Virgilite
A valid IMA mineral species
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Formula:
LiAlSi2O6
Ideal formula; real formula is that of a solid-solution series.
Colour:
Colourless
Lustre:
Vitreous
Specific Gravity:
2.46 (Calculated)
Crystal System:
Hexagonal
Name:
Named by Bevan M. French, Peter A. Jezek, and Daniel E. Appleman in 1978 in honor of Virgil Everett Barnes (June 11, 1903, Chehalis, Washington - January 28, 1998, Austin, Texas), Professor of Mineralogy, University of Texas, Austin, Texas, USA. It recognizes his pioneering work on tektites and natural glasses and his collection/study of the material from Macusani, Peru (the type locality).
Unique Identifiers
Mindat ID:
4188
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:1:4188:7
GUID
(UUID V4):
(UUID V4):
5e799733-67a5-4c2f-8298-3fc2e9de49c6
IMA Classification of Virgilite
Approved
Approval year:
1977
First published:
1978
Classification of Virgilite
9.FA.15
9 : SILICATES (Germanates)
F : Tektosilicates without zeolitic H2O
A : Tektosilicates without additional non-tetrahedral anions
9 : SILICATES (Germanates)
F : Tektosilicates without zeolitic H2O
A : Tektosilicates without additional non-tetrahedral anions
75.3.1.1
75 : TECTOSILICATES Si Tetrahedral Frameworks
3 : Si Tetrahedral Frameworks with silica derivative structures
75 : TECTOSILICATES Si Tetrahedral Frameworks
3 : Si Tetrahedral Frameworks with silica derivative structures
16.1.4
16 : Silicates Containing Aluminum and other Metals
1 : Aluminosilicates of Li
16 : Silicates Containing Aluminum and other Metals
1 : Aluminosilicates of Li
Mineral Symbols
As of 2021 there are now IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols (abbreviations) for each mineral species, useful for tables and diagrams.
Symbol | Source | Reference |
---|---|---|
Vir | IMA–CNMNC | Warr, L.N. (2021). IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols. Mineralogical Magazine, 85(3), 291-320. doi:10.1180/mgm.2021.43 |
Pronunciation of Virgilite
Pronunciation:
Play | Recorded by | Country |
---|---|---|
Jolyon Ralph | United Kingdom |
Physical Properties of Virgilite
Vitreous
Transparency:
Transparent
Colour:
Colourless
Hardness:
VHN100=681 - 722 - Vickers
Hardness Data:
Could not be measured
Density:
2.46 g/cm3 (Calculated)
Optical Data of Virgilite
Type:
Uniaxial (-)
Chemistry of Virgilite
Mindat Formula:
LiAlSi2O6
Ideal formula; real formula is that of a solid-solution series.
Ideal formula; real formula is that of a solid-solution series.
Elements listed:
Common Impurities:
Fe,P
Crystallography of Virgilite
Crystal System:
Hexagonal
Class (H-M):
6 2 2 - Trapezohedral
Space Group:
P62 2 2
Cell Parameters:
a = 5.13 Å, c = 5.45 Å
Ratio:
a:c = 1 : 1.062
Unit Cell V:
124.21 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
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) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
0010668 | Virgilite | Li C T (1968) The crystal structure of LiAlSi2O6 III (high-quartz solid solution) Zeitschrift fur Kristallographie 127 327-348 | 1968 | 0 | 293 | ||
0014849 | Virgilite | Muller G, Paulus H, Stiefel J (1990) Synthesis and structure of beta-quartz type Na0.5H0.5AlSi206 as compared to LiAlSi206 Neues Jahrbuch fur Mineralogie, Monatshefte 1990 493-503 | 1990 | synthetic | 0 | 293 |
CIF Raw Data - click here to close
X-Ray Powder Diffraction
Powder Diffraction Data:
d-spacing | Intensity |
---|---|
4.442 Å | (13) |
3.441 Å | (100) |
1.870 Å | (25) |
1.605 Å | (9) |
1.408 Å | (9) |
2.567 Å | (6) |
2.224 Å | (6) |
Geological Environment
Paragenetic Mode(s):
Paragenetic Mode | Earliest Age (Ga) |
---|---|
Stage 3a: Earth’s earliest Hadean crust | >4.50 |
9 : Lava/xenolith minerals (hornfels, sanidinite facies) | |
Near-surface Processes | |
26 : Hadean detrital minerals |
Type Occurrence of Virgilite
Co-Type Localities:
General Appearance of Type Material:
Colorless euhedral crystals up to 50 microns across.
Place of Conservation of Type Material:
National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, USA, Meteorite collection number NMNH 2143-17.
Geological Setting of Type Material:
Found in volcanic glass
Associated Minerals at Type Locality:
Reference:
French, B.M., Jezek, P.A., Appleman, D.E. (1978) Virgilite: a new lithium aluminum silicate mineral from the Macusani glass, Peru. American Mineralogist: 63: 461-465.
Synonyms of Virgilite
Other Language Names for Virgilite
Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat Grouping
9.FA. | Hexacelsian | BaAl2Si2O8 |
9.FA. | Wodegongjieite | KCa3(Al7Si9)O32 |
9.FA.05 | Kaliophilite | KAlSiO4 |
9.FA.05 | Kalsilite | KAlSiO4 |
9.FA.05 | Nepheline | Na3K(Al4Si4O16) |
9.FA.05 | Panunzite | (K,Na)AlSiO4 |
9.FA.05 | Trikalsilite | K2NaAl3(SiO4)3 |
9.FA.05 | Yoshiokaite | (Ca,Na)[Al(Al,Si)O4] |
9.FA.05 | Carnegieite | NaAlSiO4 |
9.FA.05 va | Germanate-nepheline | (Na,K)AlGeO4 |
9.FA.05 | Megakalsilite | KAlSiO4 |
9.FA.05 | Trinepheline | NaAlSiO4 |
9.FA.05 | Davidsmithite | (Ca,◻)2Na6Al8Si8O32 |
9.FA.10 | Malinkoite | NaBSiO4 |
9.FA.25 | Lisitsynite | KBSi2O6 |
9.FA.30 | Buddingtonite | (NH4)(AlSi3O8) |
9.FA.30 | Celsian | Ba(Al2Si2O8) |
9.FA.30 | Microcline | K(AlSi3O8) |
9.FA.30 | Orthoclase | K(AlSi3O8) |
9.FA.30 | Sanidine | K(AlSi3O8) |
9.FA.30 | Rubicline | Rb(AlSi3O8) |
9.FA.30 va | Germanate-celsian | BaAl2Ge2O8 |
9.FA.30 | Monalbite | NaAlSi3O8 |
9.FA.30 | Ferrisanidine | K[Fe3+Si3O8] |
9.FA.35 | Albite | Na(AlSi3O8) |
9.FA.35 | Anorthite | Ca(Al2Si2O8) |
9.FA.35 | Reedmergnerite | NaBSi3O8 |
9.FA.40 | Paracelsian | Ba(Al2Si2O8) |
9.FA.45 | Svyatoslavite | Ca(Al2Si2O8) |
9.FA.45 | Kumdykolite | Na(AlSi3O8) |
9.FA.50 | Slawsonite | Sr(Al2Si2O8) |
9.FA.55 | Lisetite | CaNa2Al4Si4O16 |
9.FA.60 | Banalsite | Na2BaAl4Si4O16 |
9.FA.60 | Stronalsite | Na2SrAl4Si4O16 |
9.FA.65 | Danburite | CaB2Si2O8 |
9.FA.65 | Maleevite | BaB2Si2O8 |
9.FA.65 | Pekovite | SrB2Si2O8 |
9.FA.70 | Stöfflerite | CaAl2Si2O8 |
9.FA.70 | Lingunite | (Na,Ca)AlSi3O8 |
9.FA.70 | Liebermannite | KAlSi3O8 |
9.FA.75 | Kokchetavite | K(AlSi3O8) |
9.FA.75 | Pfaffenbergite | KNa3(Al4Si12)O32 |
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.
Internet Links for Virgilite
mindat.org URL:
https://www.mindat.org/min-4188.html
Please feel free to link to this page.
Please feel free to link to this page.
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References for Virgilite
Reference List:
Localities for Virgilite
Locality List
- This locality has map coordinates listed.
- This locality has estimated coordinates.
ⓘ - Click for references and 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).
Struck out - Mineral was erroneously reported from this locality.
Faded * - Never found at this locality but inferred to have existed at some point in the past (e.g. from pseudomorphs).
All localities listed without proper references should be considered as questionable.
All localities listed without proper references should be considered as questionable.
Peru (TL) | |
| French et al. (1978) +1 other reference |
| French et al. (1978) +1 other reference |
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