Teepleite
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About Teepleite
Formula:
Na2[B(OH)4]Cl
Colour:
Colourless, white, light beige; colourless in transmitted light
Lustre:
Vitreous, Greasy, Dull
Hardness:
3 - 3½
Specific Gravity:
2.076
Crystal System:
Tetragonal
Name:
Named in honor of John Edgar Teeple (4 January 1874, Kempton, Illinois, U.S. - 28 May 1931, New York City, New York, U.S.), chemist, for his contributions to the knowledge of the mineral chemistry of Searles Lake, California. He also made significant contributions to the deciphering of Mayan glyphs.
This page provides mineralogical data about Teepleite.
Classification of Teepleite
Approved, 'Grandfathered' (first described prior to 1959)
5/G.08-20
6.AC.40
6 : BORATES
A : Monoborates
C : B(O,OH)4, without and with additional anions; 1(T), 1(T)+OH, etc
6 : BORATES
A : Monoborates
C : B(O,OH)4, without and with additional anions; 1(T), 1(T)+OH, etc
25.1.4.1
25 : ANHYDROUS BORATES CONTAINING HYDROXYL OR HALOGEN
1 : Monoborates
25 : ANHYDROUS BORATES CONTAINING HYDROXYL OR HALOGEN
1 : Monoborates
10.1.1
10 : Borates with other anions
1 : Borates with halide
10 : Borates with other anions
1 : Borates with halide
Physical Properties of Teepleite
Vitreous, Greasy, Dull
Transparency:
Transparent, Translucent
Colour:
Colourless, white, light beige; colourless in transmitted light
Streak:
White
Hardness:
3 - 3½ on Mohs scale
Tenacity:
Very brittle
Fracture:
Irregular/Uneven, Sub-Conchoidal
Density:
2.076 g/cm3 (Measured) 2.07 g/cm3 (Calculated)
Optical Data of Teepleite
Type:
Uniaxial (-)
RI values:
nω = 1.519 nε = 1.503
Max Birefringence:
δ = 0.016

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
Chemical Properties of Teepleite
Formula:
Na2[B(OH)4]Cl
IMA Formula:
Na2B(OH)4Cl
Crystallography of Teepleite
Crystal System:
Tetragonal
Class (H-M):
4/mmm (4/m 2/m 2/m) - Ditetragonal Dipyramidal
Space Group:
P4/nmm
Cell Parameters:
a = 7.25 Å, c = 4.84 Å
Ratio:
a:c = 1 : 0.668
Unit Cell V:
254.40 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Morphology:
Crystals tabular {001}. Crystals commonly rounded into cushion-shaped or lens-like forms and are often aggregated into interpenetrating groups.
Type Occurrence of Teepleite
Geological Setting of Type Material:
Residual brine in a lacustrine evaporite deposit after a period of extreme dessication.
Associated Minerals at Type Locality:
Other Language Names for Teepleite
Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping
6.AC.05 | Sinhalite | MgAl(BO4) | Orth. mmm (2/m 2/m 2/m) : Pnma |
6.AC.10 | Pseudosinhalite | Mg2Al3(BO3)2(OH)O3 | Mon. |
6.AC.15 | Béhierite | (Ta5+,Nb5+)(BO4) | Tet. 4/mmm (4/m 2/m 2/m) : I41/amd |
6.AC.15 | Schiavinatoite | (Nb,Ta)(BO4) | Tet. 4/mmm (4/m 2/m 2/m) : I41/amd |
6.AC.20 | Frolovite | Ca[B(OH)4]2 | Tric. |
6.AC.25 | Hexahydroborite | Ca[B(OH)4]2 · 2H2O or CaB2O4 · 6H2O | Mon. 2/m : B2/b |
6.AC.30 | Henmilite | Ca2Cu[B(OH)4]2(OH)4 | Tric. |
6.AC.35 | Bandylite | Cu[B(OH)4]Cl | Tet. 4/mmm (4/m 2/m 2/m) : P4/nmm |
6.AC.45 | Moydite-(Y) | Y[B(OH)4](CO3) | Orth. mmm (2/m 2/m 2/m) : Pbca |
6.AC.50 | Carboborite | Ca2Mg[B(OH)4]2(CO3)2 · 4H2O | Mon. |
6.AC.55 | Sulfoborite | Mg3[B(OH)4]2(SO4)(OH,F)2 | Orth. mm2 |
6.AC.60 | Lüneburgite | Mg3[B2(OH)6](PO4)2 · 6H2O | Tric. |
6.AC.65 | Seamanite | Mn2+3[B(OH)4](PO4)(OH)2 | Orth. mmm (2/m 2/m 2/m) |
6.AC.70 | Cahnite | Ca2[B(OH)4](AsO4) | Tet. 4 : P4 |
Related Minerals - Dana Grouping (8th Ed.)
25.1.4.2 | Bandylite | Cu[B(OH)4]Cl | Tet. 4/mmm (4/m 2/m 2/m) : P4/nmm |
Related Minerals - Hey's Chemical Index of Minerals Grouping
10.1.2 | Bandylite | Cu[B(OH)4]Cl | Tet. 4/mmm (4/m 2/m 2/m) : P4/nmm |
10.1.3 | Berborite | Be2(BO3)(OH,F) · H2O | Trig. |
10.1.4 | Fluoborite | Mg3(BO3)(F,OH)3 | Hex. |
10.1.5 | Boracite | Mg3(B7O13)Cl | Orth. mm2 : Pca21 |
10.1.6 | Karlite | Mg7(BO3)3(OH,Cl)5 | Orth. |
10.1.7 | Shabynite | Mg5(BO3)(OH)5(Cl,OH)2 · 4H2O | Mon. |
10.1.8/9/10 | Hilgardite | Ca2B5O9Cl · H2O | Tric. 1 : P1 |
10.1.11 | Solongoite | Ca2(H3B3O7)(OH)Cl | Mon. |
10.1.12 | Hydrochlorborite | Ca4B8O15Cl2 · 21H2O | Mon. |
10.1.13 | Ekaterinite | Ca2(B4O7)(Cl,OH)2 · 2H2O | Hex. |
10.1.14 | Volkovskite | KCa4[B5O8OH]4[B(OH)3]2Cl · 4H2O | Tric. 1 : P1 |
10.1.15 | Chelkarite | CaMgB2O4(Cl,OH)2 · 5H2O Or near, with Cl:OH = 3:1 | Orth. |
10.1.16 | Johachidolite | CaAlB3O7 | Orth. mmm (2/m 2/m 2/m) : Cmma |
10.1.17 | Satimolite | KNa2(Al5Mg2)[B12O18(OH)12](OH)6Cl4·4H2O | Trig. 3m (3 2/m) : R3m |
10.1.18 | Chambersite | Mn2+3(B7O13)Cl | Orth. mm2 : Pca21 |
10.1.19 | Congolite | (Fe2+,Mg)3(B7O13)Cl | Trig. 3m : R3c |
10.1.20 | Ericaite | Fe2+3(B7O13)Cl | Orth. |
Other Information
Notes:
Readily soluble in water, yielding an alkaline solution.
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 Teepleite
Reference List:
Sort by Year (asc) | by Year (desc) | by Author (A-Z) | by Author (Z-A)
Teeple (1929) The Industrial Development of Searles Lake Brines, New York: 130 (artificial material).
Gale, W.A., Foshag, and Vonsen (1939), Teepleite, a new mineral from Borax Lake, California, American Mineralogy: 24: 48-52.
Fornaseri, M. (1949), La struttura cristallina della teepleite. Periodico di Mineralogia (Roma), 103-124.
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: 372-373.
Acta Crystallographica (1982): B38: 82-85.
Grew, E.S., and Anovitz, L.M. (1996) BORON: Mineralogy, Petrology and Geochemistry, second edition, as revised (2002).
Internet Links for Teepleite
mindat.org URL:
https://www.mindat.org/min-3901.html
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Localities for Teepleite
Locality List




All localities listed without proper references should be considered as questionable.
Ukraine | |
| Lyckberg, P., Chornousenko, V. & Wilson, W. E. (2009): Volodarsk-Volynski, Zhitomir Oblast, Ukraine. Mineralogical Record, 40, 473-506. |
USA (TL) | |
| 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: 373; Bradley, W.W. (1938), Thirty-fourth report of the State Mineralogist: California Division Mines Report 34: 297; Gale, William Alexander, W.F. Foshag & Magnus Vonsen (1939), Teepleite, a new mineral from Borax Lake, California: American Mineralogist: 24: 48-52; Murdoch, Joseph & Robert W. Webb (1966), Minerals of California, Centennial Volume (1866-1966): California Division Mines & Geology Bulletin 189: 359; Pemberton, H. Earl (1983), Minerals of California; Van Nostrand Reinholt Press: 261, 262. |
| American Mineralogist (1939): 24: 48-52; Smith, George Irving & D.V. Haines (1964), Character and distribution of nonclastic minerals in the Searles Lake evaporite deposit, California: USGS Bulletin 1181-P: 20; Pemberton, H.E. (1975): The crystal habits and forms of the minerals of Searles Lake, San Bernardino County, California. Mineralogical Record 6 (2): 80; Pemberton, H. Earl (1983), Minerals of California; Van Nostrand Reinholt Press: 261; |
Borax Lake, Clear Lake Oaks, Sulphur Creek District, Lake Co., California, USA