Mineral Factbook

Benstonite

Ba6Ca6Mg(CO3)13IMA symbol: Benapproved

Benstonite is a carbonate or nitrate mineral with the formula Ba6Ca6Mg(CO3)13, crystallizing in the trigonal system. It has a calculated density of 3.718 g/cm3. Its streak is white.

Photos

Benstonite specimen photo
Erongoguy · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
Benstonite specimen photo
Erongoguy · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
Benstonite specimen photo
Erongoguy · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
Benstonite specimen photo
Erongoguy · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons

Crystallography

Crystal systemtrigonal crystal systemWikidata (CC0)
Space groupR -3 :H
Cell (Å, °)a = 18.28, b = 18.28, c = 8.652; α = 90, β = 90, γ = 120
Cell volume2503.8 ų, Z = 3
Axial ratios1.0000:1:0.4733calculated from COD 9009253
Source structureCOD 9009253 (Neues Jahrbuch fur Mineralogie, Abhandlungen, 1979)

Powder X-ray diffraction (calculated)

2θ (degrees, Cu Kα1)I/I₀ (max 100)
d (Å)3.0823.9152.5352.1281.9044.173
I/I₀1004533.927.222.416.5

xrd-v1: CuKa1 1.5406A, 2theta 5-90, top10, Imax=100, no DW/PO. Computed from COD 9009253; idealized occupancies, no preferred orientation.

Physical properties

Density (calculated)3.718 g/cm³calculated from COD 9009253
Streak
whitesingle sourceWikidata (CC0)

Chemistry (calculated)

Molecular weight1868.85 g/molcalculated from the IMA formula
Composition (wt%)Ba 44.09%, Ca 12.87%, Mg 1.3%, C 8.35%, O 33.39%

Classification

Nickel-Strunz (10th)5.AB.55Wikidata (CC0)
Nickel-Strunz (9th)5.AB.55Wikidata (CC0)