Kalinite










































































































Kalinite

Kalinite 1.jpg
Kalinite from the Virgin Valley District, Nevada, USA. Specimen size 5.4 cm

General
Category Sulfate minerals

Formula
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(repeating unit)
KAl(SO4)2·11H2O
Strunz classification 7.CC.15
Dana classification 29.5.4.2
Crystal system Monoclinic
Crystal class Prismatic (2/m)
(same H-M symbol)
Space group C2/c
Unit cell a = 19.92(16), b = 9.27(3)
c = 8.304(13) Å
β = 98.79(19)°; Z = 4
Identification
Formula mass 456.37 g/mol
Color White to pale blue
Crystal habit Fibrous
Fracture Conchoidal

Mohs scale
hardness
2 to 2.5
Luster Vitreous
Streak White
Diaphaneity Transparent
Specific gravity 1.75 (observed) 2.0 (calculated)
Optical properties Biaxial (-)
Refractive index nα = 1.429 to 1.430, nβ = 1.452, nγ = 1.456 to 1.458
Birefringence None
2V angle 52° (measured), 82° (calculated)
Solubility Soluble in water
Other characteristics Not fluorescent, barely detectable radioactivity
References
[1][2][3][4]

Kalinite is a mineral composed of hydrated potassium aluminium sulfate (a type of alum). It is a fibrous monoclinic alum, distinct from isometric potassium alum,[5] named in 1868. Its name comes from kalium (derived from Arabic: القَلْيَه al-qalyah “plant ashes”) which is the Latin name for potassium, hence its chemical symbol, "K".


A proposal to remove recognition of kalinite as a mineral species was submitted to the International Mineralogical Association,[4] however, kalinite is still on the list of approved minerals.[6] Many older samples, however, have been found to be potassium alum.[2]



Environment


Kalinite is a rare secondary mineral observed in the oxidized zone of mineral deposits, as efflorescence on alum slates, in caves, and as a volcanic sublimate.[7] It is associated with jarosite, KFe3+3(SO4)2(OH)6, and cuprian melanterite (pisanite), (Fe2+,Cu2+)SO4·7H2O, at Quetena, Chile.[8]



References





  1. ^ Gaines et al (1997) Dana’s New Mineralogy, Wiley


  2. ^ ab Kalinite data in the Handbook of Mineralogy


  3. ^ Kalinite on Webmin


  4. ^ ab Kalinite on Mindat


  5. ^ American Mineralogist (1923) 8:15


  6. ^ http://rruff.info/ima


  7. ^ American Mineralogist (1927) 12:14


  8. ^ American Mineralogist (1938) 23:721









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