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Leightonite Mineral Data

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General Leightonite Information

Help on Chemical  Formula: Chemical Formula: K2Ca2Cu(SO4)4•2(H2O)
Help on Composition: Composition: Molecular Weight = 705.73 gm
   Potassium  11.08 %  K    13.35 % K2O
   Calcium    11.36 %  Ca   15.89 % CaO
   Copper     18.01 %  Cu   22.54 % CuO
   Hydrogen    0.57 %  H     5.11 % H2O
   Sulfur     18.17 %  S    45.38 % SO3
   Oxygen     40.81 %  O
             ______        ______ 
             100.00 %      102.27 % = TOTAL OXIDE
Help on Empirical Formula: Empirical Formula: K2Ca2Cu2(SO4)4•2(H2O)
Help on Environment: Environment: Arid environments in oxidized copper sulfide ore deposits with low acidity. Structurally related to polyhalite.
Help on IMA Status: IMA Status: Valid Species (Pre-IMA) 1938
Help on Locality: Locality: Chuquicamata, Antofagasta, Chile. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.
Help on Name Origin: Name Origin: Named for T. Leighton, mineralogist at the University of Sanitago, Chile.
Help on Name Pronunciation: Name Pronunciation: Leightonite + Pronunciation Say LEIGHTONITE
 

Leightonite Image

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  Leightonite

Comments: Pale Leightonite with dark green atacamite.
Location: Chuquicamata, Antofagasta, Chile. Scale: Not Given.
© Lou Perloff / Photo Atlas of Minerals

Leightonite Crystallography

Help on Axial Ratios: Axial Ratios: a:b:c =1.5544:1:1.3468
Help on Cell Dimensions: Cell Dimensions: a = 11.654, b = 7.497, c = 10.097, Z = 2; beta = 125.21° V = 720.78 Den(Calc)= 3.25
Help on Crystal System: Crystal System: Monoclinic - Prismatic H-M Symbol (2/m) Space Group: C 2/c
Help on X Ray Diffraction: X Ray Diffraction: By Intensity(I/Io): 2.9(1), 3.18(0.6), 1.781(0.3),
Help on Forms: Forms:

Mouse
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RMB - Cycle Display Modes
Drag1 - Manipulate Crystal
Drag2 - Resize

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I - Indicies
<space> - Start-Stop Rotation
F - Fit to Screen
M - Menu

Help on Above

Forms: ( 0 3 1) ( 1 3 0) ( 0 1 0) ( 1 3 1) ( 1 0 1) ( 1 1 0)

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Physical Properties of Leightonite

Help on Cleavage: Cleavage: None
Help on Color: Color: Blue green, Light blue.
Help on Density: Density: 2.95
Help on Diaphaneity: Diaphaneity: Transparent to Translucent
Help on Habit: Habit: Prismatic - Crystals Shaped like Slender Prisms (e.g. tourmaline).
Help on Hardness: Hardness: 3 - Calcite
Help on Luster: Luster: Vitreous (Glassy)
Help on Streak: Streak: white
 

Optical Properties of Leightonite

Help on Gladstone-Dale: Gladstone-Dale: CI meas= -0.017 (Superior) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC)
CI calc= 0.077 (Fair) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.1805,KPDmeas= 0.1989,KC= 0.1955
Ncalc = 1.58 - 1.64
Help on Optical Data: Optical Data: Biaxial (-), a=1.578, b=1.587, g=1.595, bire=0.0170, 2V(Calc)=86, 2V(Meas)=86.15.
 

Calculated Properties of Leightonite

Help on Electron Density: Electron Density: Bulk Density (Electron Density)=2.91 gm/cc
note: Specific Gravity of Leightonite =2.95 gm/cc.
Help on Fermion Index: Fermion Index: Fermion Index = 0.0017264599
Boson Index = 0.9982735401
Help on Photoelectric: Photoelectric: PELeightonite = 11.32 barns/electron
U=PELeightonite x relectron= 32.95 barns/cc.
Help on Radioactivity: Radioactivity:

GRapi = 157.65 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)
Concentration of Leightonite per GRapi unit = 0.63 (%)

Estimated Radioactivity from Leightonite - barely detectable

 

Leightonite Classification

Help on  Dana Class: Dana Class: 29.04.05.02 (29)Hydrated Acid and Sulfates
  (29.04)where (A+)2 Bn (XO4)p � x(H2O)
  (29.04.05)Dana Group
 
29.04.05.01 Polyhalite K2Ca2Mg(SO4)4•2(H2O) P 1,P1 Tri
 
29.04.05.02 Leightonite K2Ca2Cu(SO4)4•2(H2O) C 2/c 2/m
Help on  Strunz Class: Strunz Class: 07.CC.70 07 - SULFATES (SELENATES, TELLURATES)
  07.C - Sulfates (selenates, etc.) without Additional Anions, with H2O
  07.CC -With medium-sized and large cations
 
07.CC.70 Leightonite K2Ca2Cu(SO4)4•2(H2O) C 2/c 2/m
 

Other Leightonite Information

Help on References: References: NAME( AmMin, Vol 87, p 721) PHYS. PROP.(AmMin, Vol 87, p 721) OPTIC PROP.(Enc. of Minerals,2nd ed.,1990)
Help on See Also: See Also: Links to other databases for Leightonite :
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

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Leightonite

K2Ca2Cu(SO4)4•2(H2O)
Dana No: 29.04.05.02 Strunz No: 07.CC.70
Locality:

 

Notes:

 

 
   
 


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