Northupite
A valid IMA mineral species - grandfathered
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About Northupite
Formula:
Na3Mg(CO3)2Cl
Colour:
Colourless, pale yellow, grey, brown; colourless in transmitted light
Lustre:
Vitreous
Hardness:
3½ - 4
Crystal System:
Isometric
Member of:
Name:
Described in 1896 by J. H. Pratt and named by Warren M. Foote in honor of Charles Henry Northup II (January 7, 1861, San Francisco, California, USA - September 18, 1932, San Jose, California, USA), an auto mechanic and mineral collector from San Jose, California, USA, who discovered the first specimens. Mr. Northup recovered several samples in cuttings from a 450' deep borehole called "Big Well". He then sent several samples of what would turn out to be northupite and pirssonite to Dr. A. E. Foote who determined they were new minerals.
Type Locality:
Isostructural with:
Northupite Group.
A complete series between northupite and tychite exists in artificial material.
May occur as fluid inclusions in chromite (Potapov et al., 2022).
A complete series between northupite and tychite exists in artificial material.
May occur as fluid inclusions in chromite (Potapov et al., 2022).
Unique Identifiers
Mindat ID:
2935
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:1:2935:9
IMA Classification of Northupite
Approved, 'Grandfathered' (first described prior to 1959)
First published:
1895
Classification of Northupite
5.BF.05
5 : CARBONATES (NITRATES)
B : Carbonates with additional anions, without H2O
F : With (Cl), SO4, PO4, TeO3
5 : CARBONATES (NITRATES)
B : Carbonates with additional anions, without H2O
F : With (Cl), SO4, PO4, TeO3
16a.3.9.1
16a : ANHYDROUS CARBONATES CONTAINING HYDROXYL OR HALOGEN
3 : (AB)2(XO3)Zq
16a : ANHYDROUS CARBONATES CONTAINING HYDROXYL OR HALOGEN
3 : (AB)2(XO3)Zq
12.1.1
12 : Carbonates with other anions
1 : Carbonates with halides
12 : Carbonates with other anions
1 : Carbonates with halides
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Nup | 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 Northupite
Vitreous
Transparency:
Transparent
Colour:
Colourless, pale yellow, grey, brown; colourless in transmitted light
Hardness:
3½ - 4 on Mohs scale
Tenacity:
Brittle
Fracture:
Conchoidal
Optical Data of Northupite
Type:
Isotropic
Chemistry of Northupite
Mindat Formula:
Na3Mg(CO3)2Cl
Element Weights:
Crystallography of Northupite
Crystal System:
Isometric
Class (H-M):
m3(2/m3) - Diploidal
Space Group:
Fd3
Cell Parameters:
a = 13.98 Å
Unit Cell V:
2,732.26 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Morphology:
Crystals octahedral.
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
Remove metal-metal sticks
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Perspective On | Perspective Off
2D | Stereo | Red-Blue | Red-Cyan
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View
CIF File Best | x | y | z | a | b | c
CIF File Best | x | y | z | a | b | c
Rotation
Stop | Start
Stop | Start
Labels
Console Off | On | Grey | Yellow
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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0015654 | Northupite | Dal Negro A, Giuseppetti G, Tadini C (1975) Refinement of the crystal structure of northupite: Na3Mg(CO3)2Cl Tschermaks Mineralogische und Petrographische Mitteilungen 22 158-163 | 1975 | Searles Lake, California, USA | 0 | 293 | |
| 0017929 | Northupite | Shiba H, Watanabe T (1931) Les structures des cristaux de Northupite, de Northupite bromee et de Tychite. _cod_database_code 1011022 Comptes Rendus Hebdomadaires des Seances de l'Academie des Sciences 193 1421-1423 | 1931 | 0 | 293 | ||
| 0017928 | Northupite | Shiba H, Watanabe T (1931) Les structures des cristaux de Northupite, de Northupite bromee et de Tychite. _cod_database_code 1011021 Comptes Rendus Hebdomadaires des Seances de l'Academie des Sciences 193 1421-1423 | 1931 | 0 | 293 |
CIF Raw Data - click here to close
X-Ray Powder Diffraction
Loading XRD data...
Data courtesy of RRUFF project at University of Arizona, used with permission.
Powder Diffraction Data:
| d-spacing | Intensity |
|---|---|
| 2.488 Å | (100) |
| 2.706 Å | (71) |
| 8.132 Å | (60) |
| 2.122 Å | (35) |
| 1.758 Å | (30) |
| 4.983 Å | (25) |
| 1.614 Å | (25) |
Comments:
John Hay, Jr. Well No. 1, Wyoming, USA. Data from Fahey and Mrose (1962).
Geological Environment
Paragenetic Mode(s):
| Paragenetic Mode | Earliest Age (Ga) |
|---|---|
| Near-surface Processes | |
| 24 : Authigenic minerals in terrestrial sediments (see also #17) | |
| 25 : Evaporites (prebiotic) |
Type Occurrence of Northupite
General Appearance of Type Material:
Octahedral crystals embedded in clay.
Place of Conservation of Type Material:
No designated type material.
Geological Setting of Type Material:
Lacustrine clay sediments.
Associated Minerals at Type Locality:
Other Language Names for Northupite
Dutch:Northupiet
German:Northupit
Russian:Нортупит
Simplified Chinese:氯碳酸钠镁石
Spanish:Northupita
Traditional Chinese:氯碳酸鈉鎂石
Relationship of Northupite to other Species
Member of:
Other Members of Northupite Group:
| Ferrotychite | Na6(Fe,Mn,Mg)2(CO3)4(SO4) | Iso. m3(2/m3) : Fd3 |
| Manganotychite | Na6Mn2(CO3)4(SO4) | Iso. m3(2/m3) : Fd3 |
| Tychite | Na6Mg2(CO3)4(SO4) | Iso. m3(2/m3) : Fd3 |
Common Associates
Associations Based on Photo Data:
| 2 photos of Northupite associated with Gaylussite | Na2Ca(CO3)2 · 5H2O |
| 1 photo of Northupite associated with Aragonite | CaCO3 |
| 1 photo of Northupite associated with Hydromagnesite | Mg5(CO3)4(OH)2 · 4H2O |
| 1 photo of Northupite associated with Malachite | Cu2(CO3)(OH)2 |
| 1 photo of Northupite associated with Chalconatronite | Na2Cu(CO3)2 · 3H2O |
| 1 photo of Northupite associated with Juangodoyite | Na2Cu(CO3)2 |
Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat Grouping
| 5.BF.05 | Manganotychite | Na6Mn2(CO3)4(SO4) |
| 5.BF.05 | Tychite | Na6Mg2(CO3)4(SO4) |
| 5.BF.05 | Ferrotychite | Na6(Fe,Mn,Mg)2(CO3)4(SO4) |
| 5.BF.10 | Sidorenkite | Na3Mn2+(CO3)(PO4) |
| 5.BF.10 | Crawfordite | Na3Sr(CO3)(PO4) |
| 5.BF.10 | Bonshtedtite | Na3Fe2+(CO3)(PO4) |
| 5.BF.10 | Bradleyite | Na3Mg(CO3)(PO4) |
| 5.BF.15 | Daqingshanite-(Ce) | (Sr,Ca,Ba)3(Ce,La)(CO3)3-x(PO4)(OH,F)2x |
| 5.BF.20 | Reederite-(Y) | (Na,Mn)15Y2(CO3)9(FSO3)Cl |
| 5.BF.25 | Mineevite-(Y) | Na25Ba(Y,Gd,Dy)2(CO3)11(HCO3)4(SO4)2F2Cl |
| 5.BF.30 | Brianyoungite | Zn3(CO3,SO4)(OH)4 |
| 5.BF.35 | Philolithite | Pb12Mn2+(Mg,Mn2+)2(Mn2+,Mg)4(CO3)4(SO4)O6(OH)12Cl4 |
| 5.BF.40 | Leadhillite | Pb4(CO3)2(SO4)(OH)2 |
| 5.BF.40 | Macphersonite | Pb4(CO3)2(SO4)(OH)2 |
| 5.BF.40 | Susannite | Pb4(CO3)2(SO4)(OH)2 |
| 5.BF.45 | Peatite-(Y) | Li4Na12Y12(PO4)12(CO3)4(F,OH)8 |
| 5.BF.50 | Ramikite-(Y) | Li4(Na,Ca)12Y6Zr6(PO4)12(CO3)4O4[(OH),F]4 |
Other Information
Thermal Behaviour:
Before the blowpipe, the mineral fuses at 1, with frothing, due to escaping carbon dioxide, and yields a white or grayish white mass, that reacts alkaline with moistened turmeric paper. The flame is colored intensely yellow.
In the closed tube, the mineral decrepitates violently, some-
times giving off a trace of water, probably due to impurities.
In the closed tube, the mineral decrepitates violently, some-
times giving off a trace of water, probably due to impurities.
Notes:
Readily soluble in dilute acids with effervescence. Decomposed by hot water with the separation of magnesium carbonate.
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 Northupite
mindat.org URL:
https://www.mindat.org/min-2935.html
Please feel free to link to this page.
Please feel free to link to this page.
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References for Northupite
Reference List:
Goßner, B.; Koch, I. (1931) Über das Kristallgitter von Langbeinit, Northupit und Hanksit. Zeitschrift für Kristallographie, Mineralogie und Petrographie, 80 (1-6). 455-464 doi:10.1524/zkri.1931.80.1.455p.458
Negro, A., Giuseppetti, G., Tadini, Carla (1975) Refinement of the crystal structure of northupite: Na3Mg(CO3)2Cl. TMPM Tschermaks Mineralogische und Petrographische Mitteilungen, 22 (2). 158-163 doi:10.1007/bf01089114
Localities for Northupite
Showing 45 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.
Antarctica | |
| Browne |
Austria | |
| A.Csaplovics (2014) |
| A.Csaplovics (2014) | |
Bosnia and Herzegovina | |
| Bermanec et al. (1994) |
Canada | |
| Greengrass et al. (1999) |
China | |
| Youxun Zhang (1983) |
| Jiping Wang et al. (1999) | |
| Dapeng Sun et al. (1984) |
| Xiyu Zheng and Shengsong Yu (1981) +1 other reference |
| Xiyu Zheng and Shengsong Yu (1981) +1 other reference |
| Shaoxiu (1991) |
| Mianping Zheng and Wengao Liu (1987) +2 other references |
| ZHANG et al. (2018) +2 other references |
Egypt | |
| Marchesini et al. (2009) +1 other reference |
| Marchesini et al. (2019) | |
| Marchesini et al. (2019) | |
Hungary | |
| Mecsek-Oko |
Poland | |
| Łukasz Kruszewski PXRD & EPMA data (2019) |
Russia | |
| Golovin et al. (2023) |
| Ivanyuk et al. (2017) |
| Mikhailova et al. (2015) | |
| Sharygin et al. (2008) +1 other reference |
| Potapov et al. (2022) |
| Starikova et al. (2017) | |
| Sharygin (2016) +1 other reference |
South Africa | |
| Tarasov et al. (2021, April) +1 other reference |
| Abersteiner et al. (2024) |
Spain | |
| Vizcayno et al. (1995) |
Uganda | |
| P Bongaerts collection +3 other references |
Ukraine | |
| Nesterovskiy et al. (2015) | |
| Deyak M.A. Modern water-chemogenic ... |
| Deyak M.A. Modern water-chemogenic ... |
| Deyak M.A. Modern water-chemogenic ... |
USA | |
| Adams et al. (2014) |
| Adams et al. (2014) |
| Vonsen (1935) +5 other references |
| Foote (1895) +6 other references |
| Eckel et al. (1997) |
| Eckel et al. (1997) |
| Palache et al. (1951) +2 other references | |
| Bullock (1981) |
| gsa.confex.com (n.d.) | |
| Pabst (1973) | |
| Hawley (1934) |
| Fahey et al. (1941) |
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Katwe Crater Lake, Katwe-Kikorongo volcanic field, Kasese, Western Region, Uganda