Margarosanite
A valid IMA mineral species - grandfathered
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About Margarosanite
Formula:
Ca2PbSi3O9
Ca may be replaced by minor Mn(II).
Colour:
Colorless, white, grayish-white (due to included native lead)
Lustre:
Sub-Adamantine, Vitreous, Sub-Vitreous, Resinous, Pearly, Dull
Hardness:
2½ - 3
Specific Gravity:
4.33
Crystal System:
Triclinic
Member of:
Name:
Named in 1916 by William Ebenezer Ford and Walter Minor Bradley from the Greek for "pearl" and "tablet," in allusion to the pearly luster and lamellar structure of the crystallized material. The original specimens were found in 1898, but the mineral remained unnamed for nearly 18 years.
Isostructural with:
The Pb analogue of walstromite. Chemically similar to ganomalite.
A rare lead silicate found in metamorphosed Pb-Zn-Mn deposits.
Crystal structure details (Callegari and Boiocchi, 2016):
- 2 layers parallel to (101)
- Si layer: isolated three-member rings of SiO4 tetrahedra
- Ca layer: dimeric CaO6 octahedra + CaO8 polyhedra forming chains
- Ca polyhedra interconnect forming a sheet
- chains, edge-sharing, of distorted [8]Pb polyhedra
A rare lead silicate found in metamorphosed Pb-Zn-Mn deposits.
Crystal structure details (Callegari and Boiocchi, 2016):
- 2 layers parallel to (101)
- Si layer: isolated three-member rings of SiO4 tetrahedra
- Ca layer: dimeric CaO6 octahedra + CaO8 polyhedra forming chains
- Ca polyhedra interconnect forming a sheet
- chains, edge-sharing, of distorted [8]Pb polyhedra
Unique Identifiers
Mindat ID:
2574
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:1:2574:0
IMA Classification of Margarosanite
Approved, 'Grandfathered' (first described prior to 1959)
IMA Formula:
Ca2Pb2+Si3O9
First published:
1916
Classification of Margarosanite
9.CA.25
9 : SILICATES (Germanates)
C : Cyclosilicates
A : [Si3O9]6- 3-membered single rings (dreier-Einfachringe), without insular complex anions
9 : SILICATES (Germanates)
C : Cyclosilicates
A : [Si3O9]6- 3-membered single rings (dreier-Einfachringe), without insular complex anions
59.1.2.2
59 : CYCLOSILICATES Three-Membered Rings
1 : Three-Membered Rings, anhydrous, no other anions
59 : CYCLOSILICATES Three-Membered Rings
1 : Three-Membered Rings, anhydrous, no other anions
14.13.5
14 : Silicates not Containing Aluminum
13 : Silicates of Pb
14 : Silicates not Containing Aluminum
13 : Silicates of Pb
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Mga | IMA–CNMNC | Warr, L.N. (2021). IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols. Mineralogical Magazine, 85(3), 291-320. doi:10.1180/mgm.2021.43 |
Pronunciation of Margarosanite
Pronunciation:
| Play | Recorded by | Country |
|---|---|---|
| Jolyon Ralph | United Kingdom |
Physical Properties of Margarosanite
Sub-Adamantine, Vitreous, Sub-Vitreous, Resinous, Pearly, Dull
Transparency:
Transparent, Translucent
Colour:
Colorless, white, grayish-white (due to included native lead)
Streak:
White
Hardness:
2½ - 3 on Mohs scale
Tenacity:
Brittle
Cleavage:
Perfect
{010} perfect, {100} good, {001} fair
{010} perfect, {100} good, {001} fair
Fracture:
Irregular/Uneven, Micaceous
Density:
4.33 g/cm3 (Measured) 4.31 g/cm3 (Calculated)
Optical Data of Margarosanite
Type:
Biaxial (-)
RI values:
nα = 1.727 nβ = 1.771 nγ = 1.798
Birefringence:
0.071
Max. Birefringence:
δ = 0.071
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:
Very 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.
No measured or calculated 2V is on file for this mineral, so the value used here (74°) is estimated from its recorded refractive indices and optic sign, not from a direct 2V measurement.
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.
No measured or calculated 2V is on file for this mineral, so the value used here (74°) is estimated from its recorded refractive indices and optic sign, not from a direct 2V measurement.
Dispersion:
strong
Pleochroism:
Non-pleochroic
Chemistry of Margarosanite
Mindat Formula:
Ca2PbSi3O9
Ca may be replaced by minor Mn(II).
Ca may be replaced by minor Mn(II).
Element Weights:
Elements listed:
Common Impurities:
Fe,Zn,Mg,Ba,H2O
Crystallography of Margarosanite
Crystal System:
Triclinic
Class (H-M):
1 - Pinacoidal
Space Group:
P1
Setting:
P1
Cell Parameters:
a = 6.77 Å, b = 9.64 Å, c = 6.75 Å
α = 110.58°, β = 102°, γ = 88.5°
α = 110.58°, β = 102°, γ = 88.5°
Ratio:
a:b:c = 0.702 : 1 : 0.7
Unit Cell V:
402.87 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:
2
Morphology:
Crystals are extremely rare, but have a thin bladed appearance with acute crystal profile.
Comment:
Data from cr. structure refinement (Callegari & Boiocchi, 2016), approximated: a=6.74, b=9.53, c=6.70, α=110.19, β=103.05, γ=83.04
Crystal Structure
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Unit Cell | Unit Cell Packed
2x2x2 | 3x3x3 | 4x4x4
Unit Cell | Unit Cell Packed
2x2x2 | 3x3x3 | 4x4x4
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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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0010672 | Margarosanite | Freed R L, Peacor D R (1969) Determination and refinement of the crystal structure of margarosanite, PbCa2Si3O9 Zeitschrift fur Kristallographie 128 213-228 |  | 1969 | Parker Shaft, North Mine Hill, Franklin, New Jersey, USA | 0 | 293 |
CIF Raw Data - click here to close
X-Ray Powder Diffraction
Powder Diffraction Data:
| d-spacing | Intensity |
|---|---|
| 8.967 Å | (31) |
| 6.588 Å | (75) |
| 6.122 Å | (49) |
| 5.193 Å | (49) |
| 5.097 Å | (80) |
| 5.023 Å | (37) |
| 4.483 Å | (24) |
| 4.444 Å | (28) |
| 4.384 Å | (56) |
| 4.121 Å | (30) |
| 4.050 Å | (3) |
| 4.009 Å | (8) |
| 3.903 Å | (10) |
| 3.791 Å | (29) |
| 3.627 Å | (4) |
| 3.499 Å | (38) |
| 3.373 Å | (28) |
| 3.294 Å | (9) |
| 3.273 Å | (19) |
| 3.221 Å | (54) |
| 3.176 Å | (59) |
| 3.127 Å | (8) |
| 3.088 Å | (32) |
| 3.045 Å | (78) |
| 3.034 Å | (91) |
| 2.989 Å | (100) |
Comments:
ICDD 27-79 many lines down to 2.025 (14)
Geological Environment
Paragenetic Mode(s):
| Paragenetic Mode | Earliest Age (Ga) |
|---|---|
| High-? alteration and/or metamorphism | |
| 32 : Ba/Mn/Pb/Zn deposits, including metamorphic deposits |
Type Occurrence of Margarosanite
Place of Conservation of Type Material:
Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA, 2.5943.
Geological Setting of Type Material:
Altered areas of metamorphosed zinc-manganese-iron silicate-oxide orebodies
Associated Minerals at Type Locality:
Other Language Names for Margarosanite
Dutch:Margarosaniet
German:Margarosanit
Japanese:マーガロサナイト
Russian:Маргаросанит
Simplified Chinese:针硅钙铅矿
Spanish:Margarosanita
Relationship of Margarosanite to other Species
Member of:
Other Members of Margarosanite Group:
| Anatolygurbanovite | SrCa2Si3O9 | Tric. 1 : P1 |
| Breyite | Ca3Si3O9 | Tric. 1 : P1 |
| Walstromite | BaCa2(Si3O9) | Tric. 1 : P1 |
Common Associates
Associations Based on Photo Data:
| 77 photos of Margarosanite associated with Willemite | Zn2SiO4 |
| 52 photos of Margarosanite associated with Axinite-(Mn) | Ca2Mn2+Al2BSi4O15(OH) |
| 32 photos of Margarosanite associated with Andradite | Ca3Fe3+2(SiO4)3 |
| 32 photos of Margarosanite associated with Calcite | CaCO3 |
| 19 photos of Margarosanite associated with Wollastonite | Ca3(Si3O9) |
| 17 photos of Margarosanite associated with Microcline | K(AlSi3O8) |
| 17 photos of Margarosanite associated with Clinohedrite | CaZn(SiO4) · H2O |
| 13 photos of Margarosanite associated with Minehillite | (K,Na)2-3Ca28Zn4Al4Si40O112(OH)16 |
| 11 photos of Margarosanite associated with Xonotlite | Ca6(Si6O17)(OH)2 |
| 11 photos of Margarosanite associated with Pectolite | NaCa2Si3O8(OH) |
Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat Grouping
| 9.CA. | 'UM1975-18-SiO:Mn' | α-MnSiO3 |
| 9.CA. | Raudseppite | Ba2Ca7(Si3O9)2(CO3)2Cl2 |
| 9.CA. | Kopylovite | K2Ti(Si3O9) |
| 9.CA.05 | Bazirite | BaZr(Si3O9) |
| 9.CA.05 | Benitoite | BaTi(Si3O9) |
| 9.CA.05 | Pabstite | Ba(Sn,Ti)(Si3O9) |
| 9.CA.10 | Wadeite | K2Zr(Si3O9) |
| 9.CA.15 | Calciocatapleiite | CaZr(Si3O9) · 2H2O |
| 9.CA.15 | Catapleiite | Na2Zr(Si3O9) · 2H2O |
| 9.CA.20 | Pseudowollastonite | CaSiO3 |
| 9.CA.25 | Walstromite | BaCa2(Si3O9) |
| 9.CA.25 | Anatolygurbanovite | SrCa2Si3O9 |
| 9.CA.25 | Breyite | Ca3Si3O9 |
| 9.CA.30 | Bobtraillite | (Na,◻)12(◻,Na)12Sr12Zr14(Si3O9)10[Si2BO7(OH)2]6 · 12H2O |
| 9.CA.35 | Rogermitchellite | Na6Sr12Ba2Zr13Si39B4O123(OH)6 · 20H2O |
Fluorescence of Margarosanite
Bright blue-white, pink (often both colors are present)(MR UV, SW UV).
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.
Industrial Uses:
None.
Internet Links for Margarosanite
mindat.org URL:
https://www.mindat.org/min-2574.html
Please feel free to link to this page.
Please feel free to link to this page.
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Mineral Dealers:
References for Margarosanite
Reference List:
Palache, Charles (1935) The minerals of Franklin and Sterling Hill, Sussex County, New Jersey. Professional Paper 180. US Geological Survey 135 pp. doi:10.3133/pp180
Glasser, F. P., Dent Glasser, L. S. (1964) Additional notes on margarosanite. American Mineralogist, 49 (5-6) 781-782
Ito, Jun (1968) Synthesis of some lead calcium zinc silicates. American Mineralogist, 53 (1-2) 231-240
Freed, R. L., Peacor, Donald R. (1969) Determination and refinement of the crystal structure of margarosanite, PbCa2Si3O9. Zeitschrift für Kristallographie - Crystalline Materials, 128 (3) 213-228 doi:10.1524/zkri.1969.128.3-6.213
Dunn, Pete J., Peacor, Donald R., Leavens, Peter B., Wicks, Frederick J. (1984) Minehillite, a new layer silicate from Franklin, New Jersey, related to reyerite and truscottite. American Mineralogist, 69 (11-12) 1150-1155
Dunn, Pete J. (1985) The lead silicates from Franklin, New Jersey: occurrence and composition. Mineralogical Magazine, 49 (354) 721-727 doi:10.1180/minmag.1985.049.354.12
Ercit, T. S., Cooper, M. A., Hawthorne, F. C. (1998) The crystal structure of vuonnemite, Na11Ti4+Nb2(Si2O7)2(PO4)2O3(F,OH), a phosphate-bearing sorosilicate of the lomonosovite group. The Canadian Mineralogist, 36 (5). 1311-1320
Gaft, Michael, Yeates, H., Nagli, Lev (2013) Laser-induced time-resolved luminescence of natural margarosanite Pb(Ca,Mn)2Si3O9, swedenborgite NaBe4SbO7 and walstromite BaCa2Si3O9. European Journal of Mineralogy, 25 (1) 71-77 doi:10.1127/0935-1221/2013/0025-2260
Localities for Margarosanite
Showing 10 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.
Sweden | |
| Holtstam et al. (1999) +1 other reference |
| Flink (1917) | |
| Adolfsson (1979) | |
| Flink (1917) +1 other reference | |
| Gatedal (2003) +3 other references |
| Nysten (2003) |
USA | |
| Palache (1935) +2 other references |
| King (n.d.) | |
| King (n.d.) +1 other reference | |
| Ford et al. (1916) +2 other references |
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Långban Mine, Långban Ore District, Filipstad, Värmland County, Sweden