Hostname: page-component-848d4c4894-pftt2 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-05-14T23:50:46.685Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Crystal structure of coalingite

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 July 2018

J. Pastor-Rodriguez
Affiliation:
Department of Chemistry, University of Aberdeen, Scotland
H. F. W. Taylor
Affiliation:
Department of Chemistry, University of Aberdeen, Scotland

Summary

The crystal structure of coalingite (Mg10Fe2(OH)24(CO3)·2H2O) has been determined using single-crystal X-ray methods. The mineral is trigonal, with space group Rm, aH = 3·12, cH = 37·4 Å, Z = ½, and (0001) cleavage. The structure is of a layer type, and is based on a structural element about 12·5 Å thick in the c-direction and consisting of two brucite-like layers and one disordered layer containing carbonate ions and water molecules and resembling those in sjögrenite and pyroaurite. The unit cell comprises three of these structural elements stacked together in the c-direction. The Mg2+ and Fe3+ ions are randomly distributed among all the octahedral sites of the brucite-like layers. The structure closely resembles those of sjögrenite and pyroaurite, but has two brucite-like layers between each CO32−−H2O layer where these have one. There is a tendency to random interstratification, and the crystals appear to contain intergrown regions of brucite and of sjögrenite or pyroaurite. Coalingite-K probably has a similar structure, but with three brucite-like layers between each -H2O layer; its idealized formula is probably Mg16Fe2(OH)36(CO3).2H2O.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © The Mineralogical Society of Great Britain and Ireland 1971

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Albrecht, (G.) 1939- Rev. Sei. Instr. 10, 221.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Allmann, (R.), 1968. Aeta Cryst. B24, 972.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Allmann, (R.), and LOHSE (H.-H.), 1966. Neues Jahrb. Min., Monatsh. 161.Google Scholar
Heddle, [M. F.], 1879. Min. Mag. 2, 106.Google Scholar
Ingram, (L.) and TAYLOR (H. F. W.), 1967. Min. Mag. 36, 465.Google Scholar
Jamaor, (J.L.), 1969. Amer. Min. 54, 437.Google Scholar
Mumpton, (F.A.), Jaffe, (H.W.), and Thompson, (C.S.), 1965. Ibid. 50, 1893.Google Scholar
Rouxhet, (P.G.) and TAYLOa (H. F. W.), 1969. Chimia, 23, 480.Google Scholar
Taylor, (H. F. W.), 1969. Min. Mag. 37, 338.CrossRefGoogle Scholar