Niocalite Mineral Data
General Niocalite Information
Chemical Formula:
Ca14Nb2(Si2O7)4O6F2
Composition:
Molecular Weight = 1,553.57 gm
Calcium 36.12 % Ca 50.53 % CaO
Niobium 11.96 % Nb 17.11 % Nb2 O5
Silicon 14.46 % Si 30.94 % SiO2
Oxygen 35.01 % O
Fluorine 2.45 % F 2.45 % F
- %
F -1.03 % -O=F2
______ ______
100.00 % 100.00 % = TOTAL OXIDE
Empirical Formula:
Ca14 Nb2 (Si2 O7 )4 O6 F2
Environment:
In carbonatites.
IMA Status:
Valid Species (Pre-IMA) 1956
Locality:
Oka, Quebec, Canada. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.
Name Origin:
Named for its composition (Niobium, Calcium).
Name Pronunciation:
Niocalite + Pronunciation
Synonym:
ICSD 31269
PDF 11-633
Niocalite Image
Images:
Niocalite Crystallography
Axial Ratios:
a:b:c =1.0414:1:0.7065
Cell Dimensions:
a = 10.863, b = 10.431, c = 7.37, Z = 1; beta = 110.1° V = 784.25 Den(Calc)= 3.29
Crystal System:
Monoclinic - Domatic H-M Symbol (m) Space Group: Pa
X Ray Diffraction:
By Intensity(I/Io ): 3.01(1), 2.85(0.6), 2.89(0.6),
Physical Properties of Niocalite
Cleavage:
None
Color:
Light yellow.
Density:
3.32
Diaphaneity:
Transparent
Fracture:
Brittle - Conchoidal - Very brittle fracture producing small, conchoidal fragments.
Habit:
Square - Occurs as square crystals in shape or outline.
Hardness:
6 - Orthoclase
Luster:
Vitreous (Glassy)
Streak:
white
Optical Properties of Niocalite
Gladstone-Dale:
CI meas = 0.011 (Superior) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas /KC ) CI calc = 0.002 (Superior) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc /KC )
KPDcalc = 0.2171,KPDmeas = 0.2152,KC = 0.2175 Ncalc = 1.72
Optical Data:
Biaxial (-), a=1.7-1.701, b=1.714-1.721, g=1.72-1.73, bire=0.0200-0.0290, 2V(Calc)=64-66, 2V(Meas)=34-56.
Calculated Properties of Niocalite
Electron Density:
Bulk Density (Electron Density)=3.24 gm/cc note: Specific Gravity of Niocalite =3.29 gm/cc.
Fermion Index:
Fermion Index = 0.0074096198 Boson Index = 0.9925903802
Photoelectric:
PENiocalite = 22.25 barns/electronU=PENiocalite x r Electron Density= 72.01 barns/cc.
Radioactivity:
GRapi = 0 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units) Niocalite is Not Radioactive
Niocalite Classification
Dana Class:
56.02.04.06 (56) Sorosilicate Si2O7 Groups and O, OH, F. and H2O
(56.02) with cations in [4] and/or >[4] coordination
(56.02.04) Cuspidine - Wohlerite group
56.02.04.01 Baghdadite Ca3(Zr,Ti)Si2O9 P 21 /a 2/m
56.02.04.02 Burpalite Na2CaZrSi2O7F2 P 21 /a 2/m
56.02.04.03 Cuspidine Ca4Si2O7(F,OH)2 P 21 /c 2/m
56.02.04.04 Lavenite (Na,Ca)2(Mn,Fe)(Zr,Ti,Nb)Si2O7(O,OH,F) P 21 /a 2/m
56.02.04.05 Wohlerite NaCa2(Zr,Nb)Si2O7(O,OH,F)2 P 21 /m 2/m
56.02.04.06 Niocalite Ca14Nb2(Si2O7)4O6F2 Pa m
56.02.04.07 Hiortdahlite (Ca,Na,Y)3(Zr,Ti)Si2O7(F,O,OH)2 P1 1
56.02.04.08 Rosenbuschite (Ca,Na)3(Zr,Ti)Si2O8F P1 1
56.02.04.09 Hainite Na4Ca8(Ti,Zr,Mn,Fe)3Si8O28F8 P1 1
56.02.04.10 Janhaugite (Na,Ca)3(Mn,Fe)3(Ti,Zr,Nb)2Si4O15(OH,F,O)3 P 21 /n 2/m
56.02.04.11 Jennite Ca9Si6O18(OH)6•8H2O P1 1
56.02.04.12 Komarovite (Ca,Mn)2(Nb,Ti)2Si2O7(O,F)2•3.5(H2O) Unk Ortho
56.02.04.13 Natrokomarovite * Na6CaNb6[Si4O12F2•4(H2O) C mmm 2/m 2/m 2/m
56.02.04.14 Suolunite Ca2Si2O5(OH)2•(H2O) F dd2 mm2
56.02.04.15 Mongolite Ca4Nb6Si5O24(OH)10•5(H2O) Unk Tetra
56.02.04.16 Kristiansenite ! Ca2ScSn(Si2O7)(Si2O6OH) C1 1
56.02.04.17 Kochite ! Na2(Na,Ca)4Ca4(Mn,Ca)2Zr2Ti2(Si2O7)4(O,F)4F4 P1 1
56.02.04.18 Marianoite ! Na2Ca4(Nb,Zr)2(Si2O7)2(O,F)4 P 21 2/m
Strunz Class:
09.BE.17 09 - SILICATES (Germanates)
09.B - Sorosilicates
09.BE -Si2O7 groups with additional anions;
09.BE.17 Baghdadite Ca3(Zr,Ti)Si2O9 P 21 /a 2/m
09.BE.17 Janhaugite (Na,Ca)3(Mn,Fe)3(Ti,Zr,Nb)2Si4O15(OH,F,O)3 P 21 /n 2/m
09.BE.17 Burpalite Na2CaZrSi2O7F2 P 21 /a 2/m
09.BE.17 Cuspidine Ca4Si2O7(F,OH)2 P 21 /c 2/m
09.BE.17 Hiortdahlite (Ca,Na,Y)3(Zr,Ti)Si2O7(F,O,OH)2 P1 1
09.BE.17 Lavenite (Na,Ca)2(Mn,Fe)(Zr,Ti,Nb)Si2O7(O,OH,F) P 21 /a 2/m
09.BE.17 Niocalite Ca14Nb2(Si2O7)4O6F2 Pa m
09.BE.17 Normandite ! NaCa(Mn,Fe)(Ti,Nb,Zr)Si2O7(O,F)2 P 21 /a 2/m
09.BE.17 Wohlerite NaCa2(Zr,Nb)Si2O7(O,OH,F)2 P 21 /m 2/m
09.BE.17 Marianoite ! Na2Ca4(Nb,Zr)2(Si2O7)2(O,F)4 P 21 2/m
Other Niocalite Information
References:
NAME( Dana8) PHYS. PROP.(Dana8) OPTIC PROP.(Dana8)
See Also:
Links to other databases for Niocalite :
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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Niocalite
Ca14Nb2(Si2O7)4O6F2
Dana No: 56.02.04.06 Strunz No: 09.BE.17
Locality:
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