Jun 12 2014
Akatoreite was named after the place it was initially discovered - Akatore Creek, New Zealand.
Properties of Akatoreite
The following are the key properties of akatoreite:
- Cell Data
- Space group: P1
- a = 8.337(2)
- b = 10.367(2)
- c = 7.629(1)
- α = 104:46(1)°
- β = 93:81(2)°
- γ = 104:18(1)°
- Z =1
- Crystal Data
- Triclinic
- Point group: 1
- Rarely as sheaves, to 1cm, of radiating prisms, elongated and striated || [100]
- Fibrous, fine granular, massive
- Twinning: On {021}
- Twin axis ⊥ {021}, lamellar in thin section
- X-ray powder pattern: 4.665 (100), 3.310 (90), 2.214 (80), 9.681 (60), 3.466 (50), 3.063 (50), 2.866 (50)
- Chemical Composition
| Elements |
Content 1 |
Content 2 |
| MnO |
47.7 |
44.2 |
| SiO2 |
36.4 |
36.9 |
| Al2O3 |
8.3 |
6.2 |
| H2O |
6.21 |
[10.7] |
| FeO |
1.0 |
0.9 |
| MgO |
0.3 |
0.8 |
| CaO |
0.2 |
0.2 |
| TiO2 |
0.03 |
0.1 |
| Total |
100.14 |
[100.0] |
- Optical Properties
- Optical class: Biaxial (+)
- Pleochroism: X = colorless; Y = pale yellow; Z = light canary-yellow
- Orientation: X ^ {010} = 58°; Y^{010} = 30°
- α = 1.698(1); β =1.704(1); γ = 1.720(1)
- 2V(meas.) = 65.5°
- Estimated Properties
| Electron density |
Bulk density (electron density) = 3.38 g/cm3
note: Specific gravity of akatoreite = 3.48 g/cm3. |
| Photoelectric |
PEAkatoreite = 10.46 barns/electron
U = PEAkatoreite x ρ electron density = 35.35 barns/cm3 |
| Fermion index |
Fermion index = 0.0084
Boson index = 0.9915 |
| Radioactivity |
Akatoreite is not radioactive |
How to Identify Akatoreite
Akatoreite can be identified in the field by its color variations, such as orange and brown. Its transparent form has {010} perfect, {021} good cleavage. This mineral has a vitreous luster, with yellow-white streak.
The density of akatoreite is 3.48 g/cm3, with a hardness of 6 - approximate to orthoclase.
Global Distribution
Akatoreite is distributed in the following places:
- New Zealand - 3km south of Akatore Creek, east Otago, South Island
- Sweden - From Norberg
Occurrence of Akatoreite and Useful Mineral Association
Akatoreite occurs in a manganiferous metachert and carbonate lens in schists, and in manganiferous potassium-rich felsic metavolcanics.
It is often associated with minerals such as rhodochrosite, apatite, pyroxmangite, spessartine, quartz, rhodonite, tinzenite, todorokite, alabandite, ganophyllite, rhodochrosite, pyrolusite, and haubnerite.
References