Jun 11 2014
Calcium catapleiite was named after the element calcium, present in its composition, as well as its close relationship to catapleiite.
Properties of Calcium Catapleiite
The following are the key properties of calcium catapleiite:
- Cell Data
- Space group: [P63 /mmc]
- a = 7.40
- c = 10.07
- Z = [2]
- Crystal Data
- Hexagonal
- Point group: [6/m2/m2/m]
- Lamellar crystals and grains, to a few centimeters
- X-ray powder pattern: 2.96 (100), 3.96 (80), 3.06 (80), 1.975 (80), 1.835 (80), 6.45 (70), 1.740 (70)
- Chemical Composition
| Elements |
Content 1 |
| SiO2 |
44.49 |
| ZrO2 |
31.00 |
| CaO |
13.82 |
| H2O+ |
9.15 |
| Al2O3 |
0.60 |
| Fe2O3 |
0.36 |
| Na2O |
0.32 |
| Re2O3 |
0.28 |
| H2O- |
0.18 |
| K2O |
0.10 |
| TiO2 |
0.06 |
| Total |
100.36 |
- Optical Properties
- Optical class: Uniaxial (+)
- ω = 1.603
- ε = 1.639
- Estimated Properties
| Electron density |
Bulk density (electron density) = 2.69 g/cm3
note: Specific gravity of calcium catapleiite = 2.75 g/cm3 |
| Photoelectric |
PECalcium catapleiite = 30.87 barns/electron
U = PECalcium catapleiite x ρ electron density = 83.13 barns/cm3 |
| Fermion index |
Fermion index = 0.03
Boson index = 0.97 |
Radioactivity
|
Calcium catapleiite is not radioactive
|
How to Identify Calcium Catapleiite
Calcium catapleiite can be identified in the field by its color variations, such as blue, brown, colorless, yellow, and yellow-brown. Its transparent to translucent form has no cleavage. This mineral has a vitreous luster, with white streak. The fracture on this mineral is brittle.
The density of calcium catapleiite is 2.75 g/cm3, with a hardness of 6 – approximate to orthoclase.
Global Distribution
Calcium catapleiite is distributed in the following places:
- Russia - In the Burpala massif, about 120km north of Lake Baikal, eastern Siberia
- Mongolia - Hovd Aimag (Khovd Aimag), Altai Mts, Khaldzan Buragtag massif
- USA - Montana, Meagher Co. Gordon Butte; Washington, Okanogan Co. Golden Horn Batholith, Washington Pass
- Canada - North-west Territories, Mackenzie District, Blachford Lake alkaline complex Thor Lake syenite complex, Nechalacho deposit
Occurrence of Calcium Catapleiite and Useful Mineral Association
Calcium catapleiite occurs in cavities between crystals of microcline, and in syenite pegmatites of a differentiated alkalic massif.
It is often associated with minerals such as pyrophanite, pyrochlore, titanian lavenite, loparite-(Ce), kupletskite, RE-apatite, hiortdahlite, calcian seidozerite, microcline, and leucophane.
References