DOCSLIB.ORG

Kernite from Tincalayu, Salta, Argentina

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Kernite from Tincalayu, Salta, Argentina American Mineralogist, Volume 58, pages 308'313, 1973 Kernitefrom Tincalayu,Salta, Argentina C. S. Hunrsut, Jn. D epartment ol Geological Sciences, Hansmd (Jniuersity, Cambridge, Massochusetts02138r, L. F. AnrsrAn^crN ObseraatorioNacional De Fisica Cosmica, San Miguel, Pcia. B. A., Argentina AND R. C. Enu U.S. Geological Suroey, Menlo Park, Calilornia 940252 Abshact The Tincalayu mine (Salta, Argentina) is essentially a monomineralic deposit of borax partly transformed to kernite with minor amounts of several rare borates. The deposit is interpreted as an old playa accumulation, buried, metamorphosed and deformed by folding and faulting. It is intercalated with clastic continental sediments of Pliocene or post-Pliocene age. The principal explored lens is more than 30 m thick and approximately 100 m in diameter. Kernite crystals are clear, transparent and well developed; many exceed 30 cm in length and l0 crn across; no terminal faces were observed. X-ray powder data are given with the orienta- - - -+ tion: c > a, p 2 9O'.The spacegroup is Ph/c; a 7.016 ! 0.001A, b 9.152 0.0024; - - c = 15.678 -{- 0.002A. p - 108"52.8' !. o.7'; cell volume 952.6 -r 0.2A3; Z 4. a:b:c 0.7666:l:1.7131. Cleavage:{100} and {00I} perfect, {TOZ} poor. Optically biaxial (-);a: 1.545,P-1.473,.y-1.488-F0.001(Nalight);2V-80",r)o(slight);XAc-70'30', Z - b.Density (calc) 1.905 + 0.001 g/cma, specificgravity (meas) 1.906 = 0.003. A chemical analysisby wet methods gives wt percent Na,O 23.1, B,O, 51'0, and H'O 26.1 (total 100.2). nte analysisshows endothermic peaks at 1'75"C (very strong), 561"C (strong) and 755"C (very strong), and exothermic peaks at 361'C (weak) and 604"C (strong). Introduction Hombre Muerto. The approximatelatitude andlongi- The mine can be Kernite was discoveredin 1925 during a drilling tude are 25"2A5 and 67'001W. from Pocitos Station on program by the United States Borax Company in reached by motor vehicle Railway, 146 km to the Mojave Desert, California. Although it was re- the GeneralManuel Belgrano ferred to as rcnorite (Palmer, 1927) by the Com- the north. remain the only localities pany, it was named kern:ite after Kern County by Boron and Tincalayu has been positively identified. How- W. T. Schaller(1927,1930) in the first published where kernite has been reported from description. The locality, originally given as the ever, a doubtful occurrence the Donets Basin (Zaritskii, Kramer District, is today known as Boron, Cali- the Lower Permianof possibleoccurrence has been indicated fornia, the name of the town that developedafter 1965), and a pan (Hunt et al., 1966), p. mining began. in the Death Valley salt Boron was the only known kernite locality until B-49). Ahlfeld found the mineral in the borax mine at Occurrence Tincalayu, Argentina. Only a superficialdescription was reported (Ahlfeld and Angelelli, 1948), and The Tincalayu mine is essentiallya monomineralic this second occurrencehas gone largely unnoticed. deposit of borax partly transformedto kernite with Tincalayu is in the Province of Salta at the nortb- a very minor content of severalrare borates.The central part of the salt pan known as Salar del depositis interpretedas an old marsh accumulation, 1 buried, metamorphosedand deformedby folding and Mineralogical Contribution 49O, Harvard University. direction 'Publication authorized by the Director, U.S. Geological faulting along a predominantlynorth-south Survey. so as to be intercalatedin the folded Sijesformation. 308 KERNITE FROM ARGENTINA 309 The borax is concordantly intercalated with mem- bers of the Sijes Formation which is composed chiefly of clastic continental sediments deposited in a closed basin. The principal rocks of the formation are fine-grained sandstonesand claystonesvariously colored white, grey, yellow and pink. These are in- terbedded with tuffs, evaporites, limestones, and conglomerates(Catalano, 1964; Turner, 1964;Mues- sig and Allen, 1957). Catalano considered the sedi- ments post-Pliocene,whereas Pratt (1961) dated them as Pleistocene or Recent, and Turner (1964) as Pliocene. Lens-like bodies of borax are apparently localized by structural control along the North-South axes of the anticlines. The principal known lens is more than 30 meters thick and approximately 100 meters in diameter. The borax rests directly on a thick layer Frc. 1. Optical orientation of kernite, with c ) a and of halite and is overlain by about 50 meters of brown B > 90'. to reddish-brown fine-grained claystones, siltstones, tuffs and sandstones.Near the upper contact of borax and sediments are several thin claystones horizons. by two parallel faults. This elevatedportion was One of these horizons carries nodules of ulexite, an- the first part of the depositto be discovered,and it other contains euhedral inyoite crystals, and a third led Muessigand Allen (1957) to describeit as a has crystals of kurnakovite 1= "inderite" of Meus- plugJike body. sig and Allen, 1957). At Boron, California,kernite is found in the lower During the intensive folding and faulting, the part of the deposit as a metamorphic alteration of sedimentary series was elevated above the playa borax (Christ and Garrels,1959; Barnard and Kist- and partially eroded; later it was covered in part lel1966; Bowserand Dickson,1966; Smith, 1968). by a thin flow of Holocene basalt. The folded Sijes At Tincalayuthe generalrelationship of the two min- Formation not only forms high ground at the mar- erals is similar. Kernite in an irregular body in gin of the present playa but rises as islands within placesmore than 10 metersthick, underliesthe main it. The elevation initiated the present cycle of erosion deposit of borax. In addition a veinlike mass of and of deposition of clastic and chemical sediments kernite about 30 centimeterswide which cuts the (halite and ulexite) in the present playa. upper borax probably was formed by fault action. During the tectonic deformation of the deposit, a The portion of the Tincalayudeposit that is mined tabular portion of the borax ore body was raised is composedof a fine-grainedcrystalline aggregate of borax. Occasionally,well-formed, transparent crys- Tenre 1. Unit-cell Data for Kernite tals of borax are found in cavities which range in size from a few centimetersto over 30 centimeters. Tlncalayu, Salta Ross and Edwards clese (1966) Locally thin layers of clay and silt within the lenses Argentlna 1959, synthetlc unknown source reduce the BzOs content,which in pure borax is Systen and Monoc I 1n1c Monocllnlc Monocllnlc percent. Material space group PJc PzI/ c 4r/ c 36.5 wt percent, to as low as 20 Unlt C€]l with 28 percent or greateris sent to the dressing 7. 016+0.001| 7.422 7 , 0172+0.0006 b 9.152+4.O02 9 151+0.002 9.158210.0006 plant. r5.6z8io.oo2 15.67 6- r5.6z74To.oor5 r08.52:8'+o Z, ro 8'50,+5' 108.8516+0.0020 the borax and kernite are very i rE'r 952.6+0.2- 953'4t'- 953 4 Associatedwith z 4- lr small amountsof the rare borates rivadavite, ezcur- p ( calc,g,/cn 3) r.905+0.001 1.90q*rt 1.93 sp.gr. (neas) 1.9o6Fo.oo3 t .91 rite (Hurlbut and Aristarain,1967a,b), ameghinite, and macallisterite(Aristarain and Hurlbut, 1967a, .In1tla1 parameters fron x-ray slngle-crystal precesslon datai f1nal parmeters Llsied here fron least-squares reflnenent of x-pay powder b). There are alsominor amountsof compactulexite data (Table 2); morpholo8lcal neasurenent of B gtves t08o 53'+4'. r* Calculated 1n present lnvestlgatlon fron da!a of Ross and Edwtrds balls and euhedral kurnakovite crystals. Thin veins (1959) alrhouCh Ross and Edwards dldn't repo.t 1t tft Calculated by Claldl et aL. (f967) fron the data of Ross and of halite and secondarytincalconite are also present. 310 HURLBUT, ARISTARAIN, AND ERD Morphology and Physical Properties Tesre 2, continued The kernite crystals at Tincalayu are large, but (A) no terminalfaces were observed; crystals 30 cm long dwL(fr) I d..- r and 10 centimetersacross are common.Very char- {2 338 0.7 222 2 34D {2.338 0,0 213 12 337 0.4 acteristic of the occurrenceare intergrowths of two 2$ 2 30B 3-2 2 12 296 03 3r 2 29C large crystalsgiving a twin-like appearance.Freshly 232 12 29\ 89 is 12 2b7 \2 broken kernite clear and transparentwith vitreous 2 266 12 265 15 luster, but on exposureto air it turns milky white 0ql T2 267 0q 313 12 2\8 11 on the surfaceand alongcleavage cracks. 3 01r 2 ?qb 6 12 2C7 06 12 246 2I 2 ?30 6 2.230 z6 LO 2 2r3 58 T,lrrr 2. X-ray Powder Diffraction Data for Kernite from o42 {2 r86 1.5 2 r82 lt fincalayu 7 t2 182 .l t2 r52 3t 204 a,2 12 r5r 00 hkL Observed * a,r ^!,r o+6i tl dhkL(fl) r d..-(A) { 2 140 0l 2 llto b i2 138 94 223 {2 138 a2 011 779 9 7 789 002 7.40 100 7.417 I00 0 2tll 2.495 B 2 09r 53 100 6.64 85 6 638 {2 082 0.9 102 6.00 t5 6,006 2 080 9 {2.oBo !9 012 5 762 0.0 0q3 {2 076 31 111 5 538 o-2 12.455 0l 110 537 5.3't \ 2.2 2 O52 5 t 2 051 r6 \\2 5.03 5.A2r 0,8 127 2 0r3 5 2 Al2 1.8 fll r.68 \.676 2 003 7 2 042 4: 020 4.le 4 576 1.95b rl 021 \.373 38 t 9r2 13 013 4.348 4.350 0.9 r 942 8 102 4 298 4.303 2,7 1.881 5 4.233 \.233 7.0 r 857 3 422 {3 895 2-2 r 831 4 rr2 3.895 {3.894 I 820 121 3.823 01 lo4 3 8oo 7 3 804 r20 3.768 03 004 3.745 23 3.708 I2.I 122 540 09 3 r 7\5 r.72r 1r4 10.4 10 I 706 121 3 -542 o6 1.683 2A2 3.478 0.1 r 659 0f4 3-437 6 3.\37 2.7 3.358 7 3.358 200 3 312 9 3.319 2,O 3.304 8.6 (1927 first the mineral as 21r 3.260 65 Schaller ) described 212 33 3 3 240 4.2 orthorhornbic with c parallel to the intersection of t22 3 -r32 3 135 \2.6 the two prominent cleavages.Later he recognizedthe 2ra 3,r2O 11.3 3 098 14 monoclinicsymmetry and reorientedthe crystal,mak- Za\ 3 00j Q.0 031 2,989 5 2.988 40 ing old c : new b, c ) a and B < 9Oo (Schaller, 2tr 2 882 {2.882 r72 024 {2.881 9rr 1930).
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Midterm 2 Examination Key
    GLY4200C Name 90 points October 26, 2011 16 took exam - Numbers to the left of the question number in red are the number of incorrect responses. Instructor comments are in blue. Florida Atlantic University MINERALOGY -- MIDTERM 2 EXAMINATION KEY True-False - Print the letter T or F in the blank to indicate if each of the following statements is true or false. Illegible answers are wrong. (1 point each) 0 T 1. All mathematical groups, including crystallographic point and space groups, must contain an identity operation. 2 F 2. All pyramidal forms are closed. 11 F 3. As nuclei grow, their surface area/volume ratio increases. 1 F 4. Growth twins are always penetration twins. 2 T 5. Low-spin Fe3+ is smaller than high-spin Fe3+. 0 T 6.As pressure increases, minerals transform to denser structures, with atoms packed more closely together 1 T 7. Although silicon normally has CN = IV, in the lower mantle the pressures are so great that the CN of silicon is VI. 2 F 8. If two ions have the same charge, the larger ion will enter a crystal structure preferentially. 2 T 9. Crystal classes are defined by the thirty-two possible point groups. 11 F 10. Possible symmetry operations include rotation axes, mirror planes, and an inversion center. What is wrong with this statement? 0 T 11. Faces composed of all anions or all cations are very high energy. They attract ions of opposite sign, grow rapidly, and may grow themselves out of existence. 1 T 12. The calculation of the zone axis is done using the same method as a vector cross- product.
    [Show full text]
  • Economic Diversification Plan for East Kern County
    FEBRUARY 2017 ECONOMIC DIVERSIFICATION PLAN EAST KERN COUNTY, CA KERN COUNTY ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS TIP Strategies would like to thank the many individuals who participated in the creation of this Economic Diversification Plan. We are especially grateful to the members of the East Kern Economic Alliance who contributed their time and input throughout this planning process. Their expertise helped us gain a deep understanding of the region’s range of assets and opportunities. We are also thankful for the US Department of Defense Office of Economic Adjustment for their visionary investments and support which helped make this project a reality. We also want to thank the leadership and staff of Kern County and the Kern EDC for their essential support, guidance, and feedback during the development of this plan. EAST KERN ECONOMIC ALLIANCE KEY STAKEHOLDERS Richard Chapman, President & CEO Jennifer Wood, Mayor Gary Parsons, Economic Kern Economic Development California City Development Manager Corporation City of Ridgecrest Karina Drees, CEO and General Bill Deaver, Michelle Vance, Economic Manager Edwards Community Alliance Development Coordinator Mojave Air & Spaceport City of Tehachapi Kimberly Maevers, President Kelly Bearden, Director Ryan Rush, Field Representative Greater Antelope Valley Economic CSU-Bakersfield SBDC Kern County Board of Supervisors, Alliance 2nd District KERN COUNTY PROJECT TEAM Supervisor Zach Scrivner, Chairman of the Kern County Board of Supervisors & 2nd District Supervisor Teresa Hitchcock, Assistant County Administrative
    [Show full text]
  • Transfers Young, Stephanie Lynne, Chalfont St
    The Journal of Gemmology2010 / Volume 32 / Nos. 1–4 The Gemmological Association of Great Britain The Journal of Gemmology / 2009 / Volume 31 / No. 5–8 The Gemmological Association of Great Britain 27 Greville Street, London EC1N 8TN T: +44 (0)20 7404 3334 F: +44 (0)20 7404 8843 E: [email protected] W: www.gem-a.com Registered Charity No. 1109555 Registered office: Palladium House, 1–4 Argyll Street, London W1F 7LD President: Prof. A. H. Rankin Vice-Presidents: N. W. Deeks, R. A. Howie, E. A. Jobbins, M. J. O'Donoghue Honorary Fellows: R. A. Howie Honorary Life Members: H. Bank, D. J. Callaghan, T. M. J. Davidson, J. S. Harris, E. A. Jobbins, J. I. Koivula, M. J. O'Donoghue, C. M. Ou Yang, E. Stern, I. Thomson, V. P. Watson, C. H. Winter Chief Executive Officer: J. M. Ogden Council: J. Riley – Chairman, A. T. Collins, S. Collins, B. Jackson, C. J. E. Oldershaw, L. Palmer, R. M. Slater Members’ Audit Committee: A. J. Allnutt, P. Dwyer-Hickey, J. Greatwood, G. M. Green, J. Kalischer Branch Chairmen: Midlands – P. Phillips, North East – M. Houghton, North West – J. Riley, Scottish – B. Jackson, South East – V. Wetten, South West – R. M. Slater The Journal of Gemmology Editor: Dr R. R. Harding Assistant Editor: M. J. O’Donoghue Associate Editors: Dr A. J. Allnutt (Chislehurst), Dr C. E. S. Arps (Leiden), G. Bosshart (Horgen), Prof. A. T. Collins (London), J. Finlayson (Stoke on Trent), Dr J. W. Harris (Glasgow), Prof. R. A. Howie (Derbyshire), E. A. Jobbins (Caterham), Dr J.
    [Show full text]
  • THE MAIN-GROUP ELEMENTS Atomic Properties
    THE MAIN-GROUP ELEMENTS Atomic Properties Properties of elements is based valence-shell electron configurations. Five atomic properties: 1. atomic radius 2. ionization energy 3. electron affinity 4. electronegativity 5. polarizability Atomic Size Adding more valence levels increases the distance from the electrons to the nucleus, it also decrease the effect the nucleus has on the outer electrons. decreases across a period Effective Nuclear Force increases down a group Valence levels Ionization Energy Ionization energy: the energy required to remove the most loosely held electron from an atom in the gaseous state. Size of Atom Ionization Energy Smaller size Higher ionization energy Electron Affinity The electron affinity is a release of energy to form an anion. Ionization Energy Electron Affinity Atoms with higher effective nuclear charges release more energy. Electronegativity Electronegativity is the tendency of an atom to attract electrons to itself. Ionization Energy Electronegativity Atoms with a greater effective nuclear charge have a stronger pull on bonding electrons. Large differences in electronegativity typically form ionic bonds and small differences from covalent bonds. Polarizability Polarizability is the ease an atoms electron cloud can be distorted. Size of Atom Polarizability Electron-rich, heavier atoms are easily polarized. High polarizing power atom-are small sized, highly charged atoms. Bonding Trends Elements in period 2 strictly follow the octet rule; carbon forms four bonds. Elements in Period 3 and higher periods exceed the octet. They reach higher oxidation states because they can access empty d-orbitals. Also, larger atoms can simply make more bonds to more neighbors . Group 1A: Alkali Metals The chemical properties of alkali metals are striking similar.
    [Show full text]
  • New Data Оn Minerals
    RUSSIAN ACADEMY OF SCIENCES FERSMAN MINERALOGICAL MUSEUM VOLUME 48 New Data оn Minerals FOUNDED IN 1907 MOSCOW 2013 ISSN 5-900395-62-6 New Data on Minerals. 2013. Volume 48. 162 pages, 128 photos, drawings and schemes. Publication of Institution of Russian Academy of Sciences, Fersman Mineralogical Museum RAS. This volume contains description of laptevite-(Ce), a new vicanite group mineral found in the Darai-Pioz alkaline massif, rare minerals of the baratovite-katayamalite solid solution from the Khodzha-Achkan alkaline massif in Kirgizia, listvenite-like phlogopite-magnesite gumbeites of the Berezovsky gold deposit in the Urals, polycrys- talline diamond aggregates from the Lomonosov deposit in the Arkhangelsk diamond province, and gypsum seg- regations from the bottom of the Okhotsk and Japan Seas. The results of fine investigation of trace elements in the crystal structure of molybdenite and experimental modeling of Pt and Pd sulfide crystallization during cooling in the central part of the Cu-Fe-S system are given. Separate section is devoted to 150th anniversary of the birth of V.I. Vernadsky. It contains papers about geo- chemical mineralogy of V.I. Vernadsky, his activity in nuclear power, and mineralogical taxonomies suggested by V.I. Vernadsky, J.D. Dana, A.G. Betekhtin, I.N. Kostov, G.P. Barsanov, and A.A. Godovikov. In the section Mineralogical Museums and Collections, the first information on products of Chinese stone-cut art in the collection of the Fersman Mineralogical Museum, Russian Academy of Sciences, brief historical review of the collection of diamond crystals of the same museum, and detail information on the new acquisitions in the muse- um in 2011–2012 are given.
    [Show full text]
  • Origin of the Kramer Borax Deposit, Boron, CA
    A 50 year retrospective 1 OUTLINE 1. A brief history of borax 2. Kramer borax deposit a) Setting and Discovery b) Mineralogy of sedimentary borates c) Stratigraphy and Lithology d) Petrography and implications for geologic setting e) Solubility studies and modeling lake characteristics f) Comparable modern analogues 3. New evidence a) Turkish and Argentinian deposits b) Boron isotopic studies 4. Broader questions – Source water controls (thermal springs), B-As-Sb association, igneous-metamorphic controls on boron in thermal waters 2 Why give this talk? 1. Old (but rusty) material to me, new to most of you 2. Desire to see if ideas have changed in the past 50+ years. 3. Citation of my work even today suggests I did something right. 4. Wish to compare Kramer work with evidence from newer borate deposits in Turkey and South America 5. A wish to evaluate these ideas in light of new evidence using tools that weren’t available in 1964 6. A chance to ponder broader questions about boron’s geochemical cycle. 7. Work done so long ago that if you ask penetrating questions I can always plead a “senior moment” 3 What was unique about my research on the Kramer deposits? • Used a combination of geological tools (Field AND lab work – rare in 1964) • Stratigraphy, Petrography, and XRD based mineralogy • Experimental solubility studies of effects of other salts on Na-borate solubilities • Field studies of other possible borate environments (Borax Lake, Teels and Columbus Marsh, NV, Death Valley, Searles Lake) • Benefits of discussions with an all-star support team with similar interests (Mary Clark, Blair Jones, G.I.
    [Show full text]
  • Temperature and Relative Humidity (RH) Using Saturated Salt Solutions
    THERMODYNAMICS OF 1:2 SODIUM BORATE MINERALS By LAURA SUZANNE RUHL A THESIS PRESENTED TO THE GRADUATE SCHOOL OF THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF SCIENCE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA 2008 1 © 2008 Laura Suzanne Ruhl 2 To my family, who have kept my inquisitive spirit and thirst for knowledge alive, always encouraging me, and giving me strength. 3 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS First and foremost, I thank the chair of my committee, Phil Neuhoff, for all of his time and all of the knowledge he has bestowed upon me throughout my time as his student. I would also like to thank my committee members, Ellen Martin and Guerry McClellan, for their time and support in my academic endeavors. I thank Jie Wang and Gökce Atalan for their help in the lab, for many scientific discussions and support. I also thank Derrick Newkirk for his unending encouragement and support. Major thanks go to my parents and siblings for always being there to help in any endeavor and their never-ending support and love. Lastly, I appreciate all of the never-ending encouragement from my friends and family. The National Science Foundation funded this project. 4 TABLE OF CONTENTS page ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ...............................................................................................................4 LIST OF TABLES...........................................................................................................................6 LIST OF FIGURES .........................................................................................................................7
    [Show full text]
  • United States Patent Office
    2,983,577 United States Patent Office Patented May 9, 1961 2 Thus, contrary to the teachings of the prior art, I have found that kernite can be prepared synthetically from 2.983,577 borax providing certain conditions are maintained. First, an aqueous solution must be used which contains at least METHOD OF PRODUCING SODUMTETRA 28.0% by weight of borax, and secondly, the temperature BoRATE TETRAHYDRATE of the borax solution must be at a temperature of at least Vincent Morgan, Boron, Calif., assignor to United States 57.59 C. Borax & Chemical Corporation, Los Angeles, Calify As stated, kernite must be crystallized from solutions a corporation of Nevada containing at least 28% NaBO-10H2O. This means No Drawing. Filed Apr. 15, 1958, Ser. No. 728,545 i., v 10 that kernite can be crystallized from a 28% solution up to and including a 100% solution of the 10 mol borax. 2 Claims. (C. 23-59). If 10 mol borax is dissolved in its own water of hydra tion this solution can be used for the crystallization of kernite. This invention relates as indicated to a method for 15 According to the process of the present invention the producing sodium tetraborate tetrahydrate and has more 4 mol hydrate of sodium tetraborate may be prepared particular reference to a method for synthetically pro by first forming the 5 mole hydrate and then redissolving ducing kernite (NaBO'4H2O) from water solution at the 5 mole, hydrate in a solution saturated with respect atmospheric pressure. to the 5 mol hydrate and then crystallizing out the 4 mol The mineral kernite (NaBO'4H2O) is known to be 20 hydrate, or it may be crystallized directly from aqueous naturally occurring, and at one time was the major borate solution without having the 5 mol present at any time.
    [Show full text]
  • Kernite, a New Sodium Borate ::
    THE AMERICAN MINERA LOGIST KERNITE, A NEW SODIUM BORATE :: .:. War.rBuan T. ScnRr,rrin, U. S. GeologicalSaraey, Washingtoh D. C. The new mineral kernite, Na2B4OT'4HsO,was receivedthrough Hoyt S. Gale of Los Angeles, California, and is reported to occur in quantity in the southeast corner of Kern County, California, in the -The Kratner boron district. name kernite is proposed after the county name. The exact locality is about 4 miles north of Rich, a station on the Santa Fe R. R. and about 25 miles directly east of Mojave, being in Sec.22, T. 11 N., R. 8W. The mineral was discovered in exploratory borings at a depth of several hundred feet. Ulexite and possibly colemanite are associated rninerals. The geology of this field has been described by Galel and Noble.z The writer has a cleavage piece of kernite 2 by 2-l/2 by 6 inches. Apparently single crystals are of large size though no terminated crystals have so far been seen. The mineral is colorless to white, transparent, vitreous to pearly in luster, and greatly resembles some specimens of massive cleavable selenite. Ortho- rhombic. Perfect prismatic cleavage, rtuAm:71" 08'. Readily breaksinto long thin fibersandlaths. H:about 3. Sp. Gr.: 1.953. Optically probably negative, although 2V is nearly 90o and sign uncertain. Elongation (c axis) positive. Axial plane is parallel to elongation. a:I.454, 0:I.472, t:1.488. Before the blowpipe it swells considerably and finally fuses to a clear glass. Very slowly soluble in cold water, the clear cleavage pieces first be- coming opaque white due to abundant etch figures.
    [Show full text]
  • Diamond Dan's Mineral Names Dictionary
    A Dictionary of Mineral Names By Darryl Powell Mineral Names What do they mean? Who created them? What can I learn from them? This mineral diction‐ ary is unique because it is illustrated, both with mineral drawings as well as pictures of people and places after which some minerals are named. The people pictured on this page have all made a con‐ tribution to what is formally called “mineral nomenclature.” Keep reading and you will discover who they are and what they did. In 1995, Diamond Dan Publications pub‐ lished its first full book, “A Mineral Collector’s Guide to Common Mineral Names: Their Ori‐ gins & Meanings.” Now it is twenty years later. What you will discover in this issue and in the March issue is a re‐ vised and improved version of this book. This Mineral Names Dictionary contains mineral names that the average mineral collector will encounter while collecting minerals, attending shows and visiting museum displays. In addition to the most common min‐ eral names, there are some unofficial names which you will still find on labels. Each mineral name has a story to tell or a lesson to teach. If you wanted to take the time, each name could become a topic to study. Armalcolite, for example, could quickly be‐ come a study of a mineral, first discovered on the moon, and brought back to earth by the astronauts Armstrong, Aldrin and Collins (do you see parts of their names in this mineral name?) This could lead you to a study of American astronauts landing on the moon, what it took to get there and what we discovered by landing on the moon.
    [Show full text]
  • The Elements.Pdf
    A Periodic Table of the Elements at Los Alamos National Laboratory Los Alamos National Laboratory's Chemistry Division Presents Periodic Table of the Elements A Resource for Elementary, Middle School, and High School Students Click an element for more information: Group** Period 1 18 IA VIIIA 1A 8A 1 2 13 14 15 16 17 2 1 H IIA IIIA IVA VA VIAVIIA He 1.008 2A 3A 4A 5A 6A 7A 4.003 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 2 Li Be B C N O F Ne 6.941 9.012 10.81 12.01 14.01 16.00 19.00 20.18 11 12 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 3 Na Mg IIIB IVB VB VIB VIIB ------- VIII IB IIB Al Si P S Cl Ar 22.99 24.31 3B 4B 5B 6B 7B ------- 1B 2B 26.98 28.09 30.97 32.07 35.45 39.95 ------- 8 ------- 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 4 K Ca Sc Ti V Cr Mn Fe Co Ni Cu Zn Ga Ge As Se Br Kr 39.10 40.08 44.96 47.88 50.94 52.00 54.94 55.85 58.47 58.69 63.55 65.39 69.72 72.59 74.92 78.96 79.90 83.80 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 5 Rb Sr Y Zr NbMo Tc Ru Rh PdAgCd In Sn Sb Te I Xe 85.47 87.62 88.91 91.22 92.91 95.94 (98) 101.1 102.9 106.4 107.9 112.4 114.8 118.7 121.8 127.6 126.9 131.3 55 56 57 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 6 Cs Ba La* Hf Ta W Re Os Ir Pt AuHg Tl Pb Bi Po At Rn 132.9 137.3 138.9 178.5 180.9 183.9 186.2 190.2 190.2 195.1 197.0 200.5 204.4 207.2 209.0 (210) (210) (222) 87 88 89 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 114 116 118 7 Fr Ra Ac~RfDb Sg Bh Hs Mt --- --- --- --- --- --- (223) (226) (227) (257) (260) (263) (262) (265) (266) () () () () () () http://pearl1.lanl.gov/periodic/ (1 of 3) [5/17/2001 4:06:20 PM] A Periodic Table of the Elements at Los Alamos National Laboratory 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 Lanthanide Series* Ce Pr NdPmSm Eu Gd TbDyHo Er TmYbLu 140.1 140.9 144.2 (147) 150.4 152.0 157.3 158.9 162.5 164.9 167.3 168.9 173.0 175.0 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 Actinide Series~ Th Pa U Np Pu AmCmBk Cf Es FmMdNo Lr 232.0 (231) (238) (237) (242) (243) (247) (247) (249) (254) (253) (256) (254) (257) ** Groups are noted by 3 notation conventions.
    [Show full text]
  • Download PDF About Minerals Sorted by Mineral Group
    MINERALS SORTED BY MINERAL GROUP Most minerals are chemically classified as native elements, sulfides, sulfates, oxides, silicates, carbonates, phosphates, halides, nitrates, tungstates, molybdates, arsenates, or vanadates. More information on and photographs of these minerals in Kentucky is available in the book “Rocks and Minerals of Kentucky” (Anderson, 1994). NATIVE ELEMENTS (DIAMOND, SULFUR, GOLD) Native elements are minerals composed of only one element, such as copper, sulfur, gold, silver, and diamond. They are not common in Kentucky, but are mentioned because of their appeal to collectors. DIAMOND Crystal system: isometric. Cleavage: perfect octahedral. Color: colorless, pale shades of yellow, orange, or blue. Hardness: 10. Specific gravity: 3.5. Uses: jewelry, saws, polishing equipment. Diamond, the hardest of any naturally formed mineral, is also highly refractive, causing light to be split into a spectrum of colors commonly called play of colors. Because of its high specific gravity, it is easily concentrated in alluvial gravels, where it can be mined. This is one of the main mining methods used in South Africa, where most of the world's diamonds originate. The source rock of diamonds is the igneous rock kimberlite, also referred to as diamond pipe. A nongem variety of diamond is called bort. Kentucky has kimberlites in Elliott County in eastern Kentucky and Crittenden and Livingston Counties in western Kentucky, but no diamonds have ever been discovered in or authenticated from these rocks. A diamond was found in Adair County, but it was determined to have been brought in from somewhere else. SULFUR Crystal system: orthorhombic. Fracture: uneven. Color: yellow. Hardness 1 to 2.
    [Show full text]