Ajoite Mineral Data
General Ajoite Information
Chemical Formula:
(K,Na)3Cu20Al3Si29O76(OH)16•~8(H2O)
Composition:
Molecular Weight = 3,926.74 gm
Potassium 2.24 % K 2.70 % K2 O
Sodium 1.02 % Na 1.38 % Na2 O
Aluminum 2.06 % Al 3.89 % Al2 O3
Copper 32.37 % Cu 40.51 % CuO
Silicon 20.74 % Si 44.37 % SiO2
Hydrogen 0.82 % H 7.34 % H2 O
Oxygen 40.74 % O
______ ______
100.00 % 100.20 % = TOTAL OXIDE
Empirical Formula:
K2.25 Na1.75 Cu20 Al3 Si29 O76 (OH)16 •8(H2 O)
Environment:
Secondary copper mineral.
IMA Status:
Valid Species (Pre-IMA) 1958
Locality:
New Cornelia mine, Ajo, Pima County,, Arizona, USA. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.
Name Origin:
Named for the locality.
Name Pronunciation:
Ajoite
Ajoite Image
Images:
Images:
Images:
Ajoite
Comments: Aqua blue, long bladed crystals or ajoite on matrix.
Location: New Cornelia mine, Pima Co., Arizona, USA.
Scale: Crystal size 0.75 mm.
© Tom Loomis / Dakota Matrix
Ajoite Crystallography
Axial Ratios:
a:b:c =0.9961:1:1.061
Cell Dimensions:
a = 13.634, b = 13.687, c = 14.522, Z = 1; alpha = 110.83°, beta = 107.21°, gamma = 105.68° V = 2,329.37 Den(Calc)= 2.80
Crystal System:
Triclinic - Pinacoidal H-M Symbol ( 1 ) Space Group: P1
X Ray Diffraction:
By Intensity(I/Io ): 12.4(1), 3.34(0.25), 6.19(0.09),
Physical Properties of Ajoite
Cleavage:
{010} Perfect
Color:
Blue green.
Density:
2.96
Diaphaneity:
Translucent
Habit:
Lath - Shaped like a small, thin plaster lath, tabular (rectangular) in shape.
Habit:
Massive - Uniformly indistinguishable crystals forming large masses.
Habit:
Platy - Sheet forms (e.g. micas).
Luster:
Vitreous (Glassy)
Streak:
greenish white
Optical Properties of Ajoite
Gladstone-Dale:
CI meas = 0.01 (Superior) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas /KC ) CI calc = 0.014 (Superior) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc /KC )
KPDcalc = 0.1993,KPDmeas = 0.2,KC = 0.2021 Ncalc = 1.6
Optical Data:
Biaxial (+), a=1.55, b=1.585, g=1.641, bire=0.0910, 2V(Calc)=80, 2V(Meas)=68-80.
Pleochroism (x):
very light bluish green.
Pleochroism (y):
brilliant bluish green.
Pleochroism (z):
brilliant bluish green.
Calculated Properties of Ajoite
Electron Density:
Bulk Density (Electron Density)=2.89 gm/cc note: Specific Gravity of Ajoite =2.96 gm/cc.
Fermion Index:
Fermion Index = 0.0098859471 Boson Index = 0.9901140529
Photoelectric:
PEAjoite = 15.08 barns/electronU=PEAjoite x r electron = 43.63 barns/cc.
Radioactivity:
GRapi = 31.60 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)
Concentration of Ajoite per GRapi unit = 3.16 (%)
Estimated Radioactivity from Ajoite - barely detectable
Ajoite Classification
Dana Class:
78.05.01.01 (78) Unclassified silicates
(78.05) possible phyllosilicates
(78.05.01) Dana Group
78.05.01.01 Ajoite (K,Na)3Cu20Al3Si29O76(OH)16•~8(H2O) P1 1
Strunz Class:
09.EA.70 09 - SILICATES (Germanates)
09.E - Phyllosilicates
09.EA -Single nets of tetrahedra with 4-, 5-, (6-), and 8-membered rings
09.EA.70 Ajoite (K,Na)3Cu20Al3Si29O76(OH)16•~8(H2O) P1 1
Other Ajoite Information
References:
NAME( Dana8) PHYS. PROP.(Dana8, AmMin v 88, p 1629) OPTIC PROP.(Dana8)
See Also:
Links to other databases for Ajoite :
1 - Am. Min. Crystal Structure Database
2 - Amethyst Galleries' Mineral Gallery
3 - Athena
4 - EUROmin Project
5 - Ecole des Mines de Paris
6 - GeoScienceWorld
7 - Google Images
8 - Google Scholar
9 - Handbook of Mineralogy (MinSocAm)
10 - Handbook of Mineralogy (UofA)
11 - MinDAT
12 - Mineralienatlas (Deutsch)
13 - Online Mineral Museum
14 - QUT Mineral Atlas
15 - Ruff.Info
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Ajoite
(K,Na)3Cu20Al3Si29O76(OH)16•~8(H2O)
Dana No: 78.05.01.01 Strunz No: 09.EA.70
Locality:
Notes:
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