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Hanksite
Current inventory:  0 gems
 

Hanksite

Chemistry:  KNa22(SO4)9(CO3)2Cl

Discovered in 1885;   IMA status: Valid (pre-IMA; Grandfathered).
Hanksite is named in honor of Henry Garber Hanks (1826–1907), for his service as first State Mineralogist of California, USA.

 

Classification

   

   

Mineral Classification:

Sulfates

Strunz 8th Ed. ID:

6/B.14-30

Nickel-Strunz 10th Ed. ID:

7.BD.30

 

7 : SULFATES (selenates, tellurates, chromates, molybdates, wolframates)
B : Sulfates (selenates, etc.) with additional anions, without H
2O
D : With only large cations

Related to:

Hectorfloresite - Hanksite Series

 

 

Crystal Data

   

   

Crystallography:

Hexagonal - Dipyramidal

Crystal Habit:

As short prismatic to tabular hexagonal crystals, to 20 cm, striated.

Twinning:

None

 

 

Physical Properties

   

 

Cleavage:

[0001] Good

Fracture:

Conchoidal, Irregular/Uneven

Tenacity:

Brittle

Hardness (Mohs):

3.0 - 3.5

Density:

2.562 (g/cm3)

Luminescence:

Pale Yellow under LW UV

Radioactivity:

Barely Detectable; GRapi = 35.47 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)

Other:

Readily soluble in water. Saline taste.

 

 

Optical Properties

   

   

Color:

Colorless to pale Yellow or almost Black; may be Grayish Green due to clay inclusions

Transparency:

Transparent, Translucent

Luster:

Vitreous, Dull

Refractive Index:

1.461 - 1.481  Uniaxial ( - )

Birefringence:

0.0200

Dispersion:

n/a

Pleochroism:

None

 

 

Occurances

   

   

Geological Setting:

In lacustrine evaporite deposits.

Common Associations:

Aphthitalite, Borax, Halite, Trona (Searles Lake, California, USA).

Type Locality:

Searles Lake, San Bernardino Co., California, USA

Year Discovered:

1885

View mineral photos:

Hanksite Mineral Photos and Locations

 

 

More Information

   

   

 

Mindat.org
Webmineral.com

 

 


Hanksite is somewhat common as a mineral but rarely faceted as a gem. It is difficult to facet because it is readily soluble in water so another liquid such as alcohol must be used. Hanksite is an unusual mineral because it is one of very few minerals that contain both carbonate and sulfate ion groups. Some mineral references place it in the carbonate while others put it with the sulfates. Hanksite forms very nice crystals in evaporite deposits in arid environments. Hanksite crystals can be large and well formed, but are very simple.

There are very few loactions for Hanksite. The best known is Searles Lake, San Bernardino County, California, USA.
 

  
Hanksite gems for sale:

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