Nordstrandite
A valid IMA mineral species - grandfathered
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About Nordstrandite
Robert A. "Bucco" Van Nordstrand
Formula:
Al(OH)3
γ-Al(OH)3.
Colour:
colorless, coral pink and reddish brown
Lustre:
Vitreous, Pearly
Hardness:
3
Specific Gravity:
2.43 - 2.436
Crystal System:
Triclinic
Name:
For Robert A. Van Nordstrand (Feb. 17, 1918 - Feb. 6, 2000 San Rafael Marin County California, USA), Sinclair Research Laboratories, Harvey, Illinois, USA, who synthesized the compound in 1956, later named for him, then transferred to the natural mineral.
Co-Type Localities:
This page provides mineralogical data about Nordstrandite.
Unique Identifiers
Mindat ID:
2930
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:1:2930:4
IMA Classification of Nordstrandite
Approved, 'Grandfathered' (first described prior to 1959)
Classification of Nordstrandite
4.FE.10
4 : OXIDES (Hydroxides, V[5,6] vanadates, arsenites, antimonites, bismuthites, sulfites, selenites, tellurites, iodates)
F : Hydroxides (without V or U)
E : Hydroxides with OH, without H2O; sheets of edge-sharing octahedra
4 : OXIDES (Hydroxides, V[5,6] vanadates, arsenites, antimonites, bismuthites, sulfites, selenites, tellurites, iodates)
F : Hydroxides (without V or U)
E : Hydroxides with OH, without H2O; sheets of edge-sharing octahedra
6.3.3.1
6 : HYDROXIDES AND OXIDES CONTAINING HYDROXYL
3 : X(OH)3
6 : HYDROXIDES AND OXIDES CONTAINING HYDROXYL
3 : X(OH)3
7.6.6
7 : Oxides and Hydroxides
6 : Oxides of Al
7 : Oxides and Hydroxides
6 : Oxides of Al
Mineral Symbols
As of 2021 there are now IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols (abbreviations) for each mineral species, useful for tables and diagrams.
Please only use the official IMA–CNMNC symbol. Older variants are listed for historical use only.
Please only use the official IMA–CNMNC symbol. Older variants are listed for historical use only.
| Symbol | Source | Reference for Standard |
|---|---|---|
| Nsd | IMA–CNMNC | Warr, L.N. (2021). IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols. Mineralogical Magazine, 85(3), 291-320. doi:10.1180/mgm.2021.43 |
| Nsd | Warr (2020) | Warr, L.N. (2020) Recommended abbreviations for the names of clay minerals and associated phases. Clay Minerals, 55, 261–264 doi:10.1180/clm.2020.30 |
Physical Properties of Nordstrandite
Vitreous, Pearly
Transparency:
Transparent, Opaque
Comment:
pearly on cleavage
Colour:
Colorless, coral pink and reddish brown
Comment:
reddish brown due to included goethite
Hardness:
3 on Mohs scale
Cleavage:
Perfect
basal {110}
basal {110}
Density:
2.43 - 2.436 g/cm3 (Measured) 2.45 g/cm3 (Calculated)
Optical Data of Nordstrandite
Type:
Biaxial (+)
RI values:
nα = 1.580(4) nβ = 1.580(4) nγ = 1.596(4)
2V:
Measured: 24° , Calculated: 44°
Max. Birefringence:
δ = 0.016
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
Dispersion:
r < v moderate
Chemistry of Nordstrandite
Mindat Formula:
Al(OH)3
γ-Al(OH)3.
γ-Al(OH)3.
Elements listed:
Crystallography of Nordstrandite
Crystal System:
Triclinic
Class (H-M):
1 - Pedial
Space Group:
P1
Cell Parameters:
a = 5.08 Å, b = 5.12 Å, c = 4.98 Å
α = 93.67°, β = 118.92°, γ = 70.27°
α = 93.67°, β = 118.92°, γ = 70.27°
Ratio:
a:b:c = 0.992 : 1 : 0.973
Unit Cell V:
105.94 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:
4
Morphology:
thick tabular crystals.
Comment:
Non-standard unit-cell setting
Crystal Structure
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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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0009375 | Nordstrandite | Bosmans H J (1970) Unit cell and crystal structure of nordstrandite, Al(OH)3 Acta Crystallographica B26 649-652 |  | 1970 | synthetic | 0 | 293 |
| 0014701 | Nordstrandite | Saalfeld H, Jarchow O (1968) Die Kristallstruktur von Nordstrandit, Al(OH)3 Neues Jahrbuch fur Mineralogie, Abhandlungen 109 185-191 | 1968 | 0 | 293 |
CIF Raw Data - click here to close
X-Ray Powder Diffraction
Powder Diffraction Data:
| d-spacing | Intensity |
|---|---|
| 4.789 Å | (100) |
| 4.322 Å | (12) |
| 4.207 Å | (10) |
| 2.392 Å | (9) |
| 2.263 Å | (15) |
| 2.016 Å | (8) |
| 1.9008 Å | (8) |
Geological Environment
Paragenetic Mode(s):
| Paragenetic Mode | Earliest Age (Ga) |
|---|---|
| Stage 7: Great Oxidation Event | <2.4 |
| 47a : [Near-surface hydration of prior minerals] |
Geological Setting:
karsts
Type Occurrence of Nordstrandite
Co-Type Localities:
Place of Conservation of Type Material:
Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, Canada, M145608; Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 108353; National Museum of Natural History, Washington, D.C., USA, 117275, 145608.
Geological Setting of Type Material:
sinkholes in limestones
Synonyms of Nordstrandite
Other Language Names for Nordstrandite
Dutch:Nordstrandiet
German:Nordstrandit
Randomit
Randomit
Russian:Нордстрандит
Simplified Chinese:和诺三水铝石
Spanish:Nordstrandita
Randomita
Randomita
Common Associates
Associations Based on Photo Data:
| 28 photos of Nordstrandite associated with Phillipsite-K | K6(Si10Al6)O32 · 12H2O |
| 14 photos of Nordstrandite associated with Phillipsite Subgroup | (Ca0.5,K,Na,Ba0.5)4-7[Al4-7Si12-9O32] . 12H2O |
| 10 photos of Nordstrandite associated with Calcite | CaCO3 |
| 7 photos of Nordstrandite associated with Dawsonite | NaAlCO3(OH)2 |
| 7 photos of Nordstrandite associated with Baryte | BaSO4 |
| 6 photos of Nordstrandite associated with Gonnardite | (Na,Ca)2(Si,Al)5O10 · 3H2O |
| 6 photos of Nordstrandite associated with Hydrotalcite | Mg6Al2(CO3)(OH)16 · 4H2O |
| 4 photos of Nordstrandite associated with Malachite | Cu2(CO3)(OH)2 |
| 3 photos of Nordstrandite associated with Böhmite | AlO(OH) |
| 3 photos of Nordstrandite associated with Natrolite | Na2Al2Si3O10 · 2H2O |
Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat Grouping
| 4.FE. | Nannoniite | Al2(OH)5F |
| 4.FE.05 | Brucite | Mg(OH)2 |
| 4.FE.05 | Theophrastite | Ni(OH)2 |
| 4.FE.05 | Amakinite | Fe2+(OH)2 |
| 4.FE.05 | Portlandite | Ca(OH)2 |
| 4.FE.05 | Pyrochroite | Mn(OH)2 |
| 4.FE.10 | Doyleite | Al(OH)3 |
| 4.FE.10 | Bayerite | Al(OH)3 |
| 4.FE.10 | Gibbsite | Al(OH)3 |
| 4.FE.15 | Lepidocrocite | Fe3+O(OH) |
| 4.FE.15 | Böhmite | AlO(OH) |
| 4.FE.20 | Heterogenite | Co3+O(OH) |
| 4.FE.20 | Grimaldiite | CrO(OH) |
| 4.FE.25 | Lithiophorite | (Al,Li)MnO2(OH)2 |
| 4.FE.25 | Feitknechtite | Mn3+O(OH) |
| 4.FE.30 | Quenselite | PbMnO2(OH) |
| 4.FE.35 | Ferrihydrite | Fe3+10O14(OH)2 |
| 4.FE.40 | Vernadite | (Mn4+,Fe3+,Ca,Na)(O,OH)2 · nH2O |
| 4.FE.40 | Feroxyhyte | Fe3+O(OH) |
| 4.FE.45 | Quetzalcoatlite | Zn6Cu3(TeO6)2(OH)6 · AgxPbyClx+2y |
| 4.FE.50 | Fuettererite | Pb3Cu2+6Te6+O6(OH)7Cl5 |
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 Nordstrandite
mindat.org URL:
https://www.mindat.org/min-2930.html
Please feel free to link to this page.
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References for Nordstrandite
Reference List:
WALL, J. R. D., WOLFENDEN, E. B., BEARD, E. H., DEANS, T. (1962) Nordstrandite in Soil from West Sarawak, Borneo. Nature, 196 (4851). 264-265 doi:10.1038/196264b0
HATHAWAY, JOHN C., SCHLANGER, SEYMOUR O. (1962) Nordstrandite from Guam. Nature, 196 (4851). 265-266 doi:10.1038/196265a0
Hauschild, Ulrich (1963) Über Nordstrandit, γ-Al(OH)3. Zeitschrift für anorganische und allgemeine Chemie, 324 (1). 15-30 doi:10.1002/zaac.19633240103
Hathaway, John C., Schlanger, Seymour O. (1965) Nordstrandite (Al2O3·3H2O) from Guam. American Mineralogist, 50 (7-8) 1029-1037
Goldbery, R., Loughnan, H. C. (1970) Dawsonite and nordstrandite in the Permian Berry Formation of the Sydney Basin, New South Wales. American Mineralogist, 55 (3-4) 477-490
Vivien, Daniel, Stegmann, Marie-Cécile, Mazières, Charles (1973) Contribution à l’étude par spectroscopie infrarouge et RMN large bande des hydroxydes d’aluminium : gibbsite, bayerite, nordstrandite. Journal de Chimie Physique, 70. 1502-1508 doi:10.1051/jcp/1973701502
Milton, Charles, Dwornik, Edward J., Finkelman, Robert B. (1975) Nordstrandite, Al(OH)3, from the Green River Formation in Rio Blanco County, Colorado. American Mineralogist, 60 (3-4) 285-291
Wolska, Emilia (1980) Die durch die Anwesenheit von Eisen(III)-ionen bedingten Phasengleichgewichte kristalliner Aluminiumhydroxide des Nordstrandits, Hydrargillits und Bayerits. Monatshefte für Chemie, 111. 889-897 doi:10.1007/bf00899254
Chao, George Y., Baker, J. (1982) Nordstrandite from Mont St-Hilaire, Quebec. The Canadian Mineralogist, 20 (1) 77-85
SATO, Taichi (1988) Preparation of aluminum hydroxide, nordstrandite. Journal of Japan Institute of Light Metals, 38 (11). 731-739 doi:10.2464/jilm.38.731
Dani, Norberto, Formoso, Milton Luiz Laquintinie, Decarreau, Alain, Meunier, Alain (2001) Nordstrandite in Bauxite Derived from Phonolite, Lages, Santa Catarina, Brazil. Clays and Clay Minerals, 49 (3). 216-226 doi:10.1346/ccmn.2001.0490304
Demichelis, Raffaella, Catti, Michele, Dovesi, Roberto (2009) Structure and Stability of the Al(OH)3 Polymorphs Doyleite and Nordstrandite: A Quantum Mechanical ab Initio Study with the CRYSTAL06 Code. The Journal of Physical Chemistry C, 113 (16). 6785-6791 doi:10.1021/jp810084c
Localities for Nordstrandite
Showing 91 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.
Australia | |
| Goldbery et al. (1970) +1 other reference | |
| Grubb (1971) |
Austria | |
| Pichler (2009) |
| Goldmann et al. (2008) |
| Walter (2009) |
| Alker et al. (1981) +2 other references |
Bolivia | |
| Petrov (n.d.) +1 other reference |
Brazil | |
| Dani et al. (2001) |
Canada | |
| Canadian Museum of Nature collection |
| Piilonen et al. (2025) | |
| Piilonen et al. (2022) | |
| Grice (1989) |
| Sabina (1982) |
| Chao et al. (1982) +1 other reference |
| HORVÁTH (2010) |
| "Tarassoff Collection" |
| Egan (1986) |
Croatia | |
| Tomašić et al. (2021) |
Czech Republic | |
| Č +4 other references |
| Sejkora J. et al. (2010) |
| P.Pauliš et al. (2017) |
| Petr Fuchs collection |
Germany | |
| Wittern (2001) |
| Henrich (1998) |
| Schnorrer-Köhler (1991) |
| Hentschel (1982) |
| Hentschel (1989) |
| Hentschel (1989) | |
| Witzke (1994) |
| www.researchgate.net (n.d.) +1 other reference |
Greece | |
| |
Greenland | |
| Petersen et al. (1976) +1 other reference |
Hungary | |
| Kovács-Pálffy et al. (2008) |
| Szakáll S. +1 other reference | |
Italy | |
| analysed by Dr. Anthony Kampf |
| Vannucci S. – (1975) |
| Exel (1987) | |
| Orlandi et al. (1994) +1 other reference |
| Orlandi et al. (2009) |
| Orlandi et al. (2009) |
| Orlandi et al. (1989) |
| Orlandi et al. (2009) | |
| Orlandi et al. (2000) |
| Saccardo et al. (2002) +3 other references |
Jamaica | |
Japan | |
| Hori +1 other reference |
Kazakhstan | |
| Evseev (1995) |
Lebanon | |
| Kruszewski (2019) |
Malaysia (TL) | |
| WALL et al. (1962) |
Mauritania | |
| Matton et al. (2014) |
| Un Processus Alcalin Péri-Atlantiqu. ... +1 other reference |
Mexico | |
| Gazquez et al. (1) |
Montenegro | |
Norway | |
| Larsen et al. (2010) |
| Andersen et al. (1996) +1 other reference | |
| Andersen et al. (1996) | |
| Larsen et al. (1991) | |
| Engvoldsen et al. (1991) +2 other references |
| Peter Andresen collection +1 other reference |
| Peter Andresen collection | |
| Knut Edvard Larsen collection # MM- 6310 ( Ex- Svein A Berge collection 2010) | |
| Knut Edvard Larsen collection # MM- ... |
Poland | |
| Kruszewski (2012) |
| Kruszewski et al. (2018) |
Russia | |
| webmineral.ru (2016) |
| Nishanbaev et al. (2016) |
| rruff.geo.arizona.edu (n.d.) |
| Zaitsev et al. (1992) +2 other references |
| Ivanyuk et al. (2017) |
| Lapis 29 (1) |
| ... +1 other reference | |
| Mikhailova et al. (2025) |
| ... |
| Specimen from Dr. Igor Pekov | |
Spain | |
| Onac et al. (2014) +1 other reference |
| Strasser et al. (2006) |
| Bareche (2005) |
Switzerland | |
| Ansermet et al. (2025) |
UK | |
| rruff.geo.arizona.edu (n.d.) |
USA | |
| AmMin 60:285 |
| Eckel et al. (1997) |
| Milton (1977) +1 other reference | |
| Nature (1962) +1 other reference |
| Hathaway et al. (1965) |
| Gobla (2012) |
| NMBMMR New Mexico Mineral symposium (2002) |
| Jerry Cone Collection |
| Bullock (1981) |
Vietnam | |
| Dumańska-Słowik et al. (2023) |
| Khoi et al. (2011) |
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Stradner Kogel, Wilhelmsdorf, Bad Gleichenberg, Südoststeiermark District, Styria, Austria