Khomyakov, A.P., Voronkov, A.A., Lebedeva, S.I., Bykov, V.P., Yurkiva, K.V. (1974) Khibinskite, K2ZrSi2O7, a new mineral. Zapiski Vsesoyuznogo Mineralogicheskogo Obshchestva: 103(1): 110-116.

Classification of KhibinskiteHide

Strunz-mindat (2026):

9.BC.10

9 : SILICATES (Germanates)
B : Sorosilicates
C : Si₂O₇ groups, without non-tetrahedral anions; cations in octahedral [6] and greater coordination

Dana 8th ed.:

55.2.2.2

55 : SOROSILICATES Si₂O₇ Groups,Generally with no Additional Anions
2 : Si₂O₇ Groups, Generally with no Additional Anions with cations in [6] coordination

Hey's CIM Ref.:

14.10.12

14 : Silicates not Containing Aluminum
10 : Silicates of Zr or Hf

Mineral SymbolsHide

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
Khi	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 KhibinskiteHide

Lustre:

Greasy, Dull

Transparency:

Translucent

Colour:

Pale yellowish to white

Hardness:

4½ - 5½ on Mohs scale

Density:

3.40 g/cm³ (Measured) 3.33 g/cm³ (Calculated)

Optical Data of KhibinskiteHide

Type:

Biaxial (-)

RI values:

n_α = 1.665 n_β = 1.715 n_γ = 1.715

2V:

Measured: 6° to 16°

Max. Birefringence:

δ = 0.050
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.

Thickness: 30 µm Order divisions

Rotation:

Surface Relief:

Very High (positive)
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.

Focus:

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.

Thickness: 30 µm

Stage rotation: 0°

Dispersion:

strong

Chemistry of KhibinskiteHide

Mindat Formula:

K₂ZrSi₂O₇

Element Weights:

Element	% weight
O	33.175 %
Zr	27.022 %
K	23.163 %
Si	16.639 %

Calculated from ideal end-member formula.

Elements listed:

K, O, Si, Zr - search for minerals with similar chemistry

Common Impurities:

Ti,Ca

Crystallography of KhibinskiteHide

Crystal System:

Monoclinic

Class (H-M):

2/m - Prismatic

Space Group:

B2/m

Setting:

B2/m

Cell Parameters:

a = 19.22 Å, b = 11.1 Å, c = 14.1 Å
β = 116.5°

Ratio:

a:b:c = 1.732 : 1 : 1.27

Unit Cell V:

2,692.07 Å³ (Calculated from Unit Cell)

Comment:

On synthetic

Crystal StructureHide

Load
Unit Cell | Unit Cell Packed
2x2x2 | 3x3x3 | 4x4x4

View
CIF File Best | x | y | z | a | b | c

Rotation
Stop | Start

Labels
Console Off | On | Grey | Yellow

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)
0015597	Khibinskite	Chernov A N, Maksimov B A, Ilyukhin V V, Belov N V (1971) Crystalline structure of monoclinic modification of K,Zr-diorthosilicate (K2ZrSi2O7) Soviet Physics Doklady 15 711-713		1971	synthetic	0	293

CIF Raw Data - click here to close

data_global
_chemical_name_mineral 'Khibinskite'
loop_
_publ_author_name
'Chernov A N'
'Maksimov B A'
'Ilyukhin V V'
'Belov N V'
_journal_name_full 'Soviet Physics Doklady'
_journal_volume 15 
_journal_year 1971
_journal_page_first 711
_journal_page_last 713
_publ_section_title
;
 Crystalline structure of monoclinic modification of K,Zr-diorthosilicate
 (K2ZrSi2O7)
;
_database_code_amcsd 0015597
_chemical_compound_source 'Synthetic'
_chemical_formula_sum 'K2 Zr Si2 O7'
_cell_length_a 9.54
_cell_length_b 14.26
_cell_length_c 5.60
_cell_angle_alpha 90
_cell_angle_beta 90
_cell_angle_gamma 116.517
_cell_volume 681.684
_exptl_crystal_density_diffrn      3.289
_symmetry_space_group_name_H-M 'P 1 1 21/b'
loop_
_space_group_symop_operation_xyz
  'x,y,z'
  'x,1/2+y,1/2-z'
  '-x,1/2-y,1/2+z'
  '-x,-y,-z'
loop_
_atom_site_label
_atom_site_fract_x
_atom_site_fract_y
_atom_site_fract_z
K1   0.03500   0.42600   0.26400
K2   0.48200   0.59200   0.26000
Zr   0.23700   0.23200   0.25300
Si1   0.17200   0.36900   0.74400
Si2   0.33600   0.11400   0.74100
O1   0.00400   0.62900   0.26400
O2   0.30900   0.49200   0.79500
O3   0.47600   0.31600   0.23200
O4   0.21700   0.34200   0.46400
O5   0.18500   0.29600   0.93500
O6   0.24500   0.11100   0.00700
O7   0.26500   0.14800   0.54000

X-Ray Powder DiffractionHide

Powder Diffraction Data:

d-spacing	Intensity
2.76 Å	(100)
2.95 Å	(70)
1.630 Å	(65)
2.133 Å	(50)
1.381 Å	(50)
1.252 Å	(45)
1.595 Å	(40)

Geological EnvironmentHide

Paragenetic Mode(s):

Paragenetic Mode	Earliest Age (Ga)
Stage 4b: Highly evolved igneous rocks	>3.0
35 : Ultra-alkali and agpaitic igneous rocks

Type Occurrence of KhibinskiteHide

Type Locality:

ⓘ Hackman Valley, Yukspor Mountain, Murmansk Oblast, Russia

General Appearance of Type Material:

As irregular grains, to 3 mm

Place of Conservation of Type Material:

Geology Museum, Kola Branch, Academy of Sciences, Apatity, 5089; Mining Institute, St. Petersburg, 1078/1; Institute of Mineralogy and Geochemistry of Rare Elements, Moscow; A.E. Fersman Mineralogical Museum, Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia, 76326{76328; National School of Mines, Paris, France; The Natural History Museum, London, England, 1994,11.

Geological Setting of Type Material:

In aegirine-rich metasomatic rocks in a differentiated alkalic massif

Associated Minerals at Type Locality:

Eudialyte

Zircon

Reference:

Khomyakov, A.P., Voronkov, A.A., Lebedeva, S.I., Bykov, V.P., Yurkiva, K.V. (1974) Khibinskite, K2ZrSi2O7, a new mineral. Zapiski Vsesoyuznogo Mineralogicheskogo Obshchestva: 103(1): 110-116.

Synonyms of KhibinskiteHide

IMA1973-014

Other Language Names for KhibinskiteHide

Dutch:Khibinskiet

German:Khibinskit

Russian:Хибинскит

Spanish:Khibinskita

Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat Grouping Hide

9.BC.	Anorthoyttrialite-(Y)	Y₄(SiO₄)(Si₃O₁₀)	Tric. 1 : P1
9.BC.	Kozłowskiite	Ca₄(Fe²⁺Sn₃)[Si₂O₇]₂[Si₂O₆OH]₂	Tric. 1
9.BC.05	Yttrialite-(Y)	(Y,Th)₂Si₂O₇	Mon. 2/m : P2₁/m
9.BC.05	Thortveitite	Sc₂Si₂O₇	Mon. 2/m : B2/m
9.BC.05	Keiviite-(Y)	Y₂Si₂O₇	Mon. 2/m : B2/m
9.BC.05	Keiviite-(Yb)	Yb₂Si₂O₇	Mon. 2/m : B2/m
9.BC.05	Gittinsite	CaZrSi₂O₇	Mon. 2 : B2
9.BC.10	Parakeldyshite	Na₂ZrSi₂O₇	Tric. 1 : P1
9.BC.10	Keldyshite	(Na,H)₂ZrSi₂O₇	Tric. 1 : P1
9.BC.10	Brunovskyite	NaZrSi₂O₆(OH)	Tric. 1 : P1
9.BC.15	Rankinite	Ca₃Si₂O₇	Mon. 2/m : P2₁/b
9.BC.20	Barysilite	Pb₈Mn²⁺[Si₂O₇]₃	Trig. 3m(32/m) : R3c
9.BC.25	Edgarbaileyite	[Hg₂]²⁺₃[Si₂O₇]	Mon.
9.BC.30	Kristiansenite	Ca₄(Sc₂Sn₂)[Si₂O₇]₂[Si₂O₆OH]₂	Tric. 1
9.BC.30	Nybergite	Ca₄Sc₃Sn(Si₂O₇)(Si₂O₆OH)₃	Tric. 1 : P1
9.BC.30	Silesiaite	Ca₄(Fe³⁺₂Sn₂)[Si₂O₇]₂[Si₂O₆OH]₂	Tric. 1
9.BC.35	Percleveite-(Ce)	Ce₂Si₂O₇	Tet. 4 : P4₁
9.BC.35	Percleveite-(La)	La₂Si₂O₇	Tet. 4 : P4₁
9.BC.40	Scottyite	BaCu₂Si₂O₇	Orth. mmm(2/m2/m2/m) : Pmna

RadioactivityHide

Radioactivity:

Element	% Content	Activity (Bq/kg)	Radiation Type
Uranium (U)	0.0000%	0	α, β, γ
Thorium (Th)	0.0000%	0	α, β, γ
Potassium (K)	23.1634%	7,181	β, γ

For comparison:

Banana: ~15 Bq per fruit
Granite: 1,000–3,000 Bq/kg
EU exemption limit: 10,000 Bq/kg

Note: Risk is shown relative to daily recommended maximum exposure to non-background radiation of 1000 µSv/year. Note that natural background radiation averages around 2400 µSv/year so in reality these risks are probably extremely overstated! With infrequent handling and safe storage natural radioactive minerals do not usually pose much risk.

Interactive Simulator:

Note: The mass selector refers to the mass of radioactive mineral present, not the full specimen, also be aware that the matrix may also be radioactive, possibly more radioactive than this mineral!

Mass of radioactive mineral:

Shielding material:

Activity: –

Distance	Dose rate	Risk
1 cm
10 cm
1 m

The external dose rate (D) from a radioactive mineral is estimated by summing the gamma radiation contributions from its Uranium, Thorium, and Potassium content, disregarding daughter-product which may have a significant effect in some cases (eg 'pitchblende'). This involves multiplying the activity (A, in Bq) of each element by its specific gamma ray constant (Γ), which accounts for its unique gamma emissions. The total unshielded dose at 1 cm is then scaled by the square of the distance (r, in cm) and multiplied by a shielding factor (μ_shield). This calculation provides a 'worst-case' or 'maximum risk' estimate because it assumes the sample is a point source and entirely neglects any self-shielding where radiation is absorbed within the mineral itself, meaning actual doses will typically be lower. The resulting dose rate (D) is expressed in microsieverts per hour (μSv/h).

D = ((A_U × Γ_U) + (A_Th × Γ_Th) + (A_K × Γ_K)) / r² × μ_shield

Other InformationHide

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 KhibinskiteHide

mindat.org URL:

https://www.mindat.org/min-2198.html
Please feel free to link to this page.

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External Links:

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Look for Khibinskite on Mineralien Atlas

Raman and XRD data at RRUFF project

References and PDF downloads at RRUFF project

American Mineralogist Crystal Structure Database

Handbook of Mineralogy page PDF

Mineral Dealers:

Buy from D. Joyce minerals

References for KhibinskiteHide

Reference List:

Soviet Physics – Doklady: 21: 696-697.

Chernov, A.N., Maksimov, B.A., Ilyukhin, V.V., Belov, N.V. (1971) Crystalline structure of monoclinic modification of K,Zr-diorthosilicate (K2ZrSi2O7). Soviet Physics - Doklady: 15: 711-713.

Fleischer, Michael (1974) New mineral names. American Mineralogist, 59 (9-10). 1139-1141

Khomyakov, A.P., Voronkov, A.A., Lebedeva, S.I., Bykov, V.P., Yurkiva, K.V. (1974) Khibinskite, K2ZrSi2O7, a new mineral. Zapiski Vsesoyuznogo Mineralogicheskogo Obshchestva: 103(1): 110-116.

Fleischer, Michael (1975) New mineral names. American Mineralogist, 60 (3-4) 340-341

Nosyrev, N.A., Treushnikov, E.N., Voronkov, A.A., Ilyukhin, V.V., Ganiev, R.M., Belov, N.V. (1976) The crystal structure of synthetic khibinskite — K2ZrSi2O7(II). Doklady Akademii Nauk SSSR: 231: 1351-1353.

(2001) Khibinskite. Handbook of Mineralogy. Mineralogical Society of America

Localities for KhibinskiteHide

Showing 9 localities.

This map shows a selection of localities that have latitude and longitude coordinates recorded. Click on the

symbol to view information about a locality. The

symbol next to localities in the list can be used to jump to that position on the map.

Hide all sections | Show all sections

Locality ListHide

- 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). ~~Struck out~~ - Mineral was erroneously reported from this locality. Faded * - Never found at this locality but inferred to have existed at some point in the past (e.g. from pseudomorphs).

All localities listed without proper references should be considered as questionable.


Canada
Northwest Territories ⓘ Lac de Gras	Anton R. Chakhmouradian and Roger H. Mitchell (2001)

Germany
Rhineland-Palatinate Mayen-Koblenz Mayen Seekante ⓘ Xenolith CS-090 (Hopmannite type locality)	Juroszek et al. (Ti 5 Fe) +1 other reference

Italy
Lazio Rieti Province Rieti Santa Rufina ⓘ Cupaello Quarry	Sabatini (1903) +6 other references
Umbria Perugia Province Spoleto ⓘ Colle Fabbri	Stoppa et al. (2014)
Terni Province San Venanzo ⓘ Vispi Quarry	Stoppa et al. (1997) +2 other references

Russia
Murmansk Oblast ⓘ Yukspor Mountain
ⓘ Hackman Valley (TL)	[World of Stones 95:5-6 +3 other references

South Africa
Free State Thabo Mofutsanyane District Municipality Setsoto Local Municipality Clocolan ⓘ Monastery Mine	Kamenetsky et al. (2014)
Northern Cape Pixley ka Seme District Municipality Ubuntu Local Municipality ⓘ Silvery Home lamproite	Abersteiner et al. (2024)

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Khibinskite

Unique IdentifiersHide

IMA Classification of KhibinskiteHide

Classification of KhibinskiteHide

Mineral SymbolsHide

Physical Properties of KhibinskiteHide

Optical Data of KhibinskiteHide

Chemistry of KhibinskiteHide

Crystallography of KhibinskiteHide

Crystal StructureHide

X-Ray Powder DiffractionHide

Geological EnvironmentHide

Type Occurrence of KhibinskiteHide

Synonyms of KhibinskiteHide

Other Language Names for KhibinskiteHide

Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat GroupingHide

RadioactivityHide

Other InformationHide

Internet Links for KhibinskiteHide

References for KhibinskiteHide

Localities for KhibinskiteHide

Locality ListHide

Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat Grouping Hide