Lasalite
A valid IMA mineral species
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About Lasalite
Formula:
Na2Mg2(V10O28) · 20H2O
Colour:
Yellow to yellow-orange
Lustre:
Adamantine
Hardness:
1
Specific Gravity:
2.38
Crystal System:
Monoclinic
Member of:
Name:
For the type locality.
It is virtually identical in all respects to pascoite and other members of that group, and can only be distinguished by X-ray diffraction or chemical methods.
Unique Identifiers
Mindat ID:
31587
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:1:31587:4
Similar Names
| Lazulite | A valid IMA mineral species - grandfathered | MgAl2(PO4)2(OH)2 |
Classification of Lasalite
The Decavanadate Cluster
The decavanadate cluster found in lasalite. The same cluster is known in a number of other secondary vanadium minerals including, for example, pascoite, schindlerite, and rakovanite.
IMA Classification of Lasalite
Approved
IMA Formula:
[Mg(H2O)6]2Na2[V5+10O28](H2O)8
Approval year:
2007
First published:
2008
4.HC.05
4 : OXIDES (Hydroxides, V[5,6] vanadates, arsenites, antimonites, bismuthites, sulfites, selenites, tellurites, iodates)
H : V[5,6] Vanadates
C : [6]-Sorovanadates
4 : OXIDES (Hydroxides, V[5,6] vanadates, arsenites, antimonites, bismuthites, sulfites, selenites, tellurites, iodates)
H : V[5,6] Vanadates
C : [6]-Sorovanadates
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Las | 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 Lasalite
Adamantine
Transparency:
Transparent
Colour:
Yellow to yellow-orange
Comment:
Thin coatings on sandstone are brown.
Streak:
Yellow
Hardness:
1 on Mohs scale
Tenacity:
Very brittle
Cleavage:
None Observed
Density:
2.38(2) g/cm3 (Measured) 2.362 g/cm3 (Calculated)
Optical Data of Lasalite
Type:
Biaxial (-)
RI values:
nα = 1.743(5) nβ = 1.773(5) nγ = 1.780(5)
Max. Birefringence:
δ = 0.037
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:
strong r> v dispersion.
Pleochroism:
Visible
Comments:
X = light greenish yellow, Y = light yellow, Z = light brown
Comments:
2V at 550 nm: 32(l), 589 nm: 43(l), and 650 nm: 53(l);
Chemistry of Lasalite
Mindat Formula:
Na2Mg2(V10O28) · 20H2O
Element Weights:
Crystallography of Lasalite
Crystal System:
Monoclinic
Class (H-M):
2/m - Prismatic
Space Group:
B2/b
Setting:
C2/c
Cell Parameters:
a = 23.9019(7) Å, b = 10.9993(3) Å, c = 17.0504(5) Å
β = 118.284°
β = 118.284°
Ratio:
a:b:c = 2.173 : 1 : 1.55
Unit Cell V:
3,947.44 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Morphology:
The major forms are {100}, {010}, {001}, {111}, and {111}.
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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0006198 | Lasalite | Hughes J M, Wise W S, Gunter M E, Morton J P, Rakovan J (2008) Lasalite, Na2Mg2[V10O28]*20H2O, a new decavanadate mineral species from the Vanadium Queen mine, La Sal District, Utah: Description, atomic arrangement, and relationship to the pascoite group of minerals The Canadian Mineralogist 46 1365-1372 |  | 2008 | Vanadium Queen mine, La Sal District, Utah | 0 | 293 |
| 0010329 | Lasalite | Iida A, Ozeki T (2004) Mg2Na2V10O28*20H2O and Mg3V10O28*28H2O Acta Crystallographica C60 i43-i46 |  | 2004 | synthetic | 0 | 293 |
CIF Raw Data - click here to close
X-Ray Powder Diffraction
Powder Diffraction Data:
| d-spacing | Intensity |
|---|---|
| 9.72 Å | (100) |
| 6.67 Å | (80) |
| 7.42 Å | (70) |
| 9.09 Å | (60) |
| 8.19 Å | (60) |
| 2.882 Å | (50) |
| 2.706 Å | (50) |
Geological Environment
Paragenetic Mode(s):
| Paragenetic Mode | Earliest Age (Ga) |
|---|---|
| Stage 7: Great Oxidation Event | <2.4 |
| 47a : [Near-surface hydration of prior minerals] | |
| 47e : [Vanadates, chromates, manganates] | |
| 47h : [Near-surface oxidized, dehydrated minerals] | |
| Stage 10b: Anthropogenic minerals | <10 Ka |
| 55 : Anthropogenic mine minerals |
Type Occurrence of Lasalite
General Appearance of Type Material:
Efflorescent crusts are commonly 1 to 3 mm thick. The surfaces of the crusts may be rounded owing to dissolution, but may also glisten from exposed crystal faces. Some sandstone surfaces are coated with isolated single crystals 1 to 2 mm in length.
Place of Conservation of Type Material:
National Museum of Natural History (Smithsonian Institution), Washington, D.C., USA, catalog number NMNH-174744.
Geological Setting of Type Material:
Lasalite occurs in efflorescences on the sandstone walls of the mine workings and along fractures in the sandstone. The mineral forms by oxidation of the primary vanadium oxide bronze phase (corvusite) by vadose water and reaction with dolomite and calcite cement of the host sandstone.
Associated Minerals at Type Locality:
Synonyms of Lasalite
Other Language Names for Lasalite
Relationship of Lasalite to other Species
Member of:
Other Members of Pascoite Family:
| Ammoniolasalite | [(NH4)2Mg2(H2O)20] [V10O28] | Mon. 2/m : B2/b |
| Bluestreakite | K4Mg2(V4+2V5+8O28) · 14H2O | Mon. 2/m |
| Burroite | Ca2(NH4)2(V10O28) · 15H2O | Tric. 1 : P1 |
| Caseyite | [(V5+O2)Al10-x(OH)20-2x(H2O)18-2x]2[H2V4+V5+9O28][V5+10O28]2(Na,K,Ca)2-y(SO4)2-z · (60+8x+y+4z)H2O (x = 0-2.5; y = 0-2; z = 0-2) | Mon. |
| Flatimerite | [Al13(OH)24(H2O)24][V5+9V4+O28] · [(SO4)4(H2O)24] | Tric. 1 : P1 |
| Gunterite | Na4Ca(V10O28) · 20H2O | Mon. 2/m : B2/m |
| Huemulite | Na4Mg(V10O28) · 24H2O | Tric. |
| Hughesite | Na3Al(V10O28) · 22H2O | Tric. 1 : P1 |
| Hummerite | K2Mg2(V10O28) · 16H2O | Tric. 1 : P1 |
| Hydropascoite | Ca3(V10O28) · 24H2O | Tric. 1 : P1 |
| Kokinosite | Na2Ca2(V10O28) · 24H2O | Tric. 1 : P1 |
| Magnesiopascoite | Ca2Mg(V10O28) · 16H2O | Mon. 2/m : B2/m |
| Nashite | Na3Ca2[(V5+9V4+)O28] · 24H2O | Mon. 2/m : P21/m |
| Okieite | Mg3[V10O28] · 28H2O | Tric. 1 : P1 |
| Pascoite | Ca2Ca(V10O28) · 17H2O | Mon. 2 : B2 |
| Postite | Mg(H2O)6Al2(OH)2(H2O)8(V10O28) · 13H2O | Orth. mmm(2/m2/m2/m) : Pccn |
| Protocaseyite | [Al4(OH)6(H2O)12][V10O28] · 8H2O | Tric. 1 : P1 |
| Rakovanite | (NH4)3Na3(V10O28) · 12H2O | Mon. 2/m |
| Schindlerite | {(NH4)4Na2(H2O)10}{V10O28} | Tric. 1 : P1 |
| Trebiskyite | Na3Mg2[TiV9O28] · 22H2O | Mon. 2/m : P21/b |
| Wernerbaurite | {(NH4)2[Ca2(H2O)14](H2O)2}{V10O28} | Tric. 1 : P1 |
Common Associates
Associations Based on Photo Data:
| 10 photos of Lasalite associated with Pascoite | Ca2Ca(V10O28) · 17H2O |
| 8 photos of Lasalite associated with Dickthomssenite | Mg(V2O6) · 7H2O |
| 5 photos of Lasalite associated with Corvusite | (Na,K,Ca,Mg)2(V5+,V4+,Fe2+)8O20 · 6-10H2O |
| 3 photos of Lasalite associated with Okieite | Mg3[V10O28] · 28H2O |
| 2 photos of Lasalite associated with Rossite | Ca(VO3)2 · 4H2O |
| 2 photos of Lasalite associated with Hewettite | CaV6O16 · 9H2O |
| 2 photos of Lasalite associated with Simplotite | CaV4+4O9 · 5H2O |
| 1 photo of Lasalite associated with Hydrocerussite | Pb3(CO3)2(OH)2 |
Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat Grouping
| 4.HC. | Protocaseyite | [Al4(OH)6(H2O)12][V10O28] · 8H2O |
| 4.HC. | Ammoniolasalite | [(NH4)2Mg2(H2O)20] [V10O28] |
| 4.HC. | Beckettite | Ca2V6Al6O20 |
| 4.HC.05 | Pascoite | Ca2Ca(V10O28) · 17H2O |
| 4.HC.05 | Hydropascoite | Ca3(V10O28) · 24H2O |
| 4.HC.05 | Hughesite | Na3Al(V10O28) · 22H2O |
| 4.HC.05 | Magnesiopascoite | Ca2Mg(V10O28) · 16H2O |
| 4.HC.05 | Rakovanite | (NH4)3Na3(V10O28) · 12H2O |
| 4.HC.10 | Hummerite | K2Mg2(V10O28) · 16H2O |
| 4.HC.15 | Sherwoodite | Ca5.5(AlV4+V5+12O39) · 28H2O |
| 4.HC.20 | Bluestreakite | K4Mg2(V4+2V5+8O28) · 14H2O |
| 4.HC.25 | Wernerbaurite | {(NH4)2[Ca2(H2O)14](H2O)2}{V10O28} |
| 4.HC.25 | Burroite | Ca2(NH4)2(V10O28) · 15H2O |
| 4.HC.30 | Caseyite | [(V5+O2)Al10-x(OH)20-2x(H2O)18-2x]2[H2V4+V5+9O28][V5+10O28]2(Na,K,Ca)2-y(SO4)2-z · (60+8x+y+4z)H2O (x = 0-2.5; y = 0-2; z = 0-2) |
| 4.HC.35 | Gunterite | Na4Ca(V10O28) · 20H2O |
| 4.HC.40 | Kokinosite | Na2Ca2(V10O28) · 24H2O |
| 4.HC.45 | Nashite | Na3Ca2[(V5+9V4+)O28] · 24H2O |
| 4.HC.50 | Okieite | Mg3[V10O28] · 28H2O |
| 4.HC.55 | Postite | Mg(H2O)6Al2(OH)2(H2O)8(V10O28) · 13H2O |
| 4.HC.60 | Schindlerite | {(NH4)4Na2(H2O)10}{V10O28} |
Other Information
Notes:
On prolonged exposure to conditions of low humidity, the crystals dehydrate to a yellow powder.
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 Lasalite
mindat.org URL:
https://www.mindat.org/min-31587.html
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References for Lasalite
Reference List:
Hughes, J. M., Wise, W. S., Gunter, M. E., Morton, J. P., Rakovan, J. (2008) Lasalite, Na2Mg2[V10O28]·20H2O, a new decavanadate mineral species from the Vanadium Queen mine, La Sal District, Utah: Description, atomic arrangement, and relationship to the pascoite group of minerals. The Canadian Mineralogist, 46 (5) 1365-1372 doi:10.3749/canmin.46.5.1365
Hughes, J. M., Wise, W. S., Gunter, M. E., Morton, J. P., Rakovan, J. (2009) Lasalite, Na2Mg2[V10O28]·20H2O, a new decavanadate mineral species from the Vanadium Queen mine, La Sal District, Utah: Description, atomic arrangement, and relationship to the pascoite group of minerals: Addendum. The Canadian Mineralogist, 47 (1) 206 doi:10.3749/canmin.47.1.206
Localities for Lasalite
Showing 8 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.
USA | |
| Kampf et al. (2017) |
| Kampf et al. (2019) |
| www.handbookofmineralogy.org (2015) |
| Kasatkin et al. (2014) +1 other reference |
| Hughes et al. (2008) +1 other reference |
| Hughes et al. (2008) | |
| Hughes et al. (2008) |
| Joe Marty Collection |
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Vanadium Queen Mine, La Sal Creek Mining District, San Juan County, Utah, USA