Gaidonnayite
A valid IMA mineral species
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About Gaidonnayite
Gabrielle Donnay
Formula:
Na2Zr(Si3O9) · 2H2O
Colour:
Colourless, may be pale yellow, pale brown to brown, pale grey, gray green.
Lustre:
Vitreous
Hardness:
5
Specific Gravity:
2.67
Crystal System:
Orthorhombic
Member of:
Name:
Named in honor of Gabrielle/Gaibrielle "Gai" Donnay (née Hamburger) (21 March 1920, Landeshut, Lower Silesia, Germany (now Kamienna Góra, Poland) - 4 April 1987, Mont St. Hilaire, Quebec, Canada), chemist, mineralogist and crystallographer. She worked for twenty years at the Geophysical Laboratory, Carnegie Institution of Washington and later at McGill University, Montreal, Canada. For her Ph.D. thesis she solved the complex structure of tourmaline, and later solved numerous other structures. The mineral donnayite-(Y) is also named for her, as well as her husband.
Type Locality:
Dimorph of:
Unique Identifiers
Mindat ID:
1634
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:1:1634:2
IMA Classification of Gaidonnayite
Classification of Gaidonnayite
9.DM.15
9 : SILICATES (Germanates)
D : Inosilicates
M : Inosilicates with 6-periodic single chains
9 : SILICATES (Germanates)
D : Inosilicates
M : Inosilicates with 6-periodic single chains
59.2.2.3
59 : CYCLOSILICATES Three-Membered Rings
2 : Three-Membered Rings, hydrated
59 : CYCLOSILICATES Three-Membered Rings
2 : Three-Membered Rings, hydrated
14.10.7
14 : Silicates not Containing Aluminum
10 : Silicates of Zr or Hf
14 : Silicates not Containing Aluminum
10 : Silicates of Zr or Hf
Mineral Symbols
As of 2021 there are now IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols (abbreviations) for each mineral species, useful for tables and diagrams.
| Symbol | Source | Reference for Standard |
|---|---|---|
| Gdn | IMA–CNMNC | Warr, L.N. (2021). IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols. Mineralogical Magazine, 85(3), 291-320. doi:10.1180/mgm.2021.43 |
Physical Properties of Gaidonnayite
Vitreous
Transparency:
Transparent
Colour:
Colourless, may be pale yellow, pale brown to brown, pale grey, gray green.
Streak:
White
Hardness:
5 on Mohs scale
Tenacity:
Brittle
Cleavage:
None Observed
Fracture:
Irregular/Uneven
Density:
2.67 g/cm3 (Measured) 2.70 g/cm3 (Calculated)
Optical Data of Gaidonnayite
Type:
Biaxial (+)
RI values:
nα = 1.570 - 1.575 nβ = 1.590 - 1.593 nγ = 1.596 - 1.605
2V:
Measured: 53° to 59°
Birefringence:
0.035
Max. Birefringence:
δ = 0.026 - 0.030
Based on recorded range of RI values above.
Based on recorded range of RI values above.
Interference Colours:
The colours simulate birefringence patterns seen in thin section under crossed polars. They do not take into account mineral colouration or opacity.
Michel-Levy Bar The default colours simulate the birefringence range for a 30 µm thin-section thickness. Adjust the slider to simulate a different thickness.
Grain Simulation You can rotate the grain simulation to show how this range might look as you rotated a sample under crossed polars. Each grain retains its interference colour (retardation) while its brightness falls to black at extinction and reaches a maximum between extinction positions.
The colours simulate birefringence patterns seen in thin section under crossed polars. They do not take into account mineral colouration or opacity.
Michel-Levy Bar The default colours simulate the birefringence range for a 30 µm thin-section thickness. Adjust the slider to simulate a different thickness.
Grain Simulation You can rotate the grain simulation to show how this range might look as you rotated a sample under crossed polars. Each grain retains its interference colour (retardation) while its brightness falls to black at extinction and reaches a maximum between extinction positions.
Surface Relief:
Moderate (positive)
Relative to Canada balsam mounting medium (n ≈ 1.537).
Relative to Canada balsam mounting medium (n ≈ 1.537).
This shows the grain boundary and Becke line effect under plane-polarised
light, based on the contrast between this mineral's average refractive
index and the mounting medium. It does not take into account mineral
colouration.
In focus
Interference Figure:
This shows the idealized biaxial acute bisectrix (Bxa) interference figure
- the conoscopic view for a grain cut perpendicular to the acute bisectrix, using
this mineral's 2V. The two small white dots mark the melatopes - the points
where the two optic axes emerge - and are shown only when they fall within the
field of view. The coloured bands are isochromatics, and the dark bands are
isogyres.
Rotate the stage: at 0°/90° the isogyres form a cross through the melatopes; at 45° they pull apart into curved hyperbolas. That splitting on rotation - absent in a uniaxial figure - is the standard diagnostic test for telling biaxial minerals from uniaxial ones. If 2V is large, the melatopes may fall outside the field of view, as they often do at the microscope too.
Rotate the stage: at 0°/90° the isogyres form a cross through the melatopes; at 45° they pull apart into curved hyperbolas. That splitting on rotation - absent in a uniaxial figure - is the standard diagnostic test for telling biaxial minerals from uniaxial ones. If 2V is large, the melatopes may fall outside the field of view, as they often do at the microscope too.
Dispersion:
r < v strong
Optical Extinction:
Parallel. X = a; Y = b; Z = c.
Pleochroism:
Non-pleochroic
Chemistry of Gaidonnayite
Mindat Formula:
Na2Zr(Si3O9) · 2H2O
Element Weights:
Common Impurities:
Ti,Nb,Ca,K
Chemical Analysis
Oxide wt%:
| 1 | |
|---|---|
| SiO2 | 43.95 % |
| TiO2 | 1.36 % |
| ZrO2 | 27.82 % |
| Nb2O3 | 0.68 % |
| FeO | 0.06 % |
| ZnO | 0.10 % |
| Na2O | 11.50 % |
| K2O | 4.56 % |
| H2O | 8.80 % |
| Total: | 98.83 % |
Empirical formulas:
| Sample ID | Empirical Formula |
|---|---|
| 1 | (Na1.52K0.40)Σ1.92(Zr0.92Ti0.07Nb0.02)Σ1.01Si3.00O9 · 2H2O |
Sample references:
| ID | Locality | Reference | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brønnebukta, Siktesøya, Porsgrunn, Telemark, Norway | Electron microprobe. H2O by stoichiometry. Empirical formula: Average of 18 electron microprobe analyses, based on 9 O atoms in the hydrous part |
Crystallography of Gaidonnayite
Crystal System:
Orthorhombic
Class (H-M):
mmm(2/m2/m2/m) - Dipyramidal
Space Group:
Pmna
Cell Parameters:
a = 11.740 Å, b = 12.820 Å, c = 6.691 Å
Ratio:
a:b:c = 0.916 : 1 : 0.522
Unit Cell V:
1,007.04 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:
4
Morphology:
Equant to slightly elongated crystals with wedge-like forms. {010}, {120}, {011}, {100}, {001}. Striated || [001].
Twinning:
[012] common
Comment:
Non-standard setting P21nb.
Crystal Structure
Load
Unit Cell | Unit Cell Packed
2x2x2 | 3x3x3 | 4x4x4
Unit Cell | Unit Cell Packed
2x2x2 | 3x3x3 | 4x4x4
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Polyhedra Off | Si Polyhedra | All Polyhedra
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CIF File Best | x | y | z | a | b | c
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Data courtesy of the American Mineralogist Crystal Structure Database. Click on an AMCSD ID to view structure
| ID | Species | Reference | Link | Year | Locality | Pressure (GPa) | Temp (K) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0005201 | Gaidonnayite | Chao G Y (1985) The crystal structure of gaidonnayite Na2ZrSi3O9.2H2O The Canadian Mineralogist 23 11-15 |  | 1985 | Mont St. Hilaire, Quebec, Canada | 0 | 293 |
CIF Raw Data - click here to close
X-Ray Powder Diffraction
Powder Diffraction Data:
| d-spacing | Intensity |
|---|---|
| 6.45 Å | (40) |
| 5.90 Å | (80) |
| 5.64 Å | (60) |
| 3.12 Å | (100) |
| 2.95 Å | (70) |
| 2.83 Å | (40) |
| 2.50 Å | (40) |
| 1.90 Å | (40) |
Comments:
26-1387
Geological Environment
Paragenetic Mode(s):
| Paragenetic Mode | Earliest Age (Ga) |
|---|---|
| Stage 4b: Highly evolved igneous rocks | >3.0 |
| 35 : Ultra-alkali and agpaitic igneous rocks | |
| 36 : Carbonatites, kimberlites, and related igneous rocks |
Type Occurrence of Gaidonnayite
General Appearance of Type Material:
Colourless crystals.
Place of Conservation of Type Material:
Canadian Museum of Nature, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, numbers T73/2-1, T73/2-2.
Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, number 34803.
Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, number 34803.
Geological Setting of Type Material:
In miaroles in nepheline syenite and in sltered pegmatite dykes.
Associated Minerals at Type Locality:
Synonyms of Gaidonnayite
Other Language Names for Gaidonnayite
Relationship of Gaidonnayite to other Species
Common Associates
Associations Based on Photo Data:
| 50 photos of Gaidonnayite associated with Microcline | K(AlSi3O8) |
| 43 photos of Gaidonnayite associated with Albite | Na(AlSi3O8) |
| 33 photos of Gaidonnayite associated with Calcite | CaCO3 |
| 32 photos of Gaidonnayite associated with Siderite | FeCO3 |
| 31 photos of Gaidonnayite associated with Analcime | Na(AlSi2O6) · H2O |
| 30 photos of Gaidonnayite associated with Aegirine | NaFe3+Si2O6 |
| 28 photos of Gaidonnayite associated with Nenadkevichite | (Na,◻)8Nb4(Si4O12)2(O,OH)4 · 8H2O |
| 19 photos of Gaidonnayite associated with Natrolite | Na2Al2Si3O10 · 2H2O |
| 19 photos of Gaidonnayite associated with Rhodochrosite | MnCO3 |
| 18 photos of Gaidonnayite associated with Hilairite | Na2Zr[SiO3]3 · 3H2O |
Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat Grouping
| 9.DM. | Kesebolite-(Ce) | CeCa2Mn(AsO4)(SiO3)3 |
| 9.DM.05 | Stokesite | CaSn[Si3O9] · 2H2O |
| 9.DM.10 | Calciohilairite | CaZr[SiO3]3 · 3H2O |
| 9.DM.10 | Pyatenkoite-(Y) | Na5YTi[SiO3]6 · 6H2O |
| 9.DM.10 | Hilairite | Na2Zr[SiO3]3 · 3H2O |
| 9.DM.10 | Komkovite | BaZr[Si3O9] · 3H2O |
| 9.DM.10 | Sazykinaite-(Y) | Na5YZr[SiO3]6 · 6H2O |
| 9.DM.15 | Plumbogaidonnayite | PbZrSi3O9 · 2H2O |
| 9.DM.15 | Georgechaoite | NaKZr[Si3O9] · 2H2O |
| 9.DM.20 | Chkalovite | Na2BeSi2O6 |
| 9.DM.25 | Vlasovite | Na2ZrSi4O11 |
| 9.DM.30 | Revdite | Na16Si16O27(OH)26 · 28H2O |
| 9.DM.35 | Scheuchzerite | Na(Mn,Mg,Zn)9[VSi9O28(OH)](OH)3 |
| 9.DM.40 | Terskite | Na4ZrSi6O16 · 2H2O |
| 9.DM.40 | Hydroterskite | Na2ZrSi6O12(OH)6 |
Fluorescence of Gaidonnayite
Bright green SW and LW (Mt. St-Hilaire and Norway)
Other Information
Health Risks:
No information on health risks for this material has been entered into the database. You should always treat mineral specimens with care.
Internet Links for Gaidonnayite
mindat.org URL:
https://www.mindat.org/min-1634.html
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Please feel free to link to this page.
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References for Gaidonnayite
Reference List:
Chao, George Y., Watkinson, David H. (1974) Gaidonnayite, Na2ZrSi3O9·2H2O, a new mineral from Mont St. Hilaire, Quebec. The Canadian Mineralogist, 12 (5) 316-319
Localities for Gaidonnayite
Showing 38 localities.
symbol to view information about a locality.
The Locality List
- This locality has map coordinates listed.
- This locality has estimated coordinates.
ⓘ - Click for references and further information on this occurrence.
? - Indicates mineral may be doubtful at this locality.
- Good crystals or important locality for species.
- World class for species or very significant.
(TL) - Type Locality for a valid mineral species.
(FRL) - First Recorded Locality for everything else (eg varieties).
All localities listed without proper references should be considered as questionable.
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Palmeira No. 2 quarry, Monchique, Monchique, Faro, Portugal