Chlorocalcite

(repeating unit)KCaCl3IMA symbolCcal[1]Strunz classification3.AA.40Crystal systemOrthorhombicCrystal classDipyramidal (mmm)
H-M symbol: (2/m 2/m 2/m)Space groupPnma (from synthetic crystals)Unit cella = 7.35 Å, b = 10.44 Å,
c = 7.25 Å; Z = 4IdentificationFormula mass185.54 g/molColorWhite, tinged violetCrystal habitPrismatic or tabular cube-like crystals, pseudo cubicCleavagePerfect on {001}, good on {010} and {100}Mohs scale hardness2.5-3DiaphaneityTransparent to semi-transparentDensity2.16 calculatedOptical propertiesBiaxial (–)Refractive index~1.52BirefringenceweakSolubilityIn waterOther characteristicsDeliquescentReferences[2][3][4][5]

Chlorocalcite is a rare potassium calcium chloride evaporite mineral with formula: KCaCl3. It is found in active volcanic fumaroles.

It was first described in 1872 for an occurrence on Mount Vesuvius and given the name for its calcium content previous to discovering that it also contained potassium.[3][4] It has also been reported from the Desdemona Mine, Peine, Lower Saxony, Germany.[3]

References

  1. ^ Warr, L.N. (2021). "IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols". Mineralogical Magazine. 85 (3): 291–320. Bibcode:2021MinM...85..291W. doi:10.1180/mgm.2021.43. S2CID 235729616.
  2. ^ Mineralienatlas
  3. ^ a b c Chlorocalcite on Mindat.org
  4. ^ a b Chlorocalcite on Webmineral
  5. ^ Handbook of Mineralogy
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