Nissonite Mineral Data
General Nissonite Information
Chemical Formula:
Cu2Mg2(PO4)2(OH)2•5(H2O)
Composition:
Molecular Weight = 489.74 gm
Magnesium 9.93 % Mg 16.46 % MgO
Copper 25.95 % Cu 32.49 % CuO
Phosphorus 12.65 % P 28.98 % P2 O5
Hydrogen 2.47 % H 22.07 % H2 O
Oxygen 49.00 % O
______ ______
100.00 % 100.00 % = TOTAL OXIDE
Empirical Formula:
Cu2 Mg2 (PO4 )2 (OH)2 •5(H2 O)
Environment:
Rare mineral in a copper prospect.
IMA Status:
Approved IMA 1966
Locality:
Llanada copper mine, 4 miles NNE of Llanada, San Benito Co., California. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.
Name Origin:
Named for William H. Nisson (1912-1965), amateur mineralogist, mineral collector and dealer, of Petaluma, California, USA.
Name Pronunciation:
Nissonite + Pronunciation
Synonym:
ICSD 69386
PDF 40-478
Nissonite Image
Images:
Nissonite Crystallography
Axial Ratios:
a:b:c =4.4911:1:2.0949
Cell Dimensions:
a = 22.523, b = 5.015, c = 10.506, Z = 4; beta = 99.62° V = 1,170.00 Den(Calc)= 2.78
Crystal System:
Monoclinic - Prismatic H-M Symbol (2/m) Space Group: C 2/c
X Ray Diffraction:
By Intensity(I/Io ): 11.14(1), 2.785(0.25), 4.374(0.21),
Physical Properties of Nissonite
Cleavage:
{100} Distinct
Color:
Bluish green.
Density:
2.73
Hardness:
2.5 - Finger Nail
Streak:
light green
Optical Properties of Nissonite
Gladstone-Dale:
CI meas = -0.031 (Excellent) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas /KC ) CI calc = -0.012 (Superior) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc /KC )
KPDcalc = 0.2188,KPDmeas = 0.2228,KC = 0.2162 Ncalc = 1.59 - 1.6
Optical Data:
Biaxial (-), a=1.584, b=1.62, g=1.621, bire=0.0370, 2V(Calc)=18, 2V(Meas)=19.
Calculated Properties of Nissonite
Electron Density:
Bulk Density (Electron Density)=2.77 gm/cc note: Specific Gravity of Nissonite =2.78 gm/cc.
Fermion Index:
Fermion Index = 0.01 Boson Index = 0.99
Photoelectric:
PENissonite = 11.86 barns/electronU=PENissonite x r Electron Density= 32.87 barns/cc.
Radioactivity:
GRapi = 0 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units) Nissonite is Not Radioactive
Nissonite Classification
Dana Class:
42.07.05.01 (42) Hydrated Phosphates, etc., Containing Hydroxyl or Halogen
(42.07) where (AB)5 (XO4)3 Zq � x(H2O)
(42.07.05) Dana Group
42.07.05.01 Nissonite Cu2Mg2(PO4)2(OH)2•5(H2O) C 2/c 2/m
Strunz Class:
08.DC.05 08 - PHOSPHATES, ARSENATES, VANADATES
08.D - Phosphates, etc
08.DC -With only medium-sized cations, (OH, etc.):RO4 = 1:1 and < 2:1
08.DC.05 Nissonite Cu2Mg2(PO4)2(OH)2•5(H2O) C 2/c 2/m
Other Nissonite Information
References:
NAME( MinRec) PHYS. PROP.(Enc. of Minerals,2nd ed.,1990) OPTIC PROP.(Enc. of Minerals,2nd ed.,1990)
See Also:
Links to other databases for Nissonite :
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
15 - WWW-MINCRYST
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Print or Cut-and-Paste your Nissonite Specimen Label here :
Nissonite
Cu2Mg2(PO4)2(OH)2•5(H2O)
Dana No: 42.07.05.01 Strunz No: 08.DC.05
Locality:
Notes:
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