Serendibite
Ca4[Mg6Al6]O4[Si6B3Al3O36]IMA symbol: Sergrandfathered
Serendibite is a silicate mineral with the formula Ca4[Mg6Al6]O4[Si6B3Al3O36], crystallizing in the triclinic system. It has a Mohs hardness of 6.75, typically blue in color, with a vitreous luster, a specific gravity of 3-4. Its streak is white.
Photos
Crystallography
| Crystal system | triclinic crystal systemWikidata (CC0) |
|---|---|
| Space group | P -1 |
| Cell (Å, °) | a = 10.022, b = 10.406, c = 8.643; α = 106.41, β = 95.992, γ = 124.38 |
| Cell volume | 672.788 ų, Z = 2 |
| Axial ratios | 0.9631:1:0.8306calculated from COD 9017189 |
| Source structure | COD 9017189 (The Canadian Mineralogist, 2014) — 1 of 2 structures |
Powder X-ray diffraction (calculated)
| d (Å) | 2.024 | 2.461 | 2.036 | 2.041 | 2.598 | 2.851 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| I/I₀ | 100 | 89.5 | 86.6 | 85.5 | 84.9 | 82.1 |
xrd-v1: CuKa1 1.5406A, 2theta 5-90, top10, Imax=100, no DW/PO. Computed from COD 9017189; idealized occupancies, no preferred orientation.
Physical properties
| Density (calculated) | 3.417 g/cm³calculated from COD 9017189 |
|---|---|
| Hardness (Mohs) | 6.75single sourceDana's System, 2nd Appendix (1909) |
| Specific gravity | 3-4 g/cm3corroboratedFord, Dana's Textbook of Mineralogy, 3rd ed. (1922) |
| Color | bluesingle sourceDana's System, 2nd Appendix (1909) |
| Streak | whitesingle sourceWikidata (CC0) |
| Luster | vitreoussingle sourceDana's System, 2nd Appendix (1909) |
Chemistry (calculated)
| Molecular weight | 1389.9 g/molcalculated from the IMA formula |
|---|---|
| Composition (wt%) | Ca 11.53%, Mg 10.49%, Al 17.47%, O 46.04%, Si 12.12%, B 2.33% |
Classification
| Nickel-Strunz (10th) | 9.DH.40Wikidata (CC0) |
|---|---|
| Nickel-Strunz (9th) | 9.DH.45Wikidata (CC0) |