Latiumite
A valid IMA mineral species - grandfathered
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About Latiumite
Lago Albano, Roma, Italy
Albano Lake crater, Alban Hills, Metropolitan City of Rome Capital, Lazio, Italy
Albano Lake crater, Alban Hills, Metropolitan City of Rome Capital, Lazio, Italy
Formula:
(Ca,K)4(Si,Al)5O11(SO4,CO3)
Colour:
White, may be zoned or mottled.
Lustre:
Vitreous
Hardness:
5½ - 6
Specific Gravity:
2.93
Crystal System:
Monoclinic
Member of:
Name:
Named in 1953 by C.E. Tilley and N.F.M. Henry for Latium, the region of central western Italy that includes the type locality; this is the Latin form of the name, the modern name is Lazio.
Unique Identifiers
Mindat ID:
2336
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:1:2336:4
IMA Classification of Latiumite
Approved, 'Grandfathered' (first described prior to 1959)
IMA Formula:
(Ca,K)4(Si,Al)5O11(S6+O4,CO3)
Classification of Latiumite
9.EG.45
9 : SILICATES (Germanates)
E : Phyllosilicates
G : Double nets with 6-membered and larger rings
9 : SILICATES (Germanates)
E : Phyllosilicates
G : Double nets with 6-membered and larger rings
73.1.2.1
73 : PHYLLOSILICATES Condensed Tetrahedral Sheets
1 : Condensed Tetrahedral Sheets with double layers
73 : PHYLLOSILICATES Condensed Tetrahedral Sheets
1 : Condensed Tetrahedral Sheets with double layers
17.10.6
17 : Silicates Containing other Anions
10 : Silicates with sulphate, molybdate or tungstate
17 : Silicates Containing other Anions
10 : Silicates with sulphate, molybdate or tungstate
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Lat | 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 Latiumite
Vitreous
Transparency:
Transparent, Translucent
Colour:
White, may be zoned or mottled.
Hardness:
5½ - 6 on Mohs scale
Cleavage:
Perfect
{100}
{100}
Density:
2.93 g/cm3 (Measured) 2.92 g/cm3 (Calculated)
Optical Data of Latiumite
Type:
Biaxial (+/-)
RI values:
nα = 1.600 - 1.603 nβ = 1.606 - 1.609 nγ = 1.614 - 1.615
2V:
Measured: 83° to 90°, Calculated: 84° to 88°
Max. Birefringence:
δ = 0.012 - 0.014
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:
High (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 marked
Chemistry of Latiumite
Mindat Formula:
(Ca,K)4(Si,Al)5O11(SO4,CO3)
Element Weights:
Common Impurities:
Mn,Na,Cl,H20,C
Crystallography of Latiumite
Crystal System:
Monoclinic
Class (H-M):
2 - Sphenoidal
Space Group:
P21
Setting:
P21
Cell Parameters:
a = 12.06(1) Å, b = 5.08(2) Å, c = 10.81(1) Å
β = 106.0°
β = 106.0°
Ratio:
a:b:c = 2.374 : 1 : 2.128
Unit Cell V:
636.62 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:
2
Twinning:
On {100} common, simple or multiple.
Crystal Structure
Load
Unit Cell | Unit Cell Packed
2x2x2 | 3x3x3 | 4x4x4
Unit Cell | Unit Cell Packed
2x2x2 | 3x3x3 | 4x4x4
Show
Big Balls | Small Balls | Just Balls | Spacefill
Polyhedra Off | Si Polyhedra | All Polyhedra
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Big Balls | Small Balls | Just Balls | Spacefill
Polyhedra Off | Si Polyhedra | All Polyhedra
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CIF File Best | x | y | z | a | b | c
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Labels
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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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0000319 | Latiumite | Cannillo E, Dal Negro A, Rossi G (1973) The crystal structure of latiumite, a new type of sheet silicate American Mineralogist 58 466-470 |  | 1973 | 0 | 293 |
CIF Raw Data - click here to close
X-Ray Powder Diffraction
Powder Diffraction Data:
| d-spacing | Intensity |
|---|---|
| 2.86 Å | (s1) |
| 3.06 Å | (s2) |
| 2.96 Å | (s3) |
| 2.54 Å | (s) |
| 4.6 Å | (m) |
| 4.5 Å | (m) |
| 3.83 Å | (m) |
Geological Environment
Paragenetic Mode(s):
| Paragenetic Mode | Earliest Age (Ga) |
|---|---|
| High-? alteration and/or metamorphism | |
| 31 : Thermally altered carbonate, phosphate, and iron formations |
Type Occurrence of Latiumite
Place of Conservation of Type Material:
Cambridge University, Cambridge, England, 45482, 29799
Geological Setting of Type Material:
metamorphosed limestone ejected by volcanism.
Associated Minerals at Type Locality:
Other Language Names for Latiumite
Relationship of Latiumite to other Species
Common Associates
Associations Based on Photo Data:
Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat Grouping
| 9.EG.05 | Cymrite | BaAl2Si2(O,OH)8 · H2O |
| 9.EG.10 | Naujakasite | (Na,K)6(Fe2+,Mn2+,Ca)(Al,Fe)4Si8O26 |
| 9.EG.10 | Manganonaujakasite | Na6(Mn2+,Fe2+)Al4Si8O26 |
| 9.EG.15 | Dmisteinbergite | Ca(Al2Si2O8) |
| 9.EG.20 | Kampfite | Ba12(Si11Al5)O31(CO3)8Cl5 |
| 9.EG.25 | Vertumnite | Ca4Al4Si4O6(OH)24 · 3H2O |
| 9.EG.25 | Strätlingite | Ca2Al2SiO7 · 8H2O |
| 9.EG.30 | Eggletonite | (Na,K,Ca)xMn6(Si,Al)10O24(OH)4 · nH2O (x = 1-2; n = 7-11) |
| 9.EG.30 | Ganophyllite | (K,Na)xMn2+6(Si,Al)10O24(OH)4 · nH2O (x = 1-2; n = 7-11) |
| 9.EG.30 | Tamaite | (Ca,K,Na)xMn6(Si,Al)10O24(OH)4 · nH2O (x = 1-2; n = 7-11) |
| 9.EG.35 | Zussmanite | K(Fe,Mg,Mn)13(Si,Al)18O42(OH)14 |
| 9.EG.35 | Coombsite | KMn2+13(Si,Al)18O42(OH)14 |
| 9.EG.40 | 'Chalcodite' | K(Fe3+,Mg,Fe2+)8(Si,Al)12(O,OH)27 |
| 9.EG.40 | Parsettensite | (K,Na,Ca)7.5(Mn,Mg)49Si72O168(OH)50 · nH2O |
| 9.EG.40 | Lennilenapeite | K4Mn2+48[Si64Al8]O164(OH)52 · nH2O |
| 9.EG.40 | Stilpnomelane | K4Fe2+48[Si64Al8]O164(OH)52 · nH2O |
| 9.EG.45 | Levantite | KCa3Al2(SiO4)(Si2O7)(PO4) |
| 9.EG.45 | Tuscanite | KCa6(Si,Al)10O22(SO4,CO3)2(OH) · H2O |
| 9.EG.50 | Jagoite | Pb18Fe3+4[Si4(Si,Fe3+)6][Pb4Si16(Si,Fe)4]O82Cl6 |
| 9.EG.50 | Friisite | Pb8Al3Si8O27Cl3 |
| 9.EG.55 | Wickenburgite | CaPb3Al2Si10O24(OH)6 |
| 9.EG.60 | Hyttsjöite | Pb18Ba2Ca5Mn2+2Fe3+2Si30O90Cl · 6H2O |
| 9.EG.65 | Armbrusterite | K5Na7Mn15[(Si9O22)4](OH)10 · 4H2O |
| 9.EG.70 | Roymillerite | Pb24Mg9(Si10O28)(CO3)10(BO3)(SiO4)(OH)13O5 |
| 9.EG.70 | Britvinite | [Pb7(OH)3F(BO3)2(CO3)][Mg4.5(OH)3(Si5O14)] |
| 9.EG.75 | Kayupovaite | Na2Mn10[(Si14Al2)O38(OH)8] · 7H2O |
| 9.EG.75 | 'UM1989-30-SiO:AlBaCaFeHKMgMn' | (Ba,Ca)(Mn,Fe,Mg)22(Si,Al)32O76(OH)16 · 12H2O |
| 9.EG.75 | Bannisterite | (Ca,K,Na)(Mn2+,Fe2+)10(Si,Al)16O38(OH)8 · nH2O |
Other Information
Thermal Behaviour:
Fuses before the blowpipe. The resulting glass partly devitrifies at a low read heat to a fine grained product.
Notes:
Soluble in weak acids, leaving a silica residue.
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 Latiumite
mindat.org URL:
https://www.mindat.org/min-2336.html
Please feel free to link to this page.
Please feel free to link to this page.
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References for Latiumite
Reference List:
Tilley, C. E., Henry, N. F. M. (1953) Latiumite (sulphatic potassium-calcium-aluminium silicate), a new mineral from Albano, Latium, Italy. Mineralogical Magazine and Journal of the Mineralogical Society, 30 (220) 39-45 doi:10.1180/minmag.1953.030.220.04
Carinillo, Elio, Dal Negro, A., Rossi, Giuseppe (1973) The crystal structure of latiumite, a new type of sheet silicate. American Mineralogist, 58 (5-6) 466-470
Zubkova, Natalia V., Chukanov, Nikita V., Varlamov, Dmitry A., Vigasina, Marina F., Pekov, Igor V., Ksenofontov, Dmitry A., Pushcharovsky, Dmitry Yu. (2023) New data on the crystal chemistry of the natural two-layer aluminosilicates latiumite and tuscanite. Acta Crystallographica Section B Structural Science, Crystal Engineering and Materials, 79 (4) 296-304 doi:10.1107/s2052520623004638
Localities for Latiumite
Showing 12 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.
France | |
| publication date: November 2018 +1 other reference |
Israel | |
| Galuskina et al. (2026) |
Italy (TL) | |
| Tilley et al. (1953) +2 other references |
| De Michele (1974) +1 other reference | |
| Rossano Carlini collection | |
| |
| Tilley et al. (1953) |
| Dan Behnke Collection | |
| Signoretti et al. (2001) |
| Cresta et al. (2002) |
| Liotti (1991) |
Quick NavTopAbout LatiumiteUnique IdentifiersIMA Classification Classification Mineral SymbolsPhysical Properties Optical Data Chemistry Crystallography Crystal StructureX-Ray Powder DiffractionGeological EnvironmentType Occurrence Other LanguagesRelationshipsCommon AssociatesStrunz-MindatOther InformationInternet Links References Localities Locality List
Case Collina, Pitigliano, Grosseto Province, Tuscany, Italy