Makatite Mineral Data

General Makatite Information

Chemical Formula:

Na2Si4O8(OH)2•4(H2O)

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 392.39 gm

Sodium 11.72 % Na 15.80 % Na₂O

Silicon 28.63 % Si 61.25 % SiO₂

Hydrogen 2.57 % H 22.96 % H₂O

Oxygen 57.08 % O

______ ______

100.00 % 100.00 % = TOTAL OXIDE

Empirical Formula:

Na₂Si₄O₈(OH)₂•4(H₂O)

Environment:

Continental evaporite deposits. Forms pseudomorphs after trona.

IMA Status:

Approved IMA 1970

Locality:

Lake Magadi, Kenya. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

Named from the Masai "emakat," soda, in allusion to the high sodium content.

Name Pronunciation:

Makatite

Synonym:

ICSD 17057

PDF 23-703

Makatite Image

Images:

Makatite

Comments: Thin white bladed crystals of makatite.
Location: Aris Phonolite, S. of Windhoek, Namibia. Scale: 5.5 x 3 cm.
© John Veevaert

Images:

Makatite

Comments: White acicular sprays of makatite crystals in a vug with pink villiaumite.
Location: Aris Phonolite, Namibia. Scale: Picture size 2 cm.
© Sandro Maggia/Minernet.it

Makatite Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:b:c =0.4083:1:0.5263

Cell Dimensions:

a = 7.3881, b = 18.094, c = 9.5234, Z = 4; beta = 90.64° V = 1,273.01 Den(Calc)= 2.05

Crystal System:

Monoclinic - Prismatic H-M Symbol (2/m) Space Group: P 2₁/c

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

By Intensity(I/I_o): 5.09(1), 2.97(0.57), 9.04(0.53),

Physical Properties of Makatite

Cleavage:

{010} Distinct

Color:

Colorless, White.

Density:

2.072

Diaphaneity:

Translucent

Habit:

Acicular - Occurs as needle-like crystals.

Luminescence:

Fluorescent, Short UV=pale green, Long UV=yellow-white.

Luster:

Vitreous - Dull

Streak:

white

Optical Properties of Makatite

Gladstone-Dale:

CI meas= 0.015 (Superior) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC)
CI calc= 0.004 (Superior) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.2345,KPDmeas= 0.232,KC= 0.2355
Ncalc = 1.48 - 1.49

Optical Data:

Biaxial (+), a=1.472-1.475, b=1.48, g=1.487-1.49, bire=0.0150

Calculated Properties of Makatite

Electron Density:

Bulk Density (Electron Density)=2.09 gm/cc
note: Specific Gravity of Makatite =2.05 gm/cc.

Fermion Index:

Fermion Index = 0.01
Boson Index = 0.99

Photoelectric:

PE_Makatite= 1.34 barns/electron
U=PE_Makatite x rElectron Density= 2.80 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

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

Makatite Classification

Dana Class:

74.03.05.02 (74)Phyllosilicate Modulated Layers

(74.03)with joined strips

(74.03.05)Na phyllosilicates

74.03.05.01 Natrosilite Na2Si2O5 P 2₁/a 2/m

74.03.05.02 Makatite Na2Si4O8(OH)2•4(H2O) P 2₁/c 2/m

74.03.05.03 Silinaite NaLiSi2O5•2(H2O) A2/n 2/m

74.03.05.04 Searlesite NaBSi2O5(OH)2 P 2₁ 2

Strunz Class:

09.EE.45 09 - SILICATES (Germanates)

09.E - Phyllosilicates

09.EE -Single tetrahedral nets of 6-membered rings

09.EE.45 Makatite Na2Si4O8(OH)2•4(H2O) P 2₁/c 2/m

Other Makatite Information

References:

NAME( Dana8) PHYS. PROP.(www.saint-hilaire.ca) OPTIC PROP.(Dana8)

See Also:

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

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Print or Cut-and-Paste your Makatite Specimen Label here :

Makatite

Na2Si4O8(OH)2•4(H2O)
Dana No: 74.03.05.02 Strunz No: 09.EE.45
Locality:

Notes:

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