Gehlenite
Ca2Al(SiAl)O7IMA symbol: Ghgrandfathered
Gehlenite is a silicate mineral with the formula Ca2Al(SiAl)O7, crystallizing in the tetragonal system. It has a Mohs hardness of 5.5-6, typically brown, gray or green in color, with a resinous or vitreous luster, a specific gravity of 2.9-3.07. Its streak is white or gray.
Photos




Crystallography
| Crystal system | tetragonal crystal systemWikidata (CC0) |
|---|---|
| Space group | P -4 21 m |
| Cell (Å, °) | a = 7.685, b = 7.685, c = 5.0636; α = 90, β = 90, γ = 90 |
| Cell volume | 299.1 ų, Z = 2 |
| Axial ratios | 1.0000:1:0.6589calculated from COD 1000048 |
| Source structure | COD 1000048 (Physics and Chemistry of Minerals (Germany), 1992) — 1 of 6 structures |
Powder X-ray diffraction (calculated)
| d (Å) | 2.844 | 1.753 | 3.061 | 3.705 | 2.43 | 1.374 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| I/I₀ | 100 | 26.9 | 20.9 | 17.2 | 16.6 | 14.1 |
xrd-v1: CuKa1 1.5406A, 2theta 5-90, top10, Imax=100, no DW/PO. Computed from COD 1000048; idealized occupancies, no preferred orientation.
Physical properties
| Density (calculated) | 3.045 g/cm³calculated from COD 1000048 |
|---|---|
| Hardness (Mohs) | 5.5-6single sourceDana, System of Mineralogy, 6th ed. (1892) |
| Specific gravity | 2.9-3.07 g/cm3corroboratedDana, System of Mineralogy, 6th ed. (1892) |
| Color | brown, gray, greensingle sourceDana, System of Mineralogy, 6th ed. (1892) |
| Streak | gray, whitesingle sourceDana, System of Mineralogy, 6th ed. (1892) |
| Luster | resinous, vitreoussingle sourceDana, System of Mineralogy, 6th ed. (1892) |
Chemistry (calculated)
| Molecular weight | 274.2 g/molcalculated from the IMA formula |
|---|---|
| Composition (wt%) | Ca 29.23%, Al 19.68%, Si 10.24%, O 40.84% |
Classification
| Nickel-Strunz (10th) | 9.BB.10Wikidata (CC0) |
|---|---|
| Nickel-Strunz (9th) | 9.BB.10Wikidata (CC0) |
| Dana (8th) | 55.4.1.2Wikidata (CC0) |