Sacrofanite
A valid IMA mineral species
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About Sacrofanite
Formula:
(Na61K19Ca32)(Si84Al84O336)(SO4)26Cl2F6 · 2H2O
Colour:
colourless
Lustre:
Vitreous, Pearly
Hardness:
5½ - 6
Specific Gravity:
2.423
Crystal System:
Hexagonal
Member of:
Name:
Named after its discovery locality at Sacrofano, Campagnano di Roma, Rome Province, Latium, Italy.
Unique Identifiers
Mindat ID:
3498
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:1:3498:8
IMA Classification of Sacrofanite
Approved
IMA Formula:
(Na61K19Ca32)Σ=112(Si84Al84O336)(SO4)26Cl2F6 · 2H2O
Approval year:
1979
First published:
1980
Classification of Sacrofanite
9.FB.05
9 : SILICATES (Germanates)
F : Tektosilicates without zeolitic H2O
B : Tektosilicates with additional anions
9 : SILICATES (Germanates)
F : Tektosilicates without zeolitic H2O
B : Tektosilicates with additional anions
76.2.5.13
76 : TECTOSILICATES Al-Si Framework
2 : Al-Si Framework Feldspathoids and related species
76 : TECTOSILICATES Al-Si Framework
2 : Al-Si Framework Feldspathoids and related species
17.10.15
17 : Silicates Containing other Anions
10 : Silicates with sulphate, molybdate or tungstate
17 : Silicates Containing other Anions
10 : Silicates with sulphate, molybdate or tungstate
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Scf | 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 Sacrofanite
Vitreous, Pearly
Transparency:
Transparent
Colour:
Colourless
Streak:
White
Hardness:
5½ - 6 on Mohs scale
Cleavage:
Perfect
{0001},{0110}
{0001},{0110}
Density:
2.423(5) g/cm3 (Measured) 2.446 g/cm3 (Calculated)
Optical Data of Sacrofanite
Type:
Uniaxial (-)
RI values:
nω = 1.505(1) nε = 1.486(1)
Max. Birefringence:
δ = 0.019
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.
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.
Surface Relief:
Moderate
Chemistry of Sacrofanite
Mindat Formula:
(Na61K19Ca32)(Si84Al84O336)(SO4)26Cl2F6 · 2H2O
Element Weights:
Common Impurities:
Fe
Crystallography of Sacrofanite
Crystal System:
Hexagonal
Cell Parameters:
a = 12.86 Å, c = 72.24 Å
Ratio:
a:c = 1 : 5.617
Unit Cell V:
10,346.42 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Morphology:
hexagonal prisms to 2 cm
Comment:
Point Group: 6mm; 6m2; or 6/m 2/m 2/m; Space Group: P63mc; P 62c; or P 63/mmc:
X-Ray Powder Diffraction
Powder Diffraction Data:
| d-spacing | Intensity |
|---|---|
| 3.73 Å | (100) |
| 3.483 Å | (43) |
| 2.648 Å | (30) |
| 3.685 Å | (26) |
| 3.74 Å | (25) |
| 2.149 Å | (18) |
| 11.12 Å | (12) |
Geological Environment
Paragenetic Mode(s):
| Paragenetic Mode | Earliest Age (Ga) |
|---|---|
| Stage 3a: Earth’s earliest Hadean crust | >4.50 |
| 9 : Lava/xenolith minerals (hornfels, sanidinite facies) | |
| High-? alteration and/or metamorphism | |
| 31 : Thermally altered carbonate, phosphate, and iron formations | |
| Stage 4b: Highly evolved igneous rocks | >3.0 |
| 35 : Ultra-alkali and agpaitic igneous rocks |
Type Occurrence of Sacrofanite
Place of Conservation of Type Material:
Mineralogical Museum, University of Rome, Italy.
Geological Setting of Type Material:
crystals lining a cavity in an ejected block of volcanic rock.
Associated Minerals at Type Locality:
Synonyms of Sacrofanite
Other Language Names for Sacrofanite
Relationship of Sacrofanite to other Species
Member of:
Other Members of Cancrinite Group:
| Afghanite | (Na,K)22Ca10(Si24Al24O96)(SO4)6Cl6 | Trig. 3m : P3 1c |
| Alloriite | (Na,Ca,K)26Ca4(Al6Si6O24)4(SO4)6Cl6 | Trig. 3m : P3 1c |
| Balliranoite | (Na,K)6Ca2(Si6Al6O24)Cl2(CO3) | Hex. 6 : P63 |
| Betzite | Na6Ca2(Al6Si6O24)Cl4 | Hex. 6 : P63 |
| Biachellaite | (Na,Ca,K)8(Al6Si6O24)(SO4)2(OH)0.5 · H2O | Trig. 3 : P3 |
| Bystrite | (Na,K)7Ca(Al6Si6O24)(S5)Cl | Trig. 3m : P3 1c |
| Cancrinite | (Na,Ca,◻)8(Al6Si6O24)(CO3,SO4)2 · 2H2O | Hex. 6 : P63 |
| Cancrisilite | Na7(Al5Si7O24)(CO3) · 3H2O | Hex. 6mm : P63mc |
| Carbobystrite | Na8(Al6Si6O24)(CO3) · 3.5H2O | Trig. 3m : P3 1c |
| Davyne | (Na,K)6Ca2(Al6Si6O24)(Cl2,SO4)2 | Hex. 6/m : P63/m |
| Depmeierite | Na8(Al6Si6O24)(PO4,CO3)1-x · 3H2O (x<0.5) | Hex. 6 : P63 |
| Fantappièite | [Na82.5Ca33K16.5](Si99Al99O396)(SO4)33 · 4H2O | Trig. 3 : R3 |
| Farneseite | (Na,Ca,K)56(Al6Si6O24)7(SO4)12 · 6H2O | Hex. 6/m : P63/m |
| Franzinite | (Na,K)6Ca2(Al6Si6O24)(SO4)2 · 0.5H2O | Hex. |
| Giuseppettite | (Na,K,Ca)7-8(Al6Si6O24)(SO4,Cl)1-2 | Trig. 3m : P3 1c |
| Hydroxycancrinite | Na8(Al6Si6O24)(OH)2 · 2H2O | Hex. 6 : P63 |
| Kircherite | Na5Ca2K(Al6Si6O24)(SO4)2 · 0.33H2O | Trig. 3 2 : R3 2 |
| Kyanoxalite | Na7(Al6-xSi6+xO24)(C2O4)0.5+x · 5H2O (0 < x < 0.5) | Hex. 6 : P63 |
| Liottite | (Na,K)16Ca8(Al6Si6O24)3(SO4)5Cl4 | Hex. 6 : P6 |
| Marinellite | (Na,K)42Ca6(Al6Si6O24)6(SO4)8Cl2 · 3H2O | Trig. 3m : P3 1c |
| Microsommite | Na4K2Ca2(Al6Si6O24)(SO4)Cl2 | Hex. 6 2 2 : P63 2 2 |
| Pitiglianoite | Na6K2(Al6Si6O24)(SO4) · 2H2O | Hex. 6 : P63 |
| Quadridavyne | (Na,K)6Ca2(Al6Si6O24)Cl4 | Hex. 6/m : P63/m |
| Steudelite | Na3(K17Ca7)Ca4(Al24Si24O96)(SO3)6F6 · 4H2O | Hex. 6 m2 : P62c |
| Sulfhydrylbystrite | Na5K2Ca[Al6Si6O24](S5)2(SH) | Trig. 3m : P3 1c |
| Tounkite | (Na,Ca,K)8(Si6Al6)O24(SO4)2Cl · 0.5H2O | Hex. 6 2 2 : P62 2 2 |
| 'UM2004-48-SiO:AlClCaNaS' | (Na,Ca)8(Si6Al6)O24(SO4)1.7Cl1.3 | |
| 'UM2009-23-SiO:AlCCaClHKNaS' | (Na,Ca)24K10[(Si,Al)60O120](SO4)5.6Cl1.5(CO3)0.4 · 11H2O | Trig. 3 : P3 |
| Vishnevite | (Na,K)8(Al6Si6O24)(SO4,CO3) · 2H2O | Hex. 6 : P63 |
Common Associates
Associations Based on Photo Data:
| 1 photo of Sacrofanite associated with K Feldspar | |
| 1 photo of Sacrofanite associated with Andradite | Ca3Fe3+2(SiO4)3 |
Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat Grouping
| 9.FB. | Perchukite-(Y) | PbYAsSi2O8 |
| 9.FB. | Åsgruvanite-(Ce) | Ce16Ca5Al(SiO4)6(AsO3)8(CO3)2Cl4F3(OH)2 |
| 9.FB. | Steudelite | Na3(K17Ca7)Ca4(Al24Si24O96)(SO3)6F6 · 4H2O |
| 9.FB. | Wenlanzhangite-(Y) | Y2V3+2V4+2(SiO4)2O4(OH)4 |
| 9.FB. | Slyudyankaite | Na28Ca4(Si24Al24O96)(SO4)6(S6)1/3(CO2) · 2H2O |
| 9.FB. | Bolotinaite | (Na7◻)(Al6Si6O24)F · 4H2O |
| 9.FB. | Sapozhnikovite | Na8(Al6Si6O24)(HS)2 |
| 9.FB. | Betzite | Na6Ca2(Al6Si6O24)Cl4 |
| 9.FB.05 | Quadridavyne | (Na,K)6Ca2(Al6Si6O24)Cl4 |
| 9.FB.05 | Sulfhydrylbystrite | Na5K2Ca[Al6Si6O24](S5)2(SH) |
| 9.FB.05 | Marinellite | (Na,K)42Ca6(Al6Si6O24)6(SO4)8Cl2 · 3H2O |
| 9.FB.05 | Afghanite | (Na,K)22Ca10(Si24Al24O96)(SO4)6Cl6 |
| 9.FB.05 | Bystrite | (Na,K)7Ca(Al6Si6O24)(S5)Cl |
| 9.FB.05 | Franzinite | (Na,K)6Ca2(Al6Si6O24)(SO4)2 · 0.5H2O |
| 9.FB.05 | Kyanoxalite | Na7(Al6-xSi6+xO24)(C2O4)0.5+x · 5H2O (0 < x < 0.5) |
| 9.FB.05 | Vishnevite | (Na,K)8(Al6Si6O24)(SO4,CO3) · 2H2O |
| 9.FB.05 | Farneseite | (Na,Ca,K)56(Al6Si6O24)7(SO4)12 · 6H2O |
| 9.FB.05 | Alloriite | (Na,Ca,K)26Ca4(Al6Si6O24)4(SO4)6Cl6 |
| 9.FB.05 | Liottite | (Na,K)16Ca8(Al6Si6O24)3(SO4)5Cl4 |
| 9.FB.05 | Depmeierite | Na8(Al6Si6O24)(PO4,CO3)1-x · 3H2O (x<0.5) |
| 9.FB.05 | Biachellaite | (Na,Ca,K)8(Al6Si6O24)(SO4)2(OH)0.5 · H2O |
| 9.FB.05 | Cancrinite | (Na,Ca,◻)8(Al6Si6O24)(CO3,SO4)2 · 2H2O |
| 9.FB.05 | Cancrisilite | Na7(Al5Si7O24)(CO3) · 3H2O |
| 9.FB.05 | Fantappièite | [Na82.5Ca33K16.5](Si99Al99O396)(SO4)33 · 4H2O |
| 9.FB.05 | Carbobystrite | Na8(Al6Si6O24)(CO3) · 3.5H2O |
| 9.FB.05 | Microsommite | Na4K2Ca2(Al6Si6O24)(SO4)Cl2 |
| 9.FB.05 | Pitiglianoite | Na6K2(Al6Si6O24)(SO4) · 2H2O |
| 9.FB.05 | Tounkite | (Na,Ca,K)8(Si6Al6)O24(SO4)2Cl · 0.5H2O |
| 9.FB.05 | Balliranoite | (Na,K)6Ca2(Si6Al6O24)Cl2(CO3) |
| 9.FB.05 | Giuseppettite | (Na,K,Ca)7-8(Al6Si6O24)(SO4,Cl)1-2 |
| 9.FB.05 | Kircherite | Na5Ca2K(Al6Si6O24)(SO4)2 · 0.33H2O |
| 9.FB.05 | Hydroxycancrinite | Na8(Al6Si6O24)(OH)2 · 2H2O |
| 9.FB.05 | Davyne | (Na,K)6Ca2(Al6Si6O24)(Cl2,SO4)2 |
| 9.FB.10 | Haüyne | Na3Ca(Si3Al3)O12(SO4) |
| 9.FB.10 | Lazurite | Na7Ca(Al6Si6O24)(SO4)(S3) · H2O |
| 9.FB.10 | Danalite | Be3Fe2+4(SiO4)3S |
| 9.FB.10 | Helvine | Be3Mn2+4(SiO4)3S |
| 9.FB.10 | Kamaishilite | Ca2(Al2SiO6)(OH)2 |
| 9.FB.10 | Sodalite | Na4(Si3Al3)O12Cl |
| 9.FB.10 | Nosean | Na8(Al6Si6O24)(SO4) · H2O |
| 9.FB.10 | Genthelvite | Be3Zn4(SiO4)3S |
| 9.FB.10 | Bicchulite | Ca2(Al2SiO6)(OH)2 |
| 9.FB.10 | Tsaregorodtsevite | (N(CH3)4)(AlSi5O12) |
| 9.FB.10 | Vladimirivanovite | Na6Ca2(Al6Si6O24)(SO4,S3,S2,Cl)2 · H2O |
| 9.FB.10 | Tugtupite | (BeAlSi)Na4(SiO4)3Cl |
| 9.FB.15 | Marialite | Na4Al3Si9O24Cl |
| 9.FB.15 | Meionite | Ca4Al6Si6O24CO3 |
| 9.FB.15 | Silvialite | (Ca,Na)4(Al6Si6O24)(SO4,CO3) |
Radioactivity
Radioactivity:
| Element | % Content | Activity (Bq/kg) | Radiation Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Uranium (U) | 0.0000% | 0 | α, β, γ |
| Thorium (Th) | 0.0000% | 0 | α, β, γ |
| Potassium (K) | 4.6004% | 1,426 | β, γ |
For comparison:
- Banana: ~15 Bq per fruit
- Granite: 1,000–3,000 Bq/kg
- EU exemption limit: 10,000 Bq/kg
Note: Risk is shown relative to daily recommended maximum exposure to non-background radiation of 1000 µSv/year. Note that natural background radiation averages around 2400 µSv/year so in reality these risks are probably extremely overstated! With infrequent handling and safe storage natural radioactive minerals do not usually pose much risk.
Interactive Simulator:
Note: The mass selector refers to the mass of radioactive mineral present, not the full specimen, also be aware that the matrix may also be radioactive, possibly more radioactive than this mineral!
Activity: –
| Distance | Dose rate | Risk |
|---|---|---|
| 1 cm | ||
| 10 cm | ||
| 1 m |
The external dose rate (D) from a radioactive mineral is estimated by summing the gamma radiation contributions from its Uranium, Thorium, and Potassium content, disregarding daughter-product which may have a significant effect in some cases (eg 'pitchblende'). This involves multiplying the activity (A, in Bq) of each element by its specific gamma ray constant (Γ), which accounts for its unique gamma emissions. The total unshielded dose at 1 cm is then scaled by the square of the distance (r, in cm) and multiplied by a shielding factor (μshield). This calculation provides a 'worst-case' or 'maximum risk' estimate because it assumes the sample is a point source and entirely neglects any self-shielding where radiation is absorbed within the mineral itself, meaning actual doses will typically be lower. The resulting dose rate (D) is expressed in microsieverts per hour (μSv/h).
D = ((AU × ΓU) + (ATh × ΓTh) + (AK × ΓK)) / r2 × μshield
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 Sacrofanite
mindat.org URL:
https://www.mindat.org/min-3498.html
Please feel free to link to this page.
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References for Sacrofanite
Reference List:
Cabri, Louis J., Fleischer, Michael, Pabst, Adolf (1981) New Mineral Names. American Mineralogist, 66 (9-10) 1099-1103
Hassan, I., Grundy, H. D. (1984) The crystal structures of sodalite-group minerals. Acta Crystallographica Section B Structural Science, 40 (1) 6-13 doi:10.1107/s0108768184001683
Ballirano, P., Maras, A., Buseck, P. R. (1996) Crystal chemistry and IR spectroscopy of Cl- and SO4-bearing cancrinite-like minerals. American Mineralogist, 81 (7) 1003-1012 doi:10.2138/am-1996-7-822
Localities for Sacrofanite
Showing 4 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.
Italy | |
| www.mikon-online.com (n.d.) |
| Burragato et al. (1980) +1 other reference |
Russia | |
| Excalibur Mineral Company specimen |
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Sacrofano Caldera, Metropolitan City of Rome Capital, Lazio, Italy