May 16 2013
Painite is a rare borate mineral first found in Myanmar by Arthur C.D. Pain, a British mineralogist and gem dealer in the late 1950s. It was named after the person who discovered it.
Properties of Painite
The following are the key properties of Painite:
- Cell Data
- Space Group: P63
- a = 8.715(2)
- c = 8.472(2)
- Z = 2
- Crystal Data
- Hexagonal
- Point Group: 6
- Elongated crystals, pseudo-orthorhombic, showing {1010}, {1120}, {1230}, {1340}, {1121}, {1122}, {1123}, {2021}, {1011}, and {0001}, to 1.5 cm
- X-ray Powder Pattern: 5.76 (vs), 2.520 (vs), 3.70 (s), 2.370 (s), 2.008 (s), 1.726 (ms), 1.423 (ms).
- Chemical Composition
| Elements |
Content 1 |
Content 2 |
| Al2O3 |
69.02 |
68.19 |
| ZrO2 |
18.77 |
18.31 |
| CaO |
7.17 |
8.33 |
| B2O3 |
n.d. |
5.17 |
| H2O |
n.d. |
- |
| Total |
94.96 |
100.00 |
- Optical Properties
- Optical Class: Uniaxial (–)
- Pleochroism: Ruby-red || [0001]; pale brownish orange or pale red-orange ⊥ [0001]
- ω = 1.8159
- ε = 1.7875
- Estimated Properties
| Electron density |
Bulk density (electron density)=3.94 g/cm3
note: Specific gravity of Painite =4.02 g/cm3 |
| Photoelectric |
PEPainite = 3.02 barns/electron
U= PEPainite x ρElectron density= 11.89 barns/cm3 |
| Fermion index |
Fermion index = 0.007
Boson index = 0.992 |
Radioactivity
|
Painite is not radioactive
|
How to Identify Painite
Painite is red, orange red, brownish red or brown in color. It has a white streak, transparent appearance and vitreous luster. It can be formed as hexagonal or prismatic crystals. The average density of painite is 4.01 g/cm3, and its relative hardness is 8.
Global Distribution
Painite is widely distributed near Ohngaing village, Sagaing, Mogok district, Myanmar.
Occurrence of Painite and Useful Mineral Association
Painite occurs in gem gravels. Phlogopite and corundum are closely associated with painite.
References