Sainfeldite
A valid IMA mineral species
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About Sainfeldite
Formula:
Ca5(AsO4)2(AsO3OH)2 · 4H2O
Colour:
Colorless, pale pink
Lustre:
Sub-Vitreous, Resinous, Waxy
Hardness:
4
Specific Gravity:
3.04
Crystal System:
Monoclinic
Member of:
Name:
Named by Roland Pierrot in 1964 in honour of Paul Sainfeld [1916 France - 1998], mineralogist of the Musée de Minéralogie, École des Mines, Paris, France, who discovered the mineral.
Type Locality:
Isostructural with:
Compare giftgrubeite, the ordered (Ca:Mn = 3:2) intermediate member between villyaellenite and sainfeldite.
Compare also the higher hydrates ferrarisite and its dimorph guérinite.
Compare also the higher hydrates ferrarisite and its dimorph guérinite.
Unique Identifiers
Mindat ID:
3503
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:1:3503:9
IMA Classification of Sainfeldite
Approved
IMA Formula:
Ca5(As5+O4)2(As5+O3OH)2·4H2O
Approval year:
1963
First published:
1964
Classification of Sainfeldite
8.CJ.
8 : PHOSPHATES, ARSENATES, VANADATES
C : Phosphates without additional anions, with H2O
J : With only large cations
8 : PHOSPHATES, ARSENATES, VANADATES
C : Phosphates without additional anions, with H2O
J : With only large cations
39.2.1.2
39 : HYDRATED ACID PHOSPHATES,ARSENATES AND VANADATES
2 : (AB)5[HXO4]2[XO4]2.xH2O
39 : HYDRATED ACID PHOSPHATES,ARSENATES AND VANADATES
2 : (AB)5[HXO4]2[XO4]2.xH2O
20.2.9
20 : Arsenates (also arsenates with phosphate, but without other anions)
2 : Arsenates of Be, Mg, Ca or Ba
20 : Arsenates (also arsenates with phosphate, but without other anions)
2 : Arsenates of Be, Mg, Ca or Ba
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Sai | 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 Sainfeldite
Sub-Vitreous, Resinous, Waxy
Transparency:
Transparent, Translucent
Colour:
Colorless, pale pink
Streak:
White
Hardness:
4 on Mohs scale
Tenacity:
Brittle
Fracture:
Irregular/Uneven
Density:
3.04(2) g/cm3 (Measured) 2.99(4) g/cm3 (Calculated)
Comment:
D ranges 2.99-3.027
Optical Data of Sainfeldite
Type:
Biaxial (-)
RI values:
nα = 1.600(2) nβ = 1.610(2) nγ = 1.616(2)
2V:
Measured: 80° (2), Calculated: 74°
Birefringence:
0.016
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:
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:
r < v weak
Optical Extinction:
X = b, Y^c ~ 20°
Pleochroism:
Non-pleochroic
Chemistry of Sainfeldite
Mindat Formula:
Ca5(AsO4)2(AsO3OH)2 · 4H2O
Element Weights:
Elements listed:
Common Impurities:
Co
Crystallography of Sainfeldite
Crystal System:
Monoclinic
Class (H-M):
2/m - Prismatic
Space Group:
B2/b
Setting:
C2/c
Cell Parameters:
a = 18.781(7) Å, b = 9.820(4) Å, c = 10.191(4) Å
β = 97.0°
β = 97.0°
Ratio:
a:b:c = 1.913 : 1 : 1.038
Unit Cell V:
1865.43 ų
Z:
8
Morphology:
blades-prisms in radiating aggregates and rosettes
Comment:
C2/c setting; Bull. Min. 95:33 (1972) structure
Crystal Structure
Load
Unit Cell | Unit Cell Packed
2x2x2 | 3x3x3 | 4x4x4
Unit Cell | Unit Cell Packed
2x2x2 | 3x3x3 | 4x4x4
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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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0012134 | Sainfeldite | Ferraris G, Abbona F (1972) The crystal structure of Ca5(HAsO4)2(AsO4)2*4H2O (Sainfeldite) Bulletin de la Societe Francaise de Mineralogie et de Cristallographie 95 33-41 | 1972 | synthetic | 0 | 293 |
CIF Raw Data - click here to close
X-Ray Powder Diffraction
Powder Diffraction Data:
| d-spacing | Intensity |
|---|---|
| 3.392 Å | (100) |
| 3.206 Å | (59) |
| 3.418 Å | (55) |
| 8.688 Å | (42) |
| 3.084 Å | (36) |
| 4.692 Å | (28) |
| 4.475 Å | (25) |
| 3.523 Å | (21) |
| 3.295 Å | (20) |
| 4.660 Å | (19) |
| 3.912 Å | (18) |
| 2.827 Å | (18) |
| 2.424 Å | (17) |
| 4.910 Å | (17) |
| 3.380 Å | (14) |
| 3.468 Å | (14) |
| 9.320 Å | (14) |
| 4.233 Å | (12) |
| 2.529 Å | (12) |
| 2.779 Å | (12) |
Comments:
Also see ICDD 16-615
Geological Environment
Paragenetic Mode(s):
| Paragenetic Mode | Earliest Age (Ga) |
|---|---|
| Stage 7: Great Oxidation Event | <2.4 |
| 47a : [Near-surface hydration of prior minerals] | |
| 47d : [Arsenates, antimonates, selenates, bismuthinates] | |
| Stage 10b: Anthropogenic minerals | <10 Ka |
| 55 : Anthropogenic mine minerals |
Type Occurrence of Sainfeldite
Place of Conservation of Type Material:
National School of Mines, Paris, France.
Geological Setting of Type Material:
Post-mine.
Synonyms of Sainfeldite
Other Language Names for Sainfeldite
Relationship of Sainfeldite to other Species
Member of:
Other Members of Hureaulite Group:
| Chongite | Ca3Mg2(AsO4)2(AsO3OH)2 · 4H2O | Mon. 2/m : B2/b |
| Giftgrubeite | CaMn2Ca2(AsO4)2(AsO3OH)2 · 4H2O | Mon. 2/m : B2/b |
| Hureaulite | Mn2+5(PO3OH)2(PO4)2 · 4H2O | Mon. 2/m : B2/b |
| Miguelromeroite | Mn2+5(AsO3OH)2(AsO4)2(H2O)4 | Mon. 2/m : B2/b |
| Nyholmite | Cd3Zn2(AsO3OH)2(AsO4)2 · 4H2O | Mon. 2/m : B2/b |
| Villyaellenite | (Mn,Ca)Mn2Ca2(AsO3OH)2(AsO4)2 · 4H2O | Mon. 2/m : B2/b |
Common Associates
Associations Based on Photo Data:
| 39 photos of Sainfeldite associated with Picropharmacolite | Ca4Mg(AsO4)2(HAsO4)2 · 11H2O |
| 25 photos of Sainfeldite associated with Guérinite | Ca6(HAsO4)3(AsO4)2 · 10.5H2O |
| 21 photos of Sainfeldite associated with Erythrite | Co3(AsO4)2 · 8H2O |
| 7 photos of Sainfeldite associated with Weilite | Ca(HAsO4) |
| 7 photos of Sainfeldite associated with Hörnesite | Mg3(AsO4)2 · 8H2O |
| 7 photos of Sainfeldite associated with Pharmacolite | Ca(HAsO4) · 2H2O |
| 6 photos of Sainfeldite associated with Vladimirite | Ca4(AsO4)2(AsO3OH) · 4H2O |
| 4 photos of Sainfeldite associated with Rauenthalite | Ca3(AsO4)2 · 10H2O |
| 3 photos of Sainfeldite associated with Phaunouxite | Ca3(AsO4)2 · 11H2O |
| 2 photos of Sainfeldite associated with Dolomite | CaMg(CO3)2 |
Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat Grouping
| 8.CJ. | Airdite | Sr(V4+O)2(PO4)2 · 4H2O |
| 8.CJ. | Dobšináite | Ca2Ca(AsO4)2 · 2H2O |
| 8.CJ. | Caesiumpharmacosiderite | CsFe3+4[(AsO4)3(OH)4] · 4H2O |
| 8.CJ. | Jeankempite | Ca5(AsO4)2(HAsO4)2 · 7H2O |
| 8.CJ.05 | Stercorite | (NH4)Na(PO3OH) · 4H2O |
| 8.CJ.10 | Swaknoite | (NH4)2Ca(PO3OH)2 · H2O |
| 8.CJ.10 | Mundrabillaite | (NH4)2Ca(PO3OH)2 · H2O |
| 8.CJ.15 | Nabaphite | NaBaPO4 · 9H2O |
| 8.CJ.15 | Nastrophite | Na(Sr,Ba)PO4 · 9H2O |
| 8.CJ.20 | Haidingerite | CaHAsO4 · H2O |
| 8.CJ.25 | Rhabdophane-(Y) | YPO4 · H2O |
| 8.CJ.25 | Vladimirite | Ca4(AsO4)2(AsO3OH) · 4H2O |
| 8.CJ.27 | 'Churchite-(Dy)' | (Dy,Sm,Gd,Nd)PO4 · 2H2O |
| 8.CJ.30 | Ferrarisite | Ca5(AsO4)2(HAsO4)2 · 9H2O |
| 8.CJ.35 | Fulbrightite | Ca(V4+O)2(As5+O4)2 · 4H2O |
| 8.CJ.35 | Machatschkiite | (Ca,Na)6(AsO4)(HAsO4)3(PO4,SO4) · 15H2O |
| 8.CJ.40 | Rauenthalite | Ca3(AsO4)2 · 10H2O |
| 8.CJ.40 | Phaunouxite | Ca3(AsO4)2 · 11H2O |
| 8.CJ.45 | Brockite | (Ca,Th,Ce)PO4 · H2O |
| 8.CJ.45 | Smirnovskite | (Th,Ca)PO4 · nH2O |
| 8.CJ.45 | Rhabdophane-(Ce) | Ce(PO4) · 0.6H2O |
| 8.CJ.45 | Rhabdophane-(La) | La(PO4) · H2O |
| 8.CJ.45 | Rhabdophane-(Nd) | Nd(PO4) · H2O |
| 8.CJ.45 | Tristramite | (Ca,U4+,Fe3+)(PO4,SO4) · 2H2O |
| 8.CJ.45 | Grayite | (Th,Pb,Ca)(PO4) · H2O |
| 8.CJ.45 | Štěpite | U(AsO3OH)2 · 4H2O |
| 8.CJ.47 | Vysokýite | U4+[AsO2(OH)2]4 · 4H2O |
| 8.CJ.50 | Churchite-(Y) | Y(PO4) · 2H2O |
| 8.CJ.50 | Brushite | Ca(PO3OH) · 2H2O |
| 8.CJ.50 | Ardealite | Ca2(PO3OH)(SO4) · 4H2O |
| 8.CJ.50 | Pharmacolite | Ca(HAsO4) · 2H2O |
| 8.CJ.50 | 'Churchite-(Nd)' | Nd(PO4) · 2H2O |
| 8.CJ.55 | Mcnearite | NaCa5(AsO4)(HAsO4)4 · 4H2O |
| 8.CJ.60 | Dorfmanite | Na2(PO3OH) · 2H2O |
| 8.CJ.65 | Sincosite | Ca(V4+O)2(PO4)2 · 4H2O |
| 8.CJ.65 | Bariosincosite | Ba(V4+O)2(PO4)2 · 4H2O |
| 8.CJ.70 | Catalanoite | Na2(PO3OH) · 8H2O |
| 8.CJ.75 | Guérinite | Ca6(HAsO4)3(AsO4)2 · 10.5H2O |
| 8.CJ.85 | Ningyoite | (U,Ca,Ce)2(PO4)2 · 1-2H2O |
Fluorescence of Sainfeldite
Not fluorescent.
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 Sainfeldite
mindat.org URL:
https://www.mindat.org/min-3503.html
Please feel free to link to this page.
Please feel free to link to this page.
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References for Sainfeldite
Reference List:
Pierrot, Roland (1964) Contribution à la minéralogie des arséniates calciques et calcomagnésiens naturels. Bulletin de Minéralogie, 87 (2) 169-211 doi:10.3406/bulmi.1964.5727
Localities for Sainfeldite
Showing 34 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.
Czech Republic | |
| Hloušek et al. (2002) |
France | |
| Bari (1982) |
| Wittern et al. (1997) | |
| Pierre et Terre 1982 | |
| De Bondt (n.d.) | |
| Pierrot (1964) |
| Bari (1982) | |
| This mine worked the same vein as Gabe ... +2 other references | |
| Pélisson et al. (1987) |
| Perroud (1989) |
Germany | |
| Kolitsch et al. (2000) |
| Carsten Slotta collection |
| Walenta (1992) |
| |
| |
| Stephan Wolfsried collection | |
| Weiß (1990) |
| Weiß (1990) | |
| Wittern (2001) |
| Stolze et al. (03/2021) |
| Witzke (2018) |
| Hajek (2010) |
| Massanek et al. (2005) |
Greece | |
| Kolitsch et al. (2014) |
| Rieck et al. (1999) | |
Morocco | |
| Favreau et al. (2006) |
| Favreau et al. (2006) |
| Font Philippe specimen | |
| Favreau et al. (2006) | |
| Favreau et al. (2006) | |
| Favreau et al. (2006) |
| sergio varvello |
Switzerland | |
| Stalder et al. (1998) +1 other reference |
USA | |
| www.excaliburmineral.com/mins-z.htm |
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Bauhaus, Nentershausen, Hersfeld-Rotenburg, Kassel Region, Hesse, Germany