Bikitaite Mineral Data

General Bikitaite Information

Chemical Formula:

Li2[Al2Si4O12]•2(H2O)

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 408.21 gm

Lithium 3.40 % Li 7.32 % Li₂O

Aluminum 13.22 % Al 24.98 % Al₂O₃

Silicon 27.52 % Si 58.88 % SiO₂

Hydrogen 0.99 % H 8.83 % H₂O

Oxygen 54.87 % O

______ ______

100.00 % 100.00 % = TOTAL OXIDE

Empirical Formula:

Li₂Al₂(Si₂O₆)₂•2(H₂O)

Environment:

Occurs as a late-formed mineral in fractures in lithium-rich pegmatites.

IMA Status:

Valid Species (Pre-IMA) 1957

Locality:

From Bikita, Zimbabwe. In the Foote mine, Kings Mountain, Cleveland Co., North Carolina, USA. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

For the locality.

Name Pronunciation:

Bikitaite + Pronunciation

Synonym:

ICSD 6250

PDF 14-168

Bikitaite Image

Images:

Bikitaite

Comments: Clear, crystalline bikitaite laths on matrix.
Location: Foote mine, Kings Mountain, Cleveland County, North Carolina, USA. Scale: Size Not Given.
© Lou Perloff / Photo Atlas of Minerals

Bikitaite Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:b:c =1.736:1:1.5324

Cell Dimensions:

a = 8.606, b = 4.9573, c = 7.597, Z = 1; alpha = 89.89°, beta = 114.42°, gamma = 89.96° V = 295.11 Den(Calc)= 2.30

Crystal System:

Triclinic - Pedial H-M Symbol (1) Space Group: P1

$Help on X Ray Diffraction:$ X Ray Diffraction:

By Intensity(I/I_o): 3.37(1), 3.46(1), 4.2(0.9),

Physical Properties of Bikitaite

Cleavage:

{100} Perfect, {001} Good

Color:

Colorless, White.

Density:

2.28

Diaphaneity:

Transparent

Fracture:

Conchoidal - Fractures developed in brittle materials characterized by smoothly curving surfaces, (e.g. quartz).

Habit:

Aggregates - Made of numerous individual crystals or clusters.

Hardness:

6 - Orthoclase

Luminescence:

Fluorescent, Short UV=butter yellow, Long UV=butter yellow.

Luster:

Vitreous (Glassy)

Streak:

white

Optical Properties of Bikitaite

Gladstone-Dale:

CI meas= -0.002 (Superior) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC)
CI calc= 0.006 (Superior) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.2252,KPDmeas= 0.2272,KC= 0.2266
Ncalc = 1.52

Optical Data:

Biaxial (-), a=1.51, b=1.521, g=1.523, bire=0.0130

Pleochroism (x):

colorless.

Pleochroism (y):

colorless.

Pleochroism (z):

colorless.

Calculated Properties of Bikitaite

Electron Density:

Bulk Density (Electron Density)=2.28 gm/cc
note: Specific Gravity of Bikitaite =2.28 gm/cc.

Fermion Index:

Fermion Index = 0.01
Boson Index = 0.99

Photoelectric:

PE_Bikitaite= 1.49 barns/electron
U=PE_Bikitaite x rElectron Density= 3.39 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

GRapi = 0 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)
Bikitaite is Not Radioactive

Bikitaite Classification

Dana Class:

77.02.01.01 (77)Tectosilicate Zeolite group

(77.02)related species

(77.02.01)Dana Group

77.02.01.01 Bikitaite Li2[Al2Si4O12]•2(H2O) P1 1

Strunz Class:

09.GD.55 09 - SILICATES (Germanates)

09.G - Tektosilicates with Zeolitic H2O

09.GD -Chains of 6-membered rings � tabular zeolites

09.GD.55 Bikitaite Li2[Al2Si4O12]•2(H2O) P1 1

Other Bikitaite Information

References:

NAME( AntBidBlaNic2) PHYS. PROP.(Enc. of Minerals,2nd ed.,1990) OPTIC PROP.(Enc. of Minerals,2nd ed.,1990)

See Also:

Links to other databases for Bikitaite :
1 - Am. Min. Crystal Structure Database
2 - Athena
3 - Ecole des Mines de Paris
4 - GeoScienceWorld
5 - Google Images
6 - Google Scholar
7 - Handbook of Mineralogy (MinSocAm)
8 - Handbook of Mineralogy (UofA)
9 - MinDAT
10 - Mineralienatlas (Deutsch)
11 - Online Mineral Museum
12 - QUT Mineral Atlas
13 - Ruff.Info
14 - WWW-MINCRYST
15 - Zeolite Database by Bruno Herreros

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Bikitaite

Li2[Al2Si4O12]•2(H2O)
Dana No: 77.02.01.01 Strunz No: 09.GD.55
Locality:

Notes:

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