Wenkite
A valid IMA mineral species
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About Wenkite
Formula:
(Ba,K)4(Ca,Na)6[(Si,Al)20O39(OH)2](SO4)3 · 0.5H2O
Colour:
Light grey
Lustre:
Vitreous, Pearly
Hardness:
6
Specific Gravity:
3.19 - 3.24
Crystal System:
Hexagonal
Member of:
Name:
Named in honor of Eduard Jean Louis Wenk (4 November 1907, Basel, Switzerland - 19 October 2001, Basel, Switzerland), geologist, petrologist, mineralogist, and professor at the University of Basel. He created the basis for maps of mineral isogrades in the Alps. From this work a book was written about the relationship between composition, crystal structure and optics of feldspar.
Unique Identifiers
Mindat ID:
4269
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:1:4269:3
GUID
(UUID V4):
(UUID V4):
ec930526-afdb-4e0d-8f5b-747ec2af1846
IMA Classification of Wenkite
Approved
IMA Formula:
Ba4Ca6(Si,Al)20O41(OH)2(SO4)3 · H2O
First published:
1962
Classification of Wenkite
9.GD.25
9 : SILICATES (Germanates)
G : Tektosilicates with zeolitic H2O; zeolite family
D : Chains of 6-membered rings – tabular zeolites
9 : SILICATES (Germanates)
G : Tektosilicates with zeolitic H2O; zeolite family
D : Chains of 6-membered rings – tabular zeolites
76.2.5.16
76 : TECTOSILICATES Al-Si Framework
2 : Al-Si Framework Feldspathoids and related species
76 : TECTOSILICATES Al-Si Framework
2 : Al-Si Framework Feldspathoids and related species
17.10.28
17 : Silicates Containing other Anions
10 : Silicates with sulphate, molybdate or tungstate
17 : Silicates Containing other Anions
10 : Silicates with sulphate, molybdate or tungstate
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 |
---|---|---|
Wen | IMA–CNMNC | Warr, L.N. (2021). IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols. Mineralogical Magazine, 85(3), 291-320. doi:10.1180/mgm.2021.43 |
Physical Properties of Wenkite
Vitreous, Pearly
Transparency:
Transparent
Comment:
Greasy on fractures
Colour:
Light grey
Streak:
white
Hardness:
6 on Mohs scale
Tenacity:
Brittle
Cleavage:
Poor/Indistinct
prismatic
prismatic
Parting:
pinacoidal parting
Density:
3.19 - 3.24 g/cm3 (Measured) 3.276 g/cm3 (Calculated)
Optical Data of Wenkite
Type:
Uniaxial (-)
RI values:
nω = 1.595 nε = 1.589
2V:
Measured: 10°
Max Birefringence:
δ = 0.006
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
Chemistry of Wenkite
Mindat Formula:
(Ba,K)4(Ca,Na)6[(Si,Al)20O39(OH)2](SO4)3 · 0.5H2O
Common Impurities:
Ti,Fe,Mn,Sr,Na,K,F,Cl
Crystallography of Wenkite
Crystal System:
Hexagonal
Class (H-M):
6 m2 - Ditrigonal Dipyramidal
Space Group:
P62m
Cell Parameters:
a = 13.44(7) Å, c = 7.59(13) Å
Ratio:
a:c = 1 : 0.565
Unit Cell V:
1,187.33 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:
1
Morphology:
Columnar crystals, to 5 cm.
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) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
0009505 | Wenkite | Merlino S (1974) The crystal structure of wenkite Acta Crystallographica B30 1262-1266 | 1974 | Candoglia, Italy | 0 | 293 | |
0010743 | Wenkite | Wenk H R (1973) The structure of wenkite Zeitschrift fur Kristallographie 137 113-126 | 1973 | Cava Mergozzoni, Candoglia, Norvara, Italy | 0 | 293 |
CIF Raw Data - click here to close
X-Ray Powder Diffraction
Powder Diffraction Data:
d-spacing | Intensity |
---|---|
3.457 Å | (100) |
3.146 Å | (78) |
2.684 Å | (65) |
3.245 Å | (63) |
3.378 Å | (60) |
2.233 Å | (57) |
3.555 Å | (54) |
Geological Environment
Paragenetic Mode(s):
Paragenetic Mode | Earliest Age (Ga) |
---|---|
Stage 5: Initiation of plate tectonics | <3.5-2.5 |
40 : Regional metamorphism (greenschist, amphibolite, granulite facies) |
Type Occurrence of Wenkite
Place of Conservation of Type Material:
Natural History Museum, Basel, Switzerland, MB14577.
Associated Minerals at Type Locality:
Reference:
Papageorgakis, J. (1962) Wenkit, ein neues Mineral von Candoglia. Schweizerische Mineralogische und Petrographische Mitteilungen: 42: 269-274.
Synonyms of Wenkite
Ba Zeolite (in part)
Other Language Names for Wenkite
Relationship of Wenkite to other Species
Member of:
Other Members of this group:
Alflarsenite | NaCa2Be3Si4O13(OH) · 2H2O | Mon. 2 : P21 |
Amicite | K2Na2Al4Si4O16 · 5H2O | Mon. 2 |
Ammonioleucite | (NH4)(AlSi2O6) | Tet. 4/m : I41/a |
Analcime | Na(AlSi2O6) · H2O | Tric. 1 : P1 |
Bellbergite | (K,Ba,Sr)2Sr2Ca2(Ca,Na)4[Al3Si3O12]6 · 30H2O | Hex. |
Bikitaite | LiAlSi2O6 · H2O | Tric. 1 : P1 |
Boggsite | Ca8Na3(Si,Al)96O192 · 70H2O | Orth. mmm (2/m 2/m 2/m) : Imma |
Brewsterite Subgroup | Zeolite Group. | |
Chabazite-Levyne Subgroup | M[Al2Si4O12] · 6H2O | |
Chiavennite | CaMnBe2Si5O13(OH)2 · 2H2O | Mon. 2/m : P21/b |
Clinoptilolite Subgroup | M3-6(Si30Al6)O72 · 20H2O | |
Cowlesite | CaAl2Si3O10 · 6H2O | Orth. mmm (2/m 2/m 2/m) |
Dachiardite Subgroup | Zeolite Group. | |
Direnzoite | NaK6MgCa2(Al13Si47O120) · 36H2O | Orth. mmm (2/m 2/m 2/m) : Pmmn |
Edingtonite | Ba[Al2Si3O10] · 4H2O | Orth. 2 2 2 : P21 21 21 |
Epistilbite | CaAl2Si6O16 · 5H2O | Mon. |
Erionite Subgroup | M2[Al4Si14O36] · 15H2O | |
Faujasite Subgroup | M3.5[Al7Si17O48] · 32H2O | |
Ferrierite Subgroup | Zeolite Group. | |
Ferrochiavennite | Ca1-2Fe[(Si,Al,Be)5Be2O13(OH)2] · 2H2O | Mon. 2/m : P21/b |
Flörkeite | (K3Ca2Na)[Al8Si8O32] · 12H2O | Tric. 1 : P1 |
Garronite Subgroup | ||
Gaultite | Na4Zn2Si7O18 · 5H2O | Orth. mm2 : Fdd2 |
Gismondine Subgroup | Zeolite Group. | |
Gmelinite Subgroup | In 1997, gmelinite was split into Gmelinite-Ca, Gmelinite-Na and Gmelinite-K. | |
Gobbinsite | Na5(Si11Al5)O32 · 11H2O | Orth. mmm (2/m 2/m 2/m) : Pnma |
Goosecreekite | Ca[Al2Si6O16] · 5H2O | Mon. 2 : P21 |
Gottardiite | Na3Mg3Ca5Al19Si117O272 · 93H2O | Orth. mmm (2/m 2/m 2/m) : Cmca |
Heulandite Subgroup | (Na/Ca/K)5-6[Al8-9 Si27-28 O72] · nH2O | |
Hsianghualite | Ca3Li2(Be3Si3O12)F2 | Iso. 4 3 2 : I41 3 2 |
Kirchhoffite | Cs(BSi2O6) | Tet. 4/mmm (4/m 2/m 2/m) : I41/acd |
Laumontite | CaAl2Si4O12 · 4H2O | Mon. 2/m : B2/m |
Loomisite | Ba[Be2P2O8] · H2O | Mon. m |
Lovdarite | K2Na6Be4Si14O36 · 9H2O | Orth. mm2 |
Maricopaite | Pb7Ca2(Si,Al)48O100 · 32H2O | Orth. |
Martinandresite | Ba2(Al4Si12O32) · 10H2O | Orth. mmm (2/m 2/m 2/m) : Pmmn |
Mazzite Subgroup | Zeolite Group. | |
Merlinoite | (K,Na)5(Ca,Ba)2Al9Si23O64 · 23H2O | Orth. mmm (2/m 2/m 2/m) : Immm |
Montesommaite | (K,Na)9Al9Si23O64 · 10H2O | Orth. mm2 : Fdd2 |
Mordenite | (Na2,Ca,K2)4(Al8Si40)O96 · 28H2O | Orth. |
Mutinaite | Na3Ca4Si85Al11O192 · 60H2O | Orth. mmm (2/m 2/m 2/m) : Pnma |
Nabesite | Na2BeSi4O10 · 4H2O | Orth. 2 2 2 : P21 21 21 |
Natrolite Subgroup | A subgroup of the Zeolite Group. | |
Offretite | KCaMg(Si13Al5)O36 · 15H2O | Hex. 6 m2 : P6m2 |
Pahasapaite | Li8(Ca,Li,K)10.5Be24(PO4)24 · 38H2O | Iso. 2 3 : I2 3 |
Parthéite | Ca2(Si4Al4) O15 (OH)2 · 4H2O | Mon. 2/m : B2/b |
Paulingite Subgroup | Paulingite was originally described in 1960. | |
Perlialite | K9Na(Ca,Sr)[Al2Si4O12]6 · 15H2O | Hex. 6/mmm (6/m 2/m 2/m) : P6/mmm |
Phillipsite Subgroup | Zeolite Group. | |
Pollucite | (Cs,Na)2(Al2Si4O12) · 2H2O | Iso. m3m (4/m 3 2/m) : Ia3d |
Roggianite | Ca2Be(OH)2Al2Si4O13 · 2.5H2O | Tet. 4/mmm (4/m 2/m 2/m) : I4/mcm |
Stilbite Subgroup | M6-7[Al8-9Si27-28O72] · nH2O | |
Terranovaite | (Na,Ca)8(Si68Al12)O160 · 29H2O | Orth. |
Thomsonite Subgroup | The large majority of "thomsonite" is thomsonite-Ca. | |
Tschernichite | (Ca,Na2)[Al2Si4O12] · 4-8H2O | Tet. 4/mmm (4/m 2/m 2/m) : P4/mmm |
Tschörtnerite | Ca4(Ca,Sr,K,Ba)3Cu3[Al3Si3O12]4(OH)8 · nH2O | Iso. m3m (4/m 3 2/m) : Fm3m |
UM1996-38-SiO:AlCaHNa | Na-Ca-Al-Si-O-H | |
UM1999-33-SiO:AlHKNa | K7Na5Al12Si20O64 · 24H2O | |
UM2002-40-SiO:AlCaHKMgNa | (Mg,Ca,Na,K)7.5(Al12.8Si51.2)O128 · 65H2O | Tet. 4 2 2 : P41 2 2 |
Unnamed (Ca analogue of Merlinoite) | (Ca,K,Na)5(Ca,Ba)2Al9Si23O64 · 23H2O ? | |
Wairakite | Ca(Al2Si4O12) · 2H2O | Mon. 2/m : B2/m |
Weinebeneite | CaBe3(PO4)2(OH)2 · 4H2O | Mon. m : Bb |
Willhendersonite | KCa[Al3Si3O12] · 5H2O | Tric. 1 : P1 |
Yugawaralite | CaAl2Si6O16 · 4H2O | Mon. m : Pb |
Common Associates
Associated Minerals Based on Photo Data:
7 photos of Wenkite associated with Apophyllite Group | AB4[Si8O22]X · 8H2O |
4 photos of Wenkite associated with Harmotome | Ba2(Si12Al4)O32 · 12H2O |
2 photos of Wenkite associated with Heulandite Subgroup | (Na/Ca/K)5-6[Al8-9 Si27-28 O72] · nH2O |
2 photos of Wenkite associated with Diopside | CaMgSi2O6 |
2 photos of Wenkite associated with Sphalerite | ZnS |
1 photo of Wenkite associated with Quartz | SiO2 |
Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat Grouping
9.GD.05 | Gmelinite-Ca | Ca2(Si8Al4O24] · 11H2O |
9.GD.05 | Gmelinite-K | K4(Si8Al4O24) · 11H2O |
9.GD.05 | Gmelinite-Na | Na4(Si8Al4O24] · 11H2O |
9.GD.10 | Willhendersonite | KCa[Al3Si3O12] · 5H2O |
9.GD.10 | Chabazite-Ca | (Ca,K2,Na2)2[Al2Si4O12]2 · 12H2O |
9.GD.10 | Chabazite-K | (K2,Ca,Na2,Sr,Mg)2[Al2Si4O12]2 · 12H2O |
9.GD.10 | Chabazite-Na | (Na2,K2,Ca,Sr,Mg)2[Al2Si4O12]2 · 12H2O |
9.GD.10 | Chabazite-Sr | Sr2[Al2Si4O12]2 · 12H2O |
9.GD.10 | Chabazite-Mg | (Mg0.7K0.5Ca0.5Na0.1)[Al3Si9O24] · 10H2O |
9.GD.15 | Lévyne-Ca | (Ca,Na2,K2)[Al2Si4O12] · 6H2O |
9.GD.15 | Lévyne-Na | (Na2,Ca,K2)[Al2Si4O12] · 6H2O |
9.GD.20 | Bellbergite | (K,Ba,Sr)2Sr2Ca2(Ca,Na)4[Al3Si3O12]6 · 30H2O |
9.GD.20 | Erionite-Ca | (Ca,K2,Na2)2[Al4Si14O36] · 15H2O |
9.GD.20 | Erionite-K | (K2,Ca,Na2)2[Al4Si14O36] · 15H2O |
9.GD.20 | Erionite-Na | (Na2,K2,Ca)2[Al4Si14O36] · 15H2O |
9.GD.25 | Offretite | KCaMg(Si13Al5)O36 · 15H2O |
9.GD.30 | Faujasite-Ca | (Ca,Na2,Mg)3.5[Al7Si17O48] · 32H2O |
9.GD.30 | Faujasite-Mg | (Mg,Na2,Ca)3.5[Al7Si17O48] · 32H2O |
9.GD.30 | Faujasite-Na | (Na2,Ca,Mg)3.5[Al7Si17O48] · 32H2O |
9.GD.35 | Maricopaite | Pb7Ca2(Si,Al)48O100 · 32H2O |
9.GD.35 | Mordenite | (Na2,Ca,K2)4(Al8Si40)O96 · 28H2O |
9.GD.40 | Dachiardite-K | K4(Si20Al4O48) · 13H2O |
9.GD.40 | Dachiardite-Ca | (Ca,Na2,K2)5Al10Si38O96 · 25H2O |
9.GD.40 | Dachiardite-Na | (Na2,Ca,K2)5Al10Si38O96 · 25H2O |
9.GD.45 | Epistilbite | CaAl2Si6O16 · 5H2O |
9.GD.50 | Ferrierite-K | (K,Na)5(Si31Al5)O72 · 18H2O |
9.GD.50 | Ferrierite-Mg | [Mg2(K,Na)2Ca0.5](Si29Al7)O72 · 18H2O |
9.GD.50 | Ferrierite-Na | (Na,K)5(Si31Al5)O72 · 18H2O |
9.GD.50 | Ferrierite-NH4 | (NH4,Mg0.5)5(Al5Si31O72) · 22H2O |
9.GD.55 | Bikitaite | LiAlSi2O6 · H2O |
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 Wenkite
mindat.org URL:
https://www.mindat.org/min-4269.html
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References for Wenkite
Localities for Wenkite
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.
Italy (TL) | |
| Papageorgakis (1959) +6 other references |
Sweden | |
| Grensman et al. (2001) |
| Nysten (2003) |
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Garpenberg Norra Mine, Garpenberg, Hedemora, Dalarna County, Sweden