Chambersite
Current inventory:  0 gems
 

  
Chambersite is named after Chambers County, Texas where it was discovered.

Discovered in 1962;   IMA status: Valid (pre-IMA; Grandfathered)

Chemistry

Chemical Formula:

Mn₃B₇O₁₃Cl

Manganese Borate Chloride

Molecular Weight:

483.93 gm

Composition:

Manganese

34.06 %

Mn

43.98 %

MnO

Boron

15.64 %

B

50.35 %

B₂O₃

Chlorine

7.33 %

Cl

7.33 %

Cl

 -  %

Cl

-1.65 %

-O=Cl₂

Oxygen

42.98 %

O

100.00 %

100.00 %

= TOTAL OXIDE

Classification

Mineral Classification:

Borates

Strunz 8th Ed. ID:

5/L.04-30

Nickel-Strunz 10th Ed. ID:

6.GA.05

6 : BORATES
G : Heptaborates and other megaborates
A : Tekto-heptaborates

Related to:

Boracite Group. The manganese analog of Boracite and Ericaite.

Members of Group:

Boracite Group: Boracite, Chambersite, Congolite, Ericaite, Trembathite

Varieties:

None

Synonyms:

None

Crystal Data

Crystallography:

Orthorhombic - Pyramidal

Crystal Habit:

Crystals are pseudotetrahedral {111}, modified by {001}, {110}, and {111}, to 2 cm, paramorphous and composed of microscopically twinned aggregates of orthorhombic material inverted from the high-temperature form.

Twinning:

Rare as interpenetrant twins on [111] with twin plane {111} (pseudocubic).

Physical Properties

Cleavage:

None

Fracture:

Subconchoidal to Irregular/Uneven

Tenacity:

Brittle

Moh's Hardness:

7.0

Density:

3.49 (g/cm³)

Luminescence:

None

Radioactivity:

Not Radioactive

Optical Properties

Color:

Colorless, Lilac to dark Purple, Brownish Purple (may darken with exposure to sunlight)

Transparency:

Transparent to Opaque

Luster:

Vitreous (glassy)

Refractive Index:

1.732 - 1.744  Biaxial ( + )

Birefringence:

0.0120

Dispersion:

r > v

Pleochroism:

None

Occurances

Geological Setting:

In brine residues from extraction wells in salt domes.

Common Associations:

Halite, Anhydrite, Gypsum

Common Impurities:

None

Type Locality:

Barbers Hill Salt Dome (Barbers Hill), Mont Belvieu, Chambers Co., Texas, USA

Year Discovered:

1962

View mineral photos:

Chambersite Mineral Photos and Locations

More Information

Mindat.org
Webmineral.com

Chambersite is a rare borate mineral and is the manganese analogue of Boracite. It is an extremely rare mineral and faceted gems are almost non-existant. The tetrahedral shaped crystals are so small (up to 10mm on edge) that Chambersite gems are usually not 'cut' but the surfaces of the natural crystal shape are just polished. Most crystals are too small and/or too dark to be faceted. Chambersite was discovered in 1962 in a salt brine storage well at Barbers Hill Salt Dome (Barbers Hill), Mont Belvieu, Chambers County, Texas, USA. The only way to find the tiny crystals is by diving to depths of as much as 70 feet in the salt brine.

Distribution: In the USA, from the Barber’s Hill salt dome, Mont Belvieu, Chambers County, Texas (Type Locality) and the Venice salt dome, Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana. In the Jixian Mn–B deposits, Hebei Province, China. From Pomyarka, near Truskarets, Carpathian Mountains, Ukraine.
 

  
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