Adamsite-(Y)
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About Adamsite-(Y)
Formula:
NaY[CO3]2 · 6H2O
Colour:
Colourless, white, pale pink, pale purple.
Lustre:
Pearly
Hardness:
3
Crystal System:
Triclinic
Name:
Named in honor of Professor Frank Dawson Adams (1859–1942), McGill University, Montreal, Canada, geologist and petrologist, who studied the Monteregian Hills, one of which is Mont Saint-Hilaire.
Chemically similar to shomiokite-(Y), lecoqite-(Y), and horváthite-(Y); also to thomasclarkite-(Y) (bicarbonate).
The structure is layered; one carbonate group is perpendicular, and the other parallel to the layering. In the crystal structure there are NaYCO3 groups separated by layers of H2O. The neighbouring water layers have only H-bond linkage, which results in perfect cleavage (Grice et al., 2000).
The structure is layered; one carbonate group is perpendicular, and the other parallel to the layering. In the crystal structure there are NaYCO3 groups separated by layers of H2O. The neighbouring water layers have only H-bond linkage, which results in perfect cleavage (Grice et al., 2000).
Classification of Adamsite-(Y)
Approved
Approval year:
1999
First published:
2000
5/D.03-02
5.CC.30
5.CC.30
5 : CARBONATES (NITRATES)
C : Carbonates without additional anions, with H2O
C : With rare earth elements (REE)
5 : CARBONATES (NITRATES)
C : Carbonates without additional anions, with H2O
C : With rare earth elements (REE)
Pronounciation of Adamsite-(Y)
Pronounciation:
Play | Recorded by | Country |
---|---|---|
Jolyon & Katya Ralph | United Kingdom |
Physical Properties of Adamsite-(Y)
Pearly
Transparency:
Transparent, Translucent
Colour:
Colourless, white, pale pink, pale purple.
Streak:
White
Hardness:
3 on Mohs scale
Tenacity:
Brittle
Cleavage:
Perfect
Perfect on {001}; good on {100}, {010}.
Perfect on {001}; good on {100}, {010}.
Optical Data of Adamsite-(Y)
Type:
Biaxial (+)
RI values:
nα = 1.480 nβ = 1.498 nγ = 1.571
Max Birefringence:
δ = 0.091

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
Dispersion:
none
Chemical Properties of Adamsite-(Y)
Formula:
NaY[CO3]2 · 6H2O
IMA Formula:
NaY(CO3)2 · 6H2O
Common Impurities:
Gd,Nd,Yb,Sm,Ho
Crystallography of Adamsite-(Y)
Crystal System:
Triclinic
Class (H-M):
1 - Pedial
Space Group:
P1
Setting:
P1
Cell Parameters:
a = 6.2592 Å, b = 13.0838 Å, c = 13.227 Å
α = 91.130°, β = 103.554°, γ = 90.188°
α = 91.130°, β = 103.554°, γ = 90.188°
Ratio:
a:b:c = 0.478 : 1 : 1.011
Unit Cell V:
1049.1 ų
Z:
4
Morphology:
Flat, acicular to fibrous crystals, up to 2.5 cm in length. Forming spherical groups of radiating crystals, more rarely reticulated groups. Elongated on [100] and flat on [001]. Forms observed are the pedions {010}, {010}, {001}, {001}, {100} and {100}.
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) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
0005703 | Adamsite-(Y) | Grice J D, Gault R A, Roberts A C, Cooper M A (2000) Adamsite-(Y), a new sodium-yttrium carbonate mineral species from The Canadian Mineralogist 38 1457-1466 | ![]() | 2000 | Mont Saint-Hilaire, Quebec, Canada | 0 | 293 |
CIF Raw Data - click here to close
Type Occurrence of Adamsite-(Y)
General Appearance of Type Material:
Crystals are acicular to fibrous, to 2.5 cm, elongated along [100], flattened on [001], showing {010} and {001}; in spherical radiating groups, which rarely are reticulated.
Place of Conservation of Type Material:
Canadian Museum of Nature, Ottawa, Canada, numbers 82939 and 82940.
Geological Setting of Type Material:
A rare late-stage, low-temperature hydrothermal mineral in an alkalic pegmatite dike associated with an intrusive alkalic gabbro-syenite complex.
Associated Minerals at Type Locality:
Synonyms of Adamsite-(Y)
Other Language Names for Adamsite-(Y)
Common Associates
Associated Minerals Based on Photo Data:
8 photos of Adamsite-(Y) associated with Thomasclarkite-(Y) | (Na,Ce)(Y,REE)(HCO3)(OH)3 · 4H2O |
8 photos of Adamsite-(Y) associated with Shomiokite-(Y) | Na3Y[CO3]3 · 3H2O |
5 photos of Adamsite-(Y) associated with Aegirine | NaFe3+Si2O6 |
5 photos of Adamsite-(Y) associated with Quartz | SiO2 |
4 photos of Adamsite-(Y) associated with Rhodochrosite | MnCO3 |
3 photos of Adamsite-(Y) associated with Microcline | K(AlSi3O8) |
3 photos of Adamsite-(Y) associated with Gaidonnayite | Na2Zr(Si3O9) · 2H2O |
2 photos of Adamsite-(Y) associated with Rémondite-(Ce) | Na3(Ce,Ca,Na)3(CO3)5 |
2 photos of Adamsite-(Y) associated with Niveolanite | NaBe(CO3)(OH) · 2H2O |
2 photos of Adamsite-(Y) associated with Franconite | Na(Nb2O5)(OH) · 3H2O |
Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping
5.CC. | Alicewilsonite-(YCe) | Na2Sr2YCe(CO3)6 · 3H2O | Tric. 1 : P1 |
5.CC. | Bainbridgeite-(YCe) | Na2Ba2YCe(CO3)6 · 3H2O | Tric. 1 : P1 |
5.CC.05 | Donnayite-(Y) | NaCaSr3Y(CO3)6 · 3H2O | Tric. 1 : P1 |
5.CC.05 | Ewaldite | Ba(Na,Ca,Y,Ce,K)(CO3)2 · 2.6H2O | Hex. 6mm : P63mc |
5.CC.05 | Mckelveyite-(Nd) | (Ba,Sr)(Nd,Ce,La)(CO3)2 · 4-10H2O | Tric. |
5.CC.05 | Mckelveyite-(Y) | NaCaBa3Y(CO3)6 · 3H2O | Tric. 1 : P1 |
5.CC.05 | Weloganite | Na2Sr3Zr(CO3)6 · 3H2O | Tric. 1 : P1 |
5.CC.10 | Tengerite-(Y) | Y2(CO3)3 · 2-3H2O | Orth. mmm (2/m 2/m 2/m) : Pnnm |
5.CC.15 | Kimuraite-(Y) | Ca(Y,Nd)2(CO3)4 · 6H2O | Orth. |
5.CC.15 | Lokkaite-(Y) | Ca(Y,Gd,Nd,Dy)4(CO3)7 · 9H2O | Orth. |
5.CC.20 | Shomiokite-(Y) | Na3Y[CO3]3 · 3H2O | Orth. |
5.CC.25 | Calkinsite-(Ce) | (Ce,La)2(CO3)3 · 4H2O | Orth. |
5.CC.25 | Lanthanite-(Ce) | (Ce,La,Nd)2(CO3)3 · 8H2O | Orth. mmm (2/m 2/m 2/m) |
5.CC.25 | Lanthanite-(La) | (La,Ce)2(CO3)3 · 8H2O | Orth. |
5.CC.25 | Lanthanite-(Nd) | (Nd,La)2(CO3)3 · 8H2O | Orth. |
5.CC.35 | Decrespignyite-(Y) | Cu(Y,REE)4(CO3)4(OH)5Cl · 2H2O | Mon. |
5.CC.40 | Galgenbergite-(Ce) | Ca(Ce,La,Nd)2(CO3)4 · H2O | Tric. |
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.
References for Adamsite-(Y)
Reference List:
Sort by Year (asc) | by Year (desc) | by Author (A-Z) | by Author (Z-A)
Grice, J. D., Gault, R. A., Roberts, A. C., Cooper, M. A. (2000) Adamsite-(Y), a new sodium-yttrium carbonate mineral species from Mont Saint-Hilaire, Quebec. Canadian Mineralogist 38, 1457-1466.
Internet Links for Adamsite-(Y)
mindat.org URL:
https://www.mindat.org/min-7088.html
Please feel free to link to this page.
Please feel free to link to this page.
External Links:
Mineral Dealers:
Localities for Adamsite-(Y)
Locality List




All localities listed without proper references should be considered as questionable.
Canada (TL) | |
| Grice, J. D., Gault, R. A., Roberts, A. C., Cooper, M. A. (2000) Adamsite-(Y), a new sodium-yttrium carbonate mineral species from Mont Saint-Hilaire, Quebec. Canadian Mineralogist, 38, 1457-1466. |
Norway | |
| Husdal, T. (2008): The minerals of the pegmatites within the Tysfjord granite, northern Norway. Norsk Bergverksmuseum, skrift 38, 5-28. |
Russia | |
| P.M. Kartashov data |
Poudrette quarry, Mont Saint-Hilaire, La Vallée-du-Richelieu RCM, Montérégie, Québec, Canada