Leonite
Leonite is a hydrated double sulfate of magnesium and potassium. It has the formula K2SO4·MgSO4·4H2O. The mineral was named after Leo Strippelmann, who was director of the salt works at Westeregeln in Germany. The mineral is part of the blodite group of hydrated double sulfate minerals.
| Leonite | |
|---|---|
Leonite | |
| General | |
| Category | Sulfate mineral |
| Formula (repeating unit) | K2Mg(SO4)2·4H2O |
| IMA symbol | Leo |
| Strunz classification | 7.CC.55 |
| Dana classification | 29.03.03.01 |
| Crystal system | Monoclinic |
| Crystal class | Prismatic (2/m) (same H-M symbol) |
| Space group | C2/m |
| Unit cell | a = 11.78, b = 9.53 c = 9.88 [Å]; β = 95.4°; Z = 4 |
| Identification | |
| Formula mass | 366.69 g/mol |
| Color | White to colorless, yellow |
| Crystal habit | Tabular crystals |
| Twinning | {100} |
| Cleavage | none |
| Fracture | conchoidal |
| Mohs scale hardness | 2.5–3 |
| Luster | Vitreous or waxy |
| Streak | White |
| Diaphaneity | Transparent to translucent |
| Specific gravity | 2.201 |
| Optical properties | Biaxial (+) |
| Refractive index | nα = 1.479 nβ = 1.482 nγ = 1.487 |
| Birefringence | δ = 0.008 |
| 2V angle | Measured: 90° Calc: 76° |
| Dispersion | none |
| Fusibility | easy |
| Other characteristics | Leonit, 钾镁矾, Leonita, Леонит, Kalium-Astrakanit, Kalium-Blödit |
| References | |
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.