Afghanite Mineral Data
General Afghanite Information
Chemical Formula:
(Na,Ca,K)8(Si,Al)12O24(SO4,Cl,CO3)3•(H2O)
Composition:
Molecular Weight = 1,200.45 gm
Potassium 2.28 % K 2.75 % K2 O
Sodium 9.19 % Na 12.39 % Na2 O
Calcium 11.69 % Ca 16.35 % CaO
Aluminum 13.26 % Al 25.06 % Al2 O3
Silicon 14.27 % Si 30.53 % SiO2
Hydrogen 0.08 % H 0.75 % H2 O
Carbon 0.10 % C 0.37 % CO2
Sulfur 3.39 % S 8.47 % SO3
Chlorine 4.58 % Cl 4.58 % Cl
- %
Cl -1.03 % -O=Cl2
Oxygen 41.16 % O
______ ______
100.00 % 100.21 % = TOTAL OXIDE
Empirical Formula:
Na4.8 Ca3.5 K0.7 Si6.1 Al5.9 O25 (SO4 )1.27 Cl1.55 (CO3 )0.1 �0.5(H2 O)
Environment:
Generally associated with sodalite-group minerals.
IMA Status:
Approved IMA 1968
Locality:
Sar-e-Sang luzurite deposit in Afghanistan. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.
Name Origin:
From its locality.
Name Pronunciation:
Afghanite + Pronunciation
Synonym:
ICSD 66847
PDF 46-1264
Afghanite Image
Images:
Afghanite
Comments: Parallel grouping of three, terminated, blue, opaque afghanite crystals set in matrix.
Location: Sar-eSang, Badakhshan, Afghanistan.
Scale: Crystal size 3 cm.
© Dan Weinrich
Images:
Afghanite
Comments: Stubby hexagonal dark blue afghanite crystal to 2cm set in sulfide rich marble. The dark blue color is just a thin veneer on a pale-blue crystal.
Location: Rabot, Sar-e-Sang Dist., Badakshan, Afghanistan.
Scale: Overall: 5 x 2 x 4 cm.
© Tom Loomis / Dakota Matrix
Afghanite Crystallography
Axial Ratios:
a:c = 1:1.67188
Cell Dimensions:
a = 12.77, c = 21.35, Z = 4; V = 3,015.16 Den(Calc)= 2.64
Crystal System:
Hexagonal Space Group: P 63 /mmc, P 63 mc, or P 6 2c
X Ray Diffraction:
By Intensity(I/Io ): 3.688(1), 3.298(1), 4.82(0.8), 1.792(0.6), 2.13(0.6), 2.685(0.6), 3.997(0.6),
Physical Properties of Afghanite
Cleavage:
{1010} Perfect
Color:
Blue, Colorless.
Density:
2.55 - 2.65, Average = 2.59
Diaphaneity:
Transparent
Fracture:
Conchoidal - Fractures developed in brittle materials characterized by smoothly curving surfaces, (e.g. quartz).
Habit:
Massive - Uniformly indistinguishable crystals forming large masses.
Hardness:
5.5-6 - Knife Blade-Orthoclase
Luster:
Vitreous (Glassy)
Streak:
white
Optical Properties of Afghanite
Gladstone-Dale:
CI meas = 0.043 (Good) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas /KC ) CI calc = 0.058 (Good) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc /KC )
KPDcalc = 0.1992,KPDmeas = 0.2023,KC = 0.2114 Ncalc = 1.54 - 1.56
Optical Data:
Uniaxial (+), w=1.523, e=1.529, bire=0.0060.
Calculated Properties of Afghanite
Electron Density:
Bulk Density (Electron Density)=2.57 gm/cc note: Specific Gravity of Afghanite =2.60 gm/cc.
Fermion Index:
Fermion Index = 0.0072883509 Boson Index = 0.9927116491
Photoelectric:
PEAfghanite = 3.25 barns/electronU=PEAfghanite x r electron = 8.37 barns/cc.
Radioactivity:
GRapi = 32.54 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)
Concentration of Afghanite per GRapi unit = 3.07 (%)
Estimated Radioactivity from Afghanite - barely detectable
Afghanite Classification
Dana Class:
76.02.05.01 (76) Tectosilicate Al-Si Framework
(76.02) Feldspathoids and related species
(76.02.05) Cancrinite group
76.02.05.01 Afghanite (Na,Ca,K)8(Si,Al)12O24(SO4,Cl,CO3)3•(H2O) P 63 /mmc, P 63 mc, or P 6 2c Hex
76.02.05.02 Bystrite (Na,K)7Ca(Si6Al6)O24S4.5•(H2O) P 31 c 3m
76.02.05.03 Cancrinite Na6Ca2Al6Si6O24(CO3)2 P 63 6
76.02.05.04 Cancrisilite Na7Al5Si7O24(C03)•3(H2O) P 63 6
76.02.05.05 Davyne Na4K2Ca2Si6Al6O24(SO4)Cl2 P 63 /m 6/m
76.02.05.06 Franzinite [(Na,K)30Ca10][Si30Al30O120](SO4)10•2(H2O) P 32 1 3 2
76.02.05.07 Giuseppettite [Na42K16Ca6]S64Si48Al48O192(SO4)10Cl2•5H2O P 31 c 3m
76.02.05.08 Hydroxycancrinite Na4(AlSiO4)3(OH)•(H2O) P 63 6
76.02.05.09 Liottite (Ca,Na,K)8(Si,Al)12O24[(SO4),(CO3),Cl,OH]4•(H2O) P 6 m2 6 m2
76.02.05.10 Microsommite (Na,Ca,K)7-8(Si,Al)12O24(Cl,SO4)2-3 P 63 22 6 2 2
76.02.05.11 Pitiglianoite Na6K2Si6Al6O24(SO4)•2(H2O) P 63 6
76.02.05.12 Quadridavyne (Na,K)6Ca2Al6Si6O24Cl4 P 63 /m 6/m
76.02.05.13 Sacrofanite (Na,Ca,K)9Si6Al6O24[(OH),(SO4),(CO3),Cl)]4•n(H2O) P 63 /mmc ? 6/m 2/m 2/m
76.02.05.14 Tounkite (Na,Ca,K)8Al6Si6O24(SO4)2Cl•(H2O) P 62 22 6 2 2
76.02.05.15 Vishnevite (Na,Ca,K)6(Si,Al)12O24[(SO4),(CO3),Cl2]2-4•n(H2O) P 63 22 6 2 2
76.02.05.16 Wenkite Ba4Ca6(Si,Al)20O39(OH)2(SO4)3•n(H2O)(?) P 6 2m 6 m2
76.02.05.17 Marinellite ! [(Na,K)42Ca6](Si36Al36O144)(SO4)8Cl2•6(H2O) P 31 c or P 2c Trig
76.02.05.18 Farneseite ! (Na37K9Ca10)S56(Si42Al42)S84O168(SO4)12•6(H2O) P 63 /m 6/m 2/m 2/m
76.02.05.19 Alloriite ! Na5K1.5Ca(Si6Al6O24)(SO4)(OH)0.5•H2O P 31 c 3m
76.02.05.20 Biachellaite (Na,Ca,K)8(Si6Al6O24)(SO4)2(OH)0.5•H2O P 3 3
76.02.05.21 IMA2008-006 ! [Na82.5Ca33K16.5](Si99Al99O396)(SO4)33•4H2O P 3 3
76.02.05.22 Kyanoxalite ! Na7(Al5-6Si6-7O24)(C2O4)0.5-1.0•5H2O P 63 6
76.02.05.23 IMA2008-065 ! (Na,K)6Ca2(Si6Al6O24)Cl2(CO3) P 63 6
Strunz Class:
09.FB.05 09 - SILICATES (Germanates)
09.F - Tektosilicates without Zeolitic H2O
09.FB -Tektosilicates with additional anions
09.FB.05 Bystrite (Na,K)7Ca(Si6Al6)O24S4.5•(H2O) P 31 c 3m
09.FB.05 Afghanite (Na,Ca,K)8(Si,Al)12O24(SO4,Cl,CO3)3•(H2O) P 63 /mmc, P 63 mc, or P 6 2c Hex
09.FB.05 Cancrisilite Na7Al5Si7O24(C03)•3(H2O) P 63 6
09.FB.05 Cancrinite Na6Ca2Al6Si6O24(CO3)2 P 63 6
09.FB.05 Hydroxycancrinite Na4(AlSiO4)3(OH)•(H2O) P 63 6
09.FB.05 Franzinite [(Na,K)30Ca10][Si30Al30O120](SO4)10•2(H2O) P 32 1 3 2
09.FB.05 Liottite (Ca,Na,K)8(Si,Al)12O24[(SO4),(CO3),Cl,OH]4•(H2O) P 6 m2 6 m2
09.FB.05 Davyne Na4K2Ca2Si6Al6O24(SO4)Cl2 P 63 /m 6/m
09.FB.05 Giuseppettite [Na42K16Ca6]S64Si48Al48O192(SO4)10Cl2•5H2O P 31 c 3m
09.FB.05 Quadridavyne (Na,K)6Ca2Al6Si6O24Cl4 P 63 /m 6/m
09.FB.05 Pitiglianoite Na6K2Si6Al6O24(SO4)•2(H2O) P 63 6
09.FB.05 Microsommite (Na,Ca,K)7-8(Si,Al)12O24(Cl,SO4)2-3 P 63 22 6 2 2
09.FB.05 Vishnevite (Na,Ca,K)6(Si,Al)12O24[(SO4),(CO3),Cl2]2-4•n(H2O) P 63 22 6 2 2
09.FB.05 Sacrofanite (Na,Ca,K)9Si6Al6O24[(OH),(SO4),(CO3),Cl)]4•n(H2O) P 63 /mmc ? 6/m 2/m 2/m
09.FB.05 Marinellite ! [(Na,K)42Ca6](Si36Al36O144)(SO4)8Cl2•6(H2O) P 31 c or P 2c Trig
09.FB.05 Tounkite (Na,Ca,K)8Al6Si6O24(SO4)2Cl•(H2O) P 62 22 6 2 2
09.FB.05 IMA2008-065 ! (Na,K)6Ca2(Si6Al6O24)Cl2(CO3) P 63 6
09.FB.05 Farneseite ! (Na37K9Ca10)S56(Si42Al42)S84O168(SO4)12•6(H2O) P 63 /m 6/m 2/m 2/m
09.FB.05 Biachellaite (Na,Ca,K)8(Si6Al6O24)(SO4)2(OH)0.5•H2O P 3 3
09.FB.05 IMA2008-006 ! [Na82.5Ca33K16.5](Si99Al99O396)(SO4)33•4H2O P 3 3
09.FB.05 Alloriite ! Na5K1.5Ca(Si6Al6O24)(SO4)(OH)0.5•H2O P 31 c 3m
Other Afghanite Information
References:
NAME( MinRec) PHYS. PROP.(AntBidBlaNic2) OPTIC PROP.(Enc. of Minerals,2nd ed.,1990)
See Also:
Links to other databases for Afghanite :
1 - Am. Min. Crystal Structure Database
2 - Athena
3 - EUROmin Project
4 - Ecole des Mines de Paris
5 - GeoScienceWorld
6 - Google Images
7 - Google Scholar
8 - Handbook of Mineralogy (MinSocAm)
9 - Handbook of Mineralogy (UofA)
10 - MinDAT
11 - Mineralienatlas (Deutsch)
12 - Online Mineral Museum
13 - QUT Mineral Atlas
14 - Ruff.Info
15 - WWW-MINCRYST
16 - Zeolite Database by Bruno Herreros
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Afghanite
(Na,Ca,K)8(Si,Al)12O24(SO4,Cl,CO3)3•(H2O)
Dana No: 76.02.05.01 Strunz No: 09.FB.05
Locality:
Notes:
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