Orientite
A valid IMA mineral species - grandfathered
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About Orientite
Seal of Oriente Province, Cuba
Formula:
Ca8Mn3+10(SiO4)3(Si3O10)3(OH)10 · 4H2O
Colour:
Light reddish brown, chocolate-brown
Lustre:
Resinous, Sub-Metallic, Dull
Hardness:
4 - 5
Specific Gravity:
3.05 - 3.33
Crystal System:
Orthorhombic
Name:
Named in 1921 by Donnel Foster Hewett and Earl Vincent Shannon for the type locality, the Oriente Province in Cuba. In 1976, Oriente Province was split up into 6 provinces. The type locality is now located in Santiago de Cuba Province.
Type Locality:
This page provides mineralogical data about Orientite.
Unique Identifiers
Mindat ID:
3017
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:1:3017:1
Similar Names
| Orendite | A synonym of 'Diopside-sanidine-phlogopite lamproite' |
| Ornetit | A synonym of 'Joséite' |
IMA Classification of Orientite
Approved, 'Grandfathered' (first described prior to 1959)
IMA Formula:
Ca8Mn3+10(SiO4)3(Si3O10)3(OH)10(H2O)4
First published:
1921
Classification of Orientite
9.BJ.05
9 : SILICATES (Germanates)
B : Sorosilicates
J : Sorosilicates with Si3O10, Si4O11, etc. anions; cations in octahedral [6] and greater coordination
9 : SILICATES (Germanates)
B : Sorosilicates
J : Sorosilicates with Si3O10, Si4O11, etc. anions; cations in octahedral [6] and greater coordination
58.3.1.2
58 : SOROSILICATES Insular, Mixed, Single, and Larger Tetrahedral Groups
3 : Insular, Mixed, Single, and Larger Tetrahedral Groups with insular single and triple groups (n=1, 3)
58 : SOROSILICATES Insular, Mixed, Single, and Larger Tetrahedral Groups
3 : Insular, Mixed, Single, and Larger Tetrahedral Groups with insular single and triple groups (n=1, 3)
14.18.22
14 : Silicates not Containing Aluminum
18 : Silicates of Mn and Na, K, Mg, Ca or Fe
14 : Silicates not Containing Aluminum
18 : Silicates of Mn and Na, K, Mg, Ca or Fe
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Orn | 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 Orientite
Resinous, Sub-Metallic, Dull
Transparency:
Transparent, Translucent
Colour:
Light reddish brown, chocolate-brown
Streak:
Brown
Hardness:
4 - 5 on Mohs scale
Tenacity:
Brittle
Cleavage:
Imperfect/Fair
Perfect to imperfect on {001}
may be parting
Perfect to imperfect on {001}
may be parting
Density:
3.05 - 3.33 g/cm3 (Measured) 3.48 g/cm3 (Calculated)
Optical Data of Orientite
Type:
Biaxial (+)
RI values:
nα = 1.756 - 1.765 nβ = 1.777 - 1.79 nγ = 1.794 - 1.81
2V:
Measured: 67° to 83°, Calculated: 90°
Max. Birefringence:
δ = 0.038 - 0.045
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.
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:
relatively strong
Pleochroism:
Visible
Comments:
X = red-brown to brownish yellow; Y = yellow to reddish brown; Z = brownish yellow to deep brownish red
Chemistry of Orientite
Mindat Formula:
Ca8Mn3+10(SiO4)3(Si3O10)3(OH)10 · 4H2O
Element Weights:
Common Impurities:
Al,Fe,V,Cu,Mg,K,H2O,S
Crystallography of Orientite
Crystal System:
Orthorhombic
Class (H-M):
mmm(2/m2/m2/m) - Dipyramidal
Cell Parameters:
a = 9.074(4) Å, b = 6.121(2) Å, c = 19.130(7) Å
Ratio:
a:b:c = 1.482 : 1 : 3.125
Unit Cell V:
1,062.52 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:
4
Comment:
Space group: Ccmm.
Crystal Structure
Load
Unit Cell | Unit Cell Packed
2x2x2 | 3x3x3 | 4x4x4
Unit Cell | Unit Cell Packed
2x2x2 | 3x3x3 | 4x4x4
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Big Balls | Small Balls | Just Balls | Spacefill
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CIF File Best | x | y | z | a | b | c
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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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0000965 | Orientite | Moore P B, Shen J, Araki T (1985) Crystal chemistry of the (M2)3+ phi2 sheet: Structural principles and crystal structures of ruizite, macfallite and orientite American Mineralogist 70 171-181 |  | 1985 | Lake Manganese, Copper Harbor, Keweenaw County, Michigan, USA | 0 | 293 |
| 0001007 | Orientite | Mellini M, Merlino S, Pasero M (1986) X-ray and HRTEM structure analysis of orientite American Mineralogist 71 176-187 | | 1986 | 0 | 293 |
CIF Raw Data - click here to close
X-Ray Powder Diffraction
Powder Diffraction Data:
| d-spacing | Intensity |
|---|---|
| 9.448 Å | (100) |
| 4.740 Å | (100) |
| 3.026 Å | (45) |
| 4.070 Å | (35) |
| 3.270 Å | (30) |
| 4.509 Å | (25) |
| 4.388 Å | (15) |
Geological Environment
Paragenetic Mode(s):
| Paragenetic Mode | Earliest Age (Ga) |
|---|---|
| Near-surface Processes | |
| 22 : Hydration and low-? subsurface aqueous alteration (see also #23) | |
| High-? alteration and/or metamorphism | |
| 32 : Ba/Mn/Pb/Zn deposits, including metamorphic deposits |
Type Occurrence of Orientite
Place of Conservation of Type Material:
National Museum of Natural History, Washington, D.C., USA, 93819.
The Natural History Museum, London, England, 1923,1029.
The Natural History Museum, London, England, 1923,1029.
Other Language Names for Orientite
Common Associates
Associations Based on Photo Data:
| 19 photos of Orientite associated with Macfallite | Ca2Mn3+3(SiO4)(Si2O7)(OH)3 |
| 10 photos of Orientite associated with Calcite | CaCO3 |
| 4 photos of Orientite associated with Quartz | SiO2 |
| 3 photos of Orientite associated with Braunite | Mn2+Mn3+6(SiO4)O8 |
| 3 photos of Orientite associated with Hydroxyapophyllite-(K) | KCa4(Si8O20)(OH,F) · 8H2O |
| 3 photos of Orientite associated with Cerchiaraite-(Mn) | Ba4Mn3+4(Si4O12)O2(OH)4Cl2[Si2O3(OH)4] |
| 3 photos of Orientite associated with Namansilite | NaMn3+Si2O6 |
| 3 photos of Orientite associated with Neltnerite | CaMn3+6(SiO4)O8 |
| 2 photos of Orientite associated with Fluorapophyllite-(K) | KCa4(Si8O20)(F,OH) · 8H2O |
| 1 photo of Orientite associated with Pectolite | NaCa2Si3O8(OH) |
Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat Grouping
| 9.BJ. | Arsenmedaite | Mn2+6 As5+Si5O18(OH) |
| 9.BJ.10 | Rosenhahnite | HCa3[Si3O9(OH)] |
| 9.BJ.15 | Trabzonite | Ca4(Si3O9)(OH)2 |
| 9.BJ.20 | Thalénite-(Y) | Y3Si3O10F |
| 9.BJ.25 | Tiragalloite | Mn2+4As5+Si3O12(OH) |
| 9.BJ.30 | Medaite | Mn2+6V5+Si5O18(OH) |
| 9.BJ.35 | Strontioruizite | Sr2Mn3+2Si4O11(OH)4 · 2H2O |
| 9.BJ.35 | Ruizite | Ca2Mn3+2[Si4O11(OH)2](OH)2 · 2H2O |
| 9.BJ.35 | Taniajacoite | SrCaMn3+2Si4O11(OH)4 · 2H2O |
| 9.BJ.40 | Ardennite-(As) | Mn2+4Al4(AlMg)(AsO4)(SiO4)2(Si3O10)(OH)6 |
| 9.BJ.40 | Kannanite | Ca4Al4(AlMg)(VO4)(SiO4)2(Si3O10)(OH)6 |
| 9.BJ.40 | Alpeite | Ca4Mn3+2Al2(Mn3+Mg)(SiO4)2(Si3O10)(V5+O4)(OH)6 |
| 9.BJ.40 | Ardennite-(V) | Mn2+4Al4(AlMg)(VO4)(SiO4)2(Si3O10)(OH)6 |
| 9.BJ.45 | Kilchoanite | Ca6(SiO4)(Si3O10) |
| 9.BJ.50 | Prismatine | (◻,Fe,Mg)(Mg,Al,Fe)5Al4Si2(Si,Al)2(B,Si,Al)(O,OH,F)22 |
| 9.BJ.50 | Kornerupine | Mg3Al6(Si,Al,B)5O21(OH) |
| 9.BJ.55 | Zunyite | Al13Si5O20(OH,F)18Cl |
| 9.BJ.60 | Hubeite | Ca2Mn2+Fe3+Si4O12(OH) · 2H2O |
| 9.BJ.65 | Cassagnaite | (Ca,Mn2+)4(Fe3+,Mn3+,Al)4(V3+,Mg,Al)2(Si3O10)(SiO4)2(OH,O)8 |
| 9.BJ.70 | Pavlovskyite | Ca8(SiO4)2(Si3O10) |
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 Orientite
mindat.org URL:
https://www.mindat.org/min-3017.html
Please feel free to link to this page.
Please feel free to link to this page.
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References for Orientite
Reference List:
Sclar, Charles B. (1961) Optical crystallography of orientite from Oriente Province, Cuba. American Mineralogist, 46 (1-2) 226-232
Moore, Paul B., Ito, Jun, Steele, Ian M. (1979) MacFallite and orientite: calcium manganese (III) silicates from upper Michigan. Mineralogical Magazine, 43 (327) 325-331 doi:10.1180/minmag.1979.043.327.02
Mellini, M., Merlino, S., Pasero, M. (1984) Average structure and faulted sequences in orientite. Acta Crystallographica Section A Foundations of Crystallography, 40 (a1). C255 doi:10.1107/s0108767384092357
Localities for Orientite
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.
China | |
| Nanlai Zheng et al. (1986) |
Cuba (TL) | |
| AM 70 (1985) +1 other reference |
| King (n.d.) |
Iran | |
| Moinevaziri (2019) |
Italy | |
| Palenzona (1990) +1 other reference |
Japan | |
| Miyajima et al. (1994) |
Mexico | |
| Gazquez et al. (1) |
Serbia | |
| Pačevski et al. (2016) +1 other reference |
South Africa | |
| Cairncross et al. (1995) |
USA | |
| Morris (1983) |
| Michael Hawkins |
Quick NavTopAbout OrientiteUnique IdentifiersSimilar NamesIMA Classification Classification Mineral SymbolsPhysical Properties Optical Data Chemistry Crystallography Crystal StructureX-Ray Powder DiffractionGeological EnvironmentType Occurrence Other LanguagesCommon AssociatesStrunz-MindatOther InformationInternet Links References Localities Locality List
Cerchiara Mine, Borghetto di Vara, La Spezia Province, Liguria, Italy