010). Introducing the Namib Desert Playas. In Sabkha Ecosystems (pp. 19-25). Springer Netherlands. |
Spain | |
| Benavente, D.; de Jongh, M.; Cañaveras, J.C. (2021) Weathering Processes and Mechanisms Caused by Capillary Waters and Pigeon Droppings on Porous Limestones. Minerals 11, 18. |
| Benavente, D., Pla, C., Elena-Carbonell, J. M., Spairani, Y., & Grossi, C. M. (2018, September). Intensive damage due to salt crystallisation by rising damp in the Colegio Santo Domingo of Orihuela (Spain). In Conserving Cultural Heritage: Proceedings of the 3rd International Congress on Science and Technology for the Conservation of Cultural Heritage (TechnoHeritage 2017), May 21-24, 2017, Cadiz, Spain (p. 273). CRC Press. |
Taltal, Antofagasta Province, Antofagasta, Chile