Bischofite
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About Bischofite
Formula:
MgCl2 · 6H2O
Colour:
Colourless to white; colourless in transmitted light
Lustre:
Vitreous, Dull
Hardness:
1 - 2
Specific Gravity:
1.591 - 1.604
Crystal System:
Monoclinic
Name:
For Karl Gustav Bischof (1792-1870), German geologist and mineral chemist, Professor of Chemistry in the University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany, and for F. Bischof, director of the Stassfurt salt works
A relatively rare constituent of saline deposits. Secondary in origin in part. Formed by alteration of Carnallite by water.
Deliquescent and soluble in water.
Deliquescent and soluble in water.
Classification of Bischofite
Approved, 'Grandfathered' (first described prior to 1959)
3/A.12-30
3.BB.15
3 : HALIDES
B : Simple halides, with H2O
B : M:X = 1:2
3 : HALIDES
B : Simple halides, with H2O
B : M:X = 1:2
9.2.9.1
9 : NORMAL HALIDES
2 : AX2
9 : NORMAL HALIDES
2 : AX2
8.4.3
8 : Halides - Fluorides, Chlorides, Bromides and Iodides; also Fluoborates and Fluosilicates
4 : Halides of the alkaline earths and Mg
8 : Halides - Fluorides, Chlorides, Bromides and Iodides; also Fluoborates and Fluosilicates
4 : Halides of the alkaline earths and Mg
Physical Properties of Bischofite
Vitreous, Dull
Transparency:
Transparent, Translucent
Colour:
Colourless to white; colourless in transmitted light
Streak:
White
Hardness:
1 - 2 on Mohs scale
Hardness Data:
Measured
Fracture:
Irregular/Uneven, Conchoidal
Density:
1.591 - 1.604 g/cm3 (Measured) 1.5895 g/cm3 (Calculated)
Optical Data of Bischofite
Type:
Biaxial (+)
RI values:
nα = 1.495 nβ = 1.507 nγ = 1.528
2V:
Measured: 79° , Calculated: 76°
Max Birefringence:
δ = 0.033

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:
r > v, weak
Chemical Properties of Bischofite
Formula:
MgCl2 · 6H2O
Elements listed:
Common Impurities:
Ca,S
Crystallography of Bischofite
Crystal System:
Monoclinic
Class (H-M):
2/m - Prismatic
Space Group:
B2/m
Cell Parameters:
a = 9.8607 Å, b = 7.1071 Å, c = 6.0737 Å
β = 93.758°
β = 93.758°
Ratio:
a:b:c = 1.387 : 1 : 0.855
Unit Cell V:
424.74 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:
2
Morphology:
Crystals short prismatic along [001]; commonly foliated, fibrous, crystalline granular, also massive
Twinning:
May twin polysynthetically under pressure
Crystallographic forms of Bischofite
Crystal Atlas:
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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) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
0010001 | Bischofite | Agron P A, Busing W R (1985) Magnesium dichloride hexahydrate, MgCl2*6H2O, by neutron diffraction Acta Crystallographica C41 8-10 | ![]() | 1985 | synthetic | 0 | 293 |
0018111 | Bischofite | Andress K, Gundermann J (1934) Die Struktur von Magnesiumchlorid- und Magnesiumbromidhexahydrat. _cod_database_code 1011249 Zeitschrift fur Kristallographie 87 345-369 | 1934 | 0 | 293 |
CIF Raw Data - click here to close
X-Ray Powder Diffraction
Powder Diffraction Data:
d-spacing | Intensity |
---|---|
4.095 Å | (100) |
2.646 Å | (69) |
2.880 Å | (58) |
2.732 Å | (39) |
2.305 Å | (39) |
2.228 Å | (27) |
3.553 Å | (26) |
Comments:
Recorded on synthetic material
Geological Environment
Geological Setting:
In saline deposits; probably in part formed from carnallite
Type Occurrence of Bischofite
Associated Minerals at Type Locality:
Synonyms of Bischofite
Other Language Names for Bischofite
Varieties of Bischofite
Brom-bischofite | Artificial Bromine analogue of Bischofite |
Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping
3.BB.05 | Eriochalcite | CuCl2 · 2H2O | Orth. mmm (2/m 2/m 2/m) |
3.BB.10 | Rokühnite | FeCl2 · 2H2O | Mon. |
3.BB.20 | Nickelbischofite | NiCl2 · 6H2O | Mon. |
3.BB.25 | Sinjarite | CaCl2 · 2H2O | Tet. |
3.BB.30 | Antarcticite | CaCl2 · 6H2O | Trig. 3 2 : P3 2 1 |
3.BB.35 | Tachyhydrite | CaMg2Cl6 · 12H2O | Trig. |
Related Minerals - Dana Grouping (8th Ed.)
9.2.9.2 | Nickelbischofite | NiCl2 · 6H2O | Mon. |
Related Minerals - Hey's Chemical Index of Minerals Grouping
8.4.1 | Sellaite | MgF2 | Tet. 4/mmm (4/m 2/m 2/m) : P42/mnm |
8.4.2 | Neighborite | NaMgF3 | Orth. mmm (2/m 2/m 2/m) |
8.4.4 | Korshunovskite | Mg2Cl(OH)3 · 4H2O | Tric. |
8.4.5 | Carnallite | KMgCl3 · 6H2O | Orth. mmm (2/m 2/m 2/m) : Pnna |
8.4.6 | Tachyhydrite | CaMg2Cl6 · 12H2O | Trig. |
8.4.7 | Fluorite | CaF2 | Iso. m3m (4/m 3 2/m) : Fm3m |
8.4.8 | Sinjarite | CaCl2 · 2H2O | Tet. |
8.4.9 | Antarcticite | CaCl2 · 6H2O | Trig. 3 2 : P3 2 1 |
8.4.10 | Chlorocalcite | KCaCl3 | Orth. mmm (2/m 2/m 2/m) : Pnma |
8.4.11 | Rorisite | CaFCl | Tet. |
8.4.12 | Jarlite | Na(Sr,Na)7MgAl6F32(OH,H2O)2 | Mon. 2/m |
8.4.13 | Calcjarlite | Na(Ca,Sr)3Al3(OH)2F14 | Mon. |
8.4.14 | Tikhonenkovite | Sr[AlF4(OH)(H2O)] | Mon. 2/m : P21/b |
8.4.15 | Acuminite | Sr[AlF4(OH)(H2O)] | Mon. 2/m : B2/b |
8.4.16 | Frankdicksonite | BaF2 | Iso. m3m (4/m 3 2/m) : Fm3m |
8.4.17 | Usovite | Ba2CaMgAl2F14 | Mon. |
8.4.18 | Bøgvadite | Na2SrBa2Al4F20 | Mon. 2/m |
Other Information
Notes:
Readily soluble in alcohol and in water.
Special Storage/
Display Requirements:
Display Requirements:
Deliquescent.
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 Bischofite
Reference List:
Sort by Year (asc) | by Year (desc) | by Author (A-Z) | by Author (Z-A)
Ochsenius, C. (1877): Die Bildung der Steinsalzlager und ihrer Mutterlaugensalze unter specieller Berücksichtigung der Flöze von Douglashall in der Egeln´schen Mulde. Verlag Pfeffer (Halle), 172 p.
Ochsenius, C. (1877): Jahresbericht über die Fortschritte der Chemie und verwandter Theile anderer Wissenschaften: 1284, 1285.
Ochsenius, C. (1877): Zeitschrift für Kristallographie, Mineralogie und Petrographie, Leipzig: 1: 414.
Przibylla (1904) Centralblatt für Mineralogie, Geologie und Paleontologie, Stuttgart: 238.
Dewar (1905) Chem. News: 91: 216.
Mügge (1906) Neues Jahrbuch für Mineralogie, Geologie und Paleontologie, Heidelberg, Stuttgart: I: 91.
Görgey (1910) Mineralogische und petrographische Mitteilungen, Vienna: 29: 200.
Doelter, C. (1928) Handbuch der Mineral-chemie: 4(2): 1212.
Palache, Charles, Harry Berman & Clifford Frondel (1951), The System of Mineralogy of James Dwight Dana and Edward Salisbury Dana Yale University 1837-1892, Volume II: Halides, Nitrates, Borates, Carbonates, Sulfates, Phosphates, Arsenates, Tungstates, Molybdates, Etc. John Wiley and Sons, Inc., New York, 7th edition, revised and enlarged: 46-47.
Heide, K. and Kühn, W. (1965): Bischofit im carnallitschen Stassfurtlager der stillgelegten Kaliwerke Aschersleben/Anhalt (Schachtanlage V). Chemie der Erde 24, 211-214 (in German).
Sorrell, C. A., and Ramey, R. R. (1974): X-ray powder data and unit cell parameters of MgCl2.6H2O. Journal of Chemical and Engineering Data 19, 31-32.
Agron, P. A., and Busing, W. R. (1985): Magnesium dichloride hexahydrate, MgCl2.6H2O, by neutron diffraction. Acta Crystallographica C41, 8-10.
Anthony, J. W. et al. (1997): Handbook of Mineralogy, Vol. 3, 59.
Internet Links for Bischofite
mindat.org URL:
https://www.mindat.org/min-681.html
Please feel free to link to this page.
Please feel free to link to this page.
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Mineral Dealers:
Localities for Bischofite
Locality List




All localities listed without proper references should be considered as questionable.
Asia | |
Crétaux, J. F., Létolle, R., & Calmant, S. (2009). Investigations on Aral Sea regressions from Mirabilite deposits and remote sensing. Aquatic geochemistry, 15(1-2), 277-291. | |
Australia | |
| Simpson, E.S. (1948), Minerals of Western Australia, Vol 1, p236 |
Belarus | |
| USGS MRDS database potash: https://mrdata.usgs.gov/potash/show-potash.php?rec_no=55 |
Canada | |
| Shang, Y. (2000). Mineralogy, lithostratigraphy and geochemistry of North Ingebright Lake, Saskatchewan, Canada. PhD thesis University of Manitoba. |
| G. W. Robinson, V. King (1993) Whats New in Minerals. Mineralogical Record 24:381-395 |
China | |
| Sun Da-peng, Li Bing-xiao, Ma Yua-hua, and Lin Qun-zhu (2002): Journal of Salt Lake Research 10(4), 1-12. |
| Shaoxiu Yang (1991): Journal of Lake Sciences 3(1), 1-10 |
Xiyu Zheng (1994): Journal of Lake Sciences 6(3), 267-275 | |
| Dongsheng Hu (1990): Scientia Geologica Sinica 3(7), 259-268; Xiyu Zheng (1994): Journal of Lake Sciences 6(3), 267-275 |
Botao Li, Yuanyi Zhao, Zuohua Qian, Pengcheng Jiao, Chenglin Liu, and Shijun Wang (2010): Mineral Deposits 29(4), 669-683 | |
Shaoxiu Yang (1991): Journal of Lake Sciences 3(1), 1-10 | |
| Shaoxiu Yang (1991): Journal of Lake Sciences 3(1), 1-10; Mily Wang, Yijie Wang, Chenglin Liu, and Yongzhi Chen (1993): Acta Geoscientica Sinica 15(1) |
| Shaoxiu Yang (1991): Journal of Lake Sciences 3(1), 1-10; Mianping Zheng and Xifang Liu (2010): Acta Geologica Sinica 84(11), 1585-1600 |
| Bingxiao Li (1992): Journal of Lake Sciences 4(1), 48-55 |
Czech Republic | |
| Matýsek D., Jirásek J., Osovský M., Skupien P.. Minerals formed by the weathering of sulfides in mines of the Czech part of the Upper Silesian Basin. Mineralogical Magazine, 2014, 78, 5, 1265-1286. |
Ethiopia | |
| Hovland, Martin & Rueslatten, Hakon & Johnsen, Hans. (2019) Salt Formation, Accumulation, and Expulsion Processes During Ocean Rifting—New Insight Gained from the Red Sea. 10.1007/978-3-319-99408-6_11. |
Germany | |
| S. Weiß: "Mineralfundstellen, Deutschland West", Weise (Munich), 1990 |
| Weiss: "Mineralfundstellen, Deutschland West", Weise (Munich), 1990 |
| Weiss: "Mineralfundstellen, Deutschland West", Weise (Munich), 1990 |
| Weiss: "Mineralfundstellen, Deutschland West", Weise (Munich), 1990 |
| 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: 47; Anthony, J. W. et al. (1997): Handbook of Mineralogy, Vol. 3, 59 |
| Bode "Mineralien und Fundstellen BRD" from 1989 ISBN 3-925094-24-5 Pg.9 |
| Anthony, J. W. et al. (1997): Handbook of Mineralogy, Vol. 3, 59 |
| No reference listed |
| Dana 6:A3:14,43,46; Dana 7:II:430; Zr. Kr.:50(1911):139. |
| C. Ochsenius (1877): Die Bildung der Steinsalzlager und ihrer Mutterlaugensalze unter specieller Berücksichtigung der Flötze von Douglashall in der Egeln´schen Mulde.- Halle, Verlag Pfeffer, 172 p.; 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: 47. |
| XRD analysis (T. Witzke) |
Hungary | |
| No reference listed |
Italy | |
| Russo, M., and Punzo, I. (2004) I Minerali del Somma-Vesuvio. AMI Associazione Micro-mineralogica Italiana, Tipografia Fantigrafica s.r.l., Cremona, 320 pp. |
| Adamo S., Ramberti L. (1979): L'industria estrattiva del potassio in Italia. L'Industria Mineraria, 30, maggio-giugno 1979, 161-170. |
Adamo S., Ramberti L. (1979): L'industria estrattiva del potassio in Italia. L'Industria Mineraria, 30, maggio-giugno 1979, 161-170 | |
| AA. VV., 1996. Collezionare minerali. Hobby & Work. |
| Adamo, S., and Ramberti, L. (1979) L'industria estrattiva del potassio in Italia. L'Industria Mineraria, 30, maggio-giugno 1979, 161-170. |
| Adamo, S., Ramberti, L. (1979) L'industria estrattiva del potassio in Italia. L'Industria Mineraria, 30, maggio-giugno 1979, 161-170; Montrasio, A., Sciesa, E., Vignola, P. (1996) Collezionare minerali. Hobby & Work Italiana Editrice, Bresso (Milano), 800 pp. |
Kazakhstan | |
| Pekov, I. (1998) Minerals First discovered on the territory of the former Soviet Union 369p. Ocean Pictures, Moscow; ERCOSPAN (2011) Independent Geological Report on the Zhilianskoe and Chelkar Potash Deposits in Kazakhstan EGB 11-012 |
| Anthony, J. W. et al. (1997): Handbook of Mineralogy, Vol. 3, 59; 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. |
Netherlands | |
| T.G. Nijland, J.C. Zwaan, D. Visser, J. Leloux - De mineralen van Nederland - 2007 |
Peru | |
| P. Andresen collection, obtained from A. Robbemond, 2004. |
Poland | |
| Jirásek, J.: Solný důl Kłodawa (Polsko). Minerál, 2004, roč. 12, č. 2, s. 98-102. ISSN 1213-0710 (excerpted from unpublished thesis Hanczke, T.: Mineralogia i petrografia soli czechstyńskich kopalni "Kłodawa". Doktroská práce, Uniwersytet Jagiellonski, Instytut nauk geologicznych, 1967.); Wachowiak, J., Pieczka, A. (2016): Motukoreaite from the Kłodawa Salt Dome, Central Poland. Mineralogical Magazine, 80, 277-289 |
| Łukasz Kruszewski (2012) Unique chloride assemblage of exhalative origin from burning coal-mining dump in Radlin (Rybnik Coal Area, S Poland). Mineralogical Society of Poland Special Papers 40 |
Republic of the Congo | |
| Henry Rauche (2009) Updated Reserve and Resource Estimate for MagMinerals Kouilou Potash Project, Republic of Congo |
Milesi, J. P., Toteu, S. F., Deschamps, Y., Feybesse, J. L., Lerouge, C., Cocherie, A., ... & Nicol, N. (2006). An overview of the geology and major ore deposits of Central Africa: Explanatory note for the 1: 4,000,000 map “Geology and major ore deposits of Central Africa”. Journal of African Earth Sciences, 44(4-5), 571-595. | |
Russia | |
| Geologiya SSSR. Poleznye iskopaemye (The geology of USSR. Commercial mineral) - Nedra (Moscou), 1974, vol. VIII, 205 p. |
| Pekov, I. (1998) Minerals First discovered on the territory of the former Soviet Union 369p. Ocean Pictures, Moscow |
| Vergasova L P, Filatov S K, Starova G L, Matusevich Z L, Filosofova T M (1996) Vlodavetsite, AlCa2(SO4)2F2Cl·4H2O, a new mineral from volcanic exhalations, Transactions (Doklady) of the USSR Academy of Sciences. Earth science sections, 343, 173-176 abstract Am Min 81:768 |
USA | |
| Northrop, Minerals of New Mexico, 3rd. rev. ed. (1996) |
| 2008 New Mexico Mineral Symposium abstracts |
| UGMS Bull 117 Minerals and Mineral Localities of Utah |
UGMS Bull 117 Minerals and Mineral Localities of Utah |
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Inder B deposit and salt dome, Inder, Atyrau Region, Kazakhstan