Swaknoite Mineral Data
General Swaknoite Information
Chemical Formula:
(NH4)2Ca(HPO4)2•(H2O)
Composition:
Molecular Weight = 286.13 gm
Calcium 14.01 % Ca 19.60 % CaO
Phosphorus 21.65 % P 49.61 % P2 O5
Hydrogen 2.82 % H - % Calc as (NH4 )2 O
Hydrogen 1.41 % H 12.59 % H2 O
Nitrogen 9.79 % N 18.20 % (NH4 )2 O
Oxygen 50.33 % O
______ ______
100.00 % 100.00 % = TOTAL OXIDE
Empirical Formula:
(NH4 )2 •(H2 O)Ca(HPO4 )2
Environment:
Dolomite walls of the Arnhem cave.
IMA Status:
Approved IMA 1991
Locality:
Windhoek, Namibia. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.
Name Origin:
Named for the acronym for the Siud Wes Aftica Karst Navorsing Organisasie (SWANKNO), a speleological association in Namibia.
Name Pronunciation:
Swaknoite + Pronunciation
Synonym:
IMA1991-021
Swaknoite Crystallography
Axial Ratios:
a:b:c =2.8311:1:0.875
Cell Dimensions:
a = 20.959, b = 7.403, c = 6.478, Z = 4; V = 1,005.12 Den(Calc)= 1.89
Crystal System:
Orthorhombic Space Group: Unk
X Ray Diffraction:
By Intensity(I/Io ): 6.99(1), 3.705(0.89), 10.5(0.57),
Physical Properties of Swaknoite
Color:
White.
Density:
1.91
Diaphaneity:
Transparent
Fracture:
Brittle - Generally displayed by glasses and most non-metallic minerals.
Habit:
Acicular - Occurs as needle-like crystals.
Habit:
Rosette - Bundled tabular aggregates resembling rose flower petals.
Hardness:
1.5-2 - Talc-Gypsum
Luster:
Vitreous (Glassy)
Streak:
white
Optical Properties of Swaknoite
Gladstone-Dale:
CI meas = -0.526 (Poor) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas /KC ) CI calc = -0.542 (Poor) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc /KC )
KPDcalc = 0.2695,KPDmeas = 0.2667,KC = 0.1748 Ncalc = 1.33
Optical Data:
Biaxial (+), a=1.506, b=1.51, g=1.512, bire=0.0060, 2V(Calc)=70, 2V(Meas)=65-70.
Calculated Properties of Swaknoite
Electron Density:
Bulk Density (Electron Density)=1.98 gm/cc note: Specific Gravity of Swaknoite =1.91 gm/cc.
Fermion Index:
Fermion Index = 0.09 Boson Index = 0.91
Photoelectric:
PESwaknoite = 2.74 barns/electronU=PESwaknoite x r Electron Density= 5.42 barns/cc.
Radioactivity:
GRapi = 0 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units) Swaknoite is Not Radioactive
Swaknoite Classification
Dana Class:
39.03.04.01 (39) Hydrated Acid Phosphates, etc
(39.03) with miscellaneous formulae
(39.03.04) Dana Group
39.03.04.01 Swaknoite (NH4)2Ca(HPO4)2•(H2O) Unk Ortho
Strunz Class:
08.CJ.10 08 - PHOSPHATES, ARSENATES, VANADATES
08.C - Phosphates without Additional Anions, with H2O
08.CJ -With only large cations
08.CJ.10 Mundrabillaite (NH4)2Ca(HPO4)2•(H2O) Pm,P 2,P 2/m Mono
08.CJ.10 Swaknoite (NH4)2Ca(HPO4)2•(H2O) Unk Ortho
Other Swaknoite Information
References:
NAME( Dana8) PHYS. PROP.(Am.Min.,Vol.78,p1110,1993) OPTIC PROP.(Am.Min.,Vol.78,p1110,1993)
See Also:
Links to other databases for Swaknoite :
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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Swaknoite
(NH4)2Ca(HPO4)2•(H2O)
Dana No: 39.03.04.01 Strunz No: 08.CJ.10
Locality:
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