Szaibelyite
Current inventory:  0 gems
 

  
Szaibelyite was named to honor István Ádám Rudolf Szaibély (1777–1855), Rézbánya, Hungary (now Baita, Romania), mine surveyor, who collected the first specimens.

Discovered in 1861;   IMA status:  Valid (pre-IMA; Grandfathered)

Chemistry

Chemical Formula:

MgBO₂(OH)

Magnesium Borate Hydroxide

Molecular Weight:

84.44 gm

Composition:

Magnesium

28.50 %

Mg

47.26 %

MgO

Iron

0.66 %

Fe

0.85 %

FeO

Boron

12.80 %

B

41.23 %

B₂O₃

Hydrogen

1.19 %

H

10.67 %

H₂O

Oxygen

56.85 %

O

100.00 %

100.00 %

= TOTAL OXIDE

Classification

Mineral Classification:

Borates

Strunz 8th Ed. ID:

5/H.02-10

Nickel-Strunz 10th Ed. ID:

6.BA.15

6 : BORATES
B : Diborates
A : Neso-diborates with double triangles B₂(O,OH)₅; 2(2D); 2(2D) + OH, etc.

Related to:

Szaibelyite Group. Sussexite - Szaibelyite Series. The magnesium analogue of Sussexite. Polytypes -O and -M are known.

Varieties:

Hydroascharite

Synonyms:

α-Ascharite, Alpha-Ascharite, Ascharite, Beta-Ascharite, Camsellite, Magnesiosussexite, ß-Ascharite

Crystal Data

Crystallography:

Monoclinic - Prismatic

Crystal Habit:

As flattened fibers or laths; in spheroidal aggregates, to 5 mm; typically as felted or matted fibrous aggregates.

Twinning:

On {100}

Physical Properties

Cleavage:

None

Fracture:

Conchoidal or Fibrous

Tenacity:

Inflexible

Moh's Hardness:

3.0 - 3.5

Density:

2.62 (g/cm³)

Luminescence:

None

Radioactivity:

Not Radioactive

Other:

Slowly soluble in acids

Optical Properties

Color:

White to Buff, Straw-Yellow; Colorless in transmitted light

Transparency:

Translucent to Opaque

Luster:

Silky to Dull

Refractive Index:

1.530 - 1.740  Biaxial ( - )

Birefringence:

0.020 - 0.070

Dispersion:

r > v

Pleochroism:

None

Occurances

Geological Setting:

Uncommon in marine evaporite deposits; in boron-bearing contact metasomatized dolomitic marbles and skarns, and metamorphosed banded iron formation. An alteration product of Colemanite, Inyoite, and Hydroboracite (Inder deposits).

Common Associations:

Aragonite, Brucite, Brugnatellite, Clinohumite, Dolomite, Fluoborite, Hulsite, Ludwigite, Magnetite, Nordenskiöldine, Sinhalite, Vonsenite, Warwickite, (skarns); Boracite, Hainite, Halite, Sylvite (marine salt deposits)

Common Impurities:

None

Type Locality:

Baita Mining District (Baita Bihor; Rézbánya), Nucet, Bihor Co., Romania

Year Discovered:

1861

View mineral photos:

Szaibelyite Mineral Photos and Locations

More Information

Mindat.org
Webmineral.com

Szaibelyite, also known as Ascharite, is a very rare borate mineral that is rarely available as a faceted gem. A faceted gem is an oddity just for collectors. The mineral is usually opaque with a silky to dull luster and found in fairly unattractive colors of buff white to straw yellow.

Szaibelyite is found in small amounts at numerous localities worldwide, typically in saline or borate evaporite deposits.
 

  
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