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Messelite Mineral Data

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General Messelite Information

Help on Chemical  Formula: Chemical Formula: Ca2(Fe++,Mn)(PO4)2•2(H2O)
Help on Composition: Composition: Molecular Weight = 361.75 gm
   Calcium     22.16 %  Ca   31.00 % CaO
   Manganese    3.80 %  Mn    4.90 % MnO
   Iron        11.58 %  Fe   14.90 % FeO
   Phosphorus  17.12 %  P    39.24 % P2O5
   Hydrogen     1.11 %  H     9.96 % H2O
   Oxygen      44.23 %  O
              ______        ______ 
              100.00 %      100.00 % = TOTAL OXIDE
Help on Empirical Formula: Empirical Formula: Ca2Fe2+0.75Mn2+0.25(PO4)2•2(H2O)
Help on IMA Status: IMA Status: Valid Species (Pre-IMA) 1889
Help on Locality: Locality: Messel, Germany. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.
Help on Name Origin: Name Origin: Named after its locality.
Help on Name Pronunciation: Name Pronunciation: Messelite + Pronunciation Say MESSELITE
 

Messelite Image

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  Messelite   Leucophosphite

Comments: White messelite crystals with greenish leucophosphite.
Location: Tip Top mine, Custer, Custer County, South Dakota, USA. Scale: Not Given.
© Lou Perloff / Photo Atlas of Minerals

Messelite Crystallography

Help on Axial Ratios: Axial Ratios: a:b:c =0.8787:1:0.8333
Help on Cell Dimensions: Cell Dimensions: a = 5.8, b = 6.6, c = 5.5, Z = 1; alpha = 102°, beta = 109°, gamma = 90° V = 194.72 Den(Calc)= 3.08
Help on Crystal System: Crystal System: Triclinic - Pinacoidal H-M Symbol ( 1) Space Group: P1
Help on X Ray Diffraction: X Ray Diffraction: By Intensity(I/Io): 3.17(1), 6.34(1), 3.02(0.8),
 

Physical Properties of Messelite

Help on Cleavage: Cleavage: {001} Good, {010} Distinct
Help on Color: Color: Colorless, Greenish white, Gray, Gray white, White.
Help on Density: Density: 3 - 3.16, Average = 3.08
Help on Diaphaneity: Diaphaneity: Transparent
Help on Fracture: Fracture: Uneven - Flat surfaces (not cleavage) fractured in an uneven pattern.
Help on Habit: Habit: Radial - Crystals radiate from a center without producing stellar forms (e.g. stibnite)
Help on Habit: Habit: Scaly - Morphology like fish scales.
Help on Habit: Habit: Tabular - Form dimensions are thin in one direction.
Help on Hardness: Hardness: 3.5 - Copper Penny
Help on Luster: Luster: Vitreous - Pearly
Help on Streak: Streak: white
 

Optical Properties of Messelite

Help on Gladstone-Dale: Gladstone-Dale: CI meas= -0.026 (Excellent) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC)
CI calc= -0.023 (Excellent) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.2133,KPDmeas= 0.214,KC= 0.2084
Ncalc = 1.63 - 1.66
Help on Optical Data: Optical Data: Biaxial (+), a=1.644, b=1.653, g=1.68, bire=0.0360, 2V(Calc)=62, 2V(Meas)=20-35.
 

Calculated Properties of Messelite

Help on Electron Density: Electron Density: Bulk Density (Electron Density)=3.07 gm/cc
note: Specific Gravity of Messelite =3.09 gm/cc.
Help on Fermion Index: Fermion Index: Fermion Index = 0.0029677474
Boson Index = 0.9970322526
Help on Photoelectric: Photoelectric: PEMesselite = 7.90 barns/electron
U=PEMesselite x rElectron Density= 24.27 barns/cc.
Help on Radioactivity: Radioactivity: GRapi = 0 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)
Messelite is Not Radioactive
 

Messelite Classification

Help on  Dana Class: Dana Class: 40.02.02.02 (40)Hydrated Phosphates, etc
  (40.02)where A++ (B++)2 (XO4) � x(H2O)
  (40.02.02)Fairfieldite Subgroup (Triclinic: P-1�)
 
40.02.02.01 Fairfieldite Ca2(Mn,Fe)(PO4)2•2(H2O) P1 1
 
40.02.02.02 Messelite Ca2(Fe,Mn)(PO4)2•2(H2O) P1 1
 
40.02.02.03 Collinsite Ca2(Mg,Fe)(PO4)2•2(H2O) P1 1
 
40.02.02.04 Cassidyite Ca2(Ni,Mg)(PO4)2•2(H2O) P1 1
 
40.02.02.05 Talmessite Ca2Mg(AsO4)2•2(H2O) P1 1
 
40.02.02.06 Gaitite Ca2Zn(AsO4)2•2(H2O) P1 1
 
40.02.02.07 Roselite-beta Ca2(Co,Mg)(AsO4)2•2(H2O) P 1 or P1 Tri
 
40.02.02.08 Parabrandtite Ca2Mn(AsO4)•2(H2O) P1,P 1 Tri
 
40.02.02.09 Hillite! Ca2(Zn,Mg)[PO4]2•2(H2O) P1 1
 
40.02.02.10 Nickeltalmessite! Ca2Ni(AsO4)2•2H2O P 1
Help on  Strunz Class: Strunz Class: 08.CG.05 08 - PHOSPHATES, ARSENATES, VANADATES
  08.C - Phosphates without Additional Anions, with H2O
  08.CG -With large and medium-sized cations, RO4:H2O = 1:1
 
08.CG.05 Collinsite Ca2(Mg,Fe)(PO4)2•2(H2O) P1 1
 
08.CG.05 Gaitite Ca2Zn(AsO4)2•2(H2O) P1 1
 
08.CG.05 Cassidyite Ca2(Ni,Mg)(PO4)2•2(H2O) P1 1
 
08.CG.05 Fairfieldite Ca2(Mn,Fe)(PO4)2•2(H2O) P1 1
 
08.CG.05 Messelite Ca2(Fe,Mn)(PO4)2•2(H2O) P1 1
 
08.CG.05 Parabrandtite Ca2Mn(AsO4)•2(H2O) P1,P 1 Tri
 
08.CG.05 Uranophane-beta Ca[(UO2)SiO3(OH)]2•(H2O) P 21/a 2/m
 
08.CG.05 Talmessite Ca2Mg(AsO4)2•2(H2O) P1 1
 
08.CG.05 Hillite! Ca2(Zn,Mg)[PO4]2•2(H2O) P1 1
 

Other Messelite Information

Help on References: References: NAME( Duda&Rejl90) PHYS. PROP.(Enc. of Minerals,2nd ed.,1990) OPTIC PROP.(Ford32)
Help on See Also: See Also: Links to other databases for Messelite :
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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Messelite

Ca2(Fe++,Mn)(PO4)2•2(H2O)
Dana No: 40.02.02.02 Strunz No: 08.CG.05
Locality:

 

Notes:

 

 
   
 


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