Barrerite
Current inventory:  0 gems
 

  
Barrerite is named for Richard Maling Barrer (1910-1996), New Zealand-born British teacher and student of the chemistry of Zeolites.

Discovered in 1974;   IMA status: Valid (Approved 1974)

Chemistry

Chemical Formula:

(Na,K,Ca)₂Al₂Si₇O₁₈ · 7H₂O

Hydrated Potassium Sodium Calcium Aluminum Silicate

Molecular Weight:

2,680.57 gm

Composition:

Potassium

1.55 %

K

1.86 %

K₂O

Sodium

4.67 %

Na

6.30 %

Na₂O

Calcium

1.26 %

Ca

1.76 %

CaO

Magnesium

0.15 %

Mg

0.26 %

MgO

Aluminum

8.24 %

Al

15.58 %

Al₂O₃

Iron

0.02 %

Fe

0.03 %

FeO

Silicon

23.80 %

Si

50.93 %

SiO₂

Hydrogen

1.94 %

H

17.33 %

H₂O

Oxygen

58.36 %

O

100.00 %

100.00 %

= TOTAL OXIDE

Classification

Mineral Classification:

Silicates (Germanates)

Strunz 8th Ed. ID:

8/J.23-40

Nickel-Strunz 10th Ed. ID:

9.GE.15

9 : SILICATES (Germanates)
G : Tektosilicates with zeolitic H₂O; zeolite family
E : Chains of T₁₀O₂₀ Tetrahedra

Related to:

Zeolite Group. Heulandite - Barium-Brewsterite Series.

Members of Group:

Zeolite Group: Amicite, Barrerite, Bellbergite, Bikitaite, Boggsite, Brewsterite, Chabazite, Chabazite-Lévyne Subgroup, Clinoptilolite, Cowlesite, Dachiardite-Na, Epistilbite, Erionite, Faujasite Subgroup, Ferrierite, Garronite, Gismondine, Gmelinite, Gobbinsite, Goosecreekite, Harmotome, Heulandite, Laumontite, Lévyne, Mazzite, Merlinoite, Montesommaite, Mordenite, Offretite, Paulingite, Pollucite, Stellerite, Stilbite, Thomsonite, Tschernichite, Wairakite, Willhendersonite, Yugawaralite

Varieties:

None

Synonyms:

None

Crystal Data

Crystallography:

Orthorhombic - Dipyramidal

Crystal Habit:

As well-formed, laminar crystals, to 5 mm, with {010}, {011}, and {111}; {001} is common, but of poor quality.

Twinning:

None

Physical Properties

Cleavage:

Perfect on {010}

Fracture:

Irregular/Uneven, Conchoidal

Tenacity:

Brittle

Moh's Hardness:

3.0 - 4.0

Density:

2.13 - 2.30 (g/cm³)

Luminescence:

None

Radioactivity:

Barely Detectable; GRapi = 22.57 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units) 

Optical Properties

Color:

White, Pink

Transparency:

Transparent, Translucent

Luster:

Vitreous

Refractive Index:

1.479 - 1.489  Biaxial ( - )

Birefringence:

0.010

Dispersion:

None

Pleochroism:

None

Occurances

Geological Setting:

On the walls of large fractures in deeply weathered andesitic and rhyolitic lavas.

Common Associations:

Heulandite

Common Impurities:

Fe, Mn, Mg, Sr, Ba

Type Locality:

Near Capo Pula, below South San Efisio Tower, Nora, Margherita di Pula, Cagliari Province, Sardinia, Italy

Year Discovered:

1974 (IMA approved 1974)

View mineral photos:

Barrerite Mineral Photos and Locations

More Information

Mindat.org
Webmineral.com

Barrerite is the rarest member of the Zeolite Group of minerals that includes over 40 minerals and these gem-type minerals: Analcime, Barrerite, Chabazite, Epistilbite, Gmelinite-Na, Goosecreekite, Mordenite, Natrolite, Pollucite, Scolecite, Stellerite, Stilbite, Thomsonite and Yugawaralite. The mineral Barrerite was discovered in 1974 near Capo Pula, Sardinia, Italy. The only current source of gem quality crystals of Barrerite is on the Kuiu Island and Kupreanof Island, Alaska, USA. Gems are usually colorless to very slightly pink and translucent.
 

  
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