Serendibite
A valid IMA mineral species - grandfathered
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About Serendibite
Formula:
Ca4[Mg6Al6]O4[Si6B3Al3O36]
Colour:
pale yellow, blue-green, greyish blue
Lustre:
Vitreous
Hardness:
6½ - 7
Specific Gravity:
3.42 - 3.52
Crystal System:
Triclinic
Member of:
Name:
Named after Serendib, the old Arabic name for Sri Lanka. The mineral srilankite is also named after the country.
Aenigmatite Group.
May be confused with sapphirine.
Visit gemdat.org for gemological information about Serendibite.
May be confused with sapphirine.
Visit gemdat.org for gemological information about Serendibite.Unique Identifiers
Mindat ID:
3623
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:1:3623:4
IMA Classification of Serendibite
Approved, 'Grandfathered' (first described prior to 1959)
IMA Formula:
Ca4(Mg6Al6)O4[Si6B3Al3O36]
First published:
1903
Classification of Serendibite
9.DH.40
9 : SILICATES (Germanates)
D : Inosilicates
H : Inosilicates with 4-periodic single chains, Si4O12
9 : SILICATES (Germanates)
D : Inosilicates
H : Inosilicates with 4-periodic single chains, Si4O12
69.2.1a.6
69 : INOSILICATES Chains with Side Branches or Loops
2 : Chains with Side Branches or Loops with P>2
69 : INOSILICATES Chains with Side Branches or Loops
2 : Chains with Side Branches or Loops with P>2
17.5.17
17 : Silicates Containing other Anions
5 : Borosilicates
17 : Silicates Containing other Anions
5 : Borosilicates
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Ser | 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 Serendibite
Vitreous
Colour:
Pale yellow, blue-green, greyish blue
Streak:
White
Hardness:
6½ - 7 on Mohs scale
Cleavage:
None Observed
Density:
3.42 - 3.52 g/cm3 (Measured) 3.47 g/cm3 (Calculated)
Optical Data of Serendibite
Type:
Biaxial (+)
RI values:
nα = 1.701 nβ = 1.703 nγ = 1.706
2V:
Measured: 80° , Calculated: 80°
Max. Birefringence:
δ = 0.005
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:
strong
Chemistry of Serendibite
Mindat Formula:
Ca4[Mg6Al6]O4[Si6B3Al3O36]
Element Weights:
Common Impurities:
Ti,Fe,Mn,Na,K,F,H2O,P
Crystallography of Serendibite
Crystal System:
Triclinic
Class (H-M):
1 - Pinacoidal
Space Group:
P1
Cell Parameters:
a = 10.01 Å, b = 10.39 Å, c = 8.63 Å
α = 106.36°, β = 96.06°, γ = 124.36°
α = 106.36°, β = 96.06°, γ = 124.36°
Ratio:
a:b:c = 0.963 : 1 : 0.831
Unit Cell V:
670.11 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:
2
Twinning:
Polysynthetic on {0-11} is common.
Crystal Structure
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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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0020622 | Serendibite | Grice J D, Belley P M, Fayek M (2014) Serendibite, a complex chemical borosilicate mineral from Pontiac, Quebec: Description, chemical composition, and crystallographic data The Canadian Mineralogist 52 1-14 | 2014 | Portage-du-Fort area, Pontiac Regional County Municipality, Quebec, Canada | 0 | 293 | |
| 0001546 | Serendibite | Van Derveer D G, Swihart G H, Sen Gupta P K, Grew E S (1993) Cation occupancies in serendibite: A crystal structure study Sample from Johnsburg, New York Displacement parameters obtained from ICSD American Mineralogist 78 195-203 | ![]() | 1993 | 0 | 293 |
CIF Raw Data - click here to close
Geological Environment
Paragenetic Mode(s):
| Paragenetic Mode | Earliest Age (Ga) |
|---|---|
| Near-surface Processes | |
| 23 : Subaerial aqueous alteration by non-redox-sensitive fluids (see also #47) |
Type Occurrence of Serendibite
Other Language Names for Serendibite
Relationship of Serendibite to other Species
Member of:
Other Members of Rhönite Group:
| Dorrite | Ca4(Mg3Fe3+9)O4(Si3Al8Fe3+O36) | Tric. |
| Høgtuvaite | Ca4[Fe2+6Fe3+6]O4[Si8Be2Al2O36] | Tric. 1 : P1 |
| Kuratite | Ca2(Fe2+5Ti)O2[Si4Al2O18] | Tric. 1 : P1 |
| 'Leucorhönite' | Ca2(Mg,Fe3+,Al)6(Si,Al)6O20 | Tric. |
| Makarochkinite | (Ca,Na)4[Fe2+8Fe3+2Ti2]O4[Si8Be2Al2O36] | Tric. 1 : P1 |
| Rhönite | Ca4[Mg8Fe3+2Ti2]O4[Si6Al6O36] | Tric. 1 : P1 |
| Welshite | Ca4Mg9Sb3O4[Si6Be3AlFe2O36] | Tric. 1 : P1 |
Common Associates
Associations Based on Photo Data:
| 23 photos of Serendibite associated with Phlogopite | KMg3(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| 6 photos of Serendibite associated with 'Fayalite-Forsterite Series' | |
| 4 photos of Serendibite associated with Uvite | CaMg3(Al5Mg)(Si6O18)(BO3)3(OH)3(OH) |
| 4 photos of Serendibite associated with Sinhalite | MgAl(BO4) |
| 3 photos of Serendibite associated with Spinel | MgAl2O4 |
| 3 photos of Serendibite associated with Plagioclase | (Na,Ca)[(Si,Al)AlSi2]O8 |
| 3 photos of Serendibite associated with Calcite | CaCO3 |
| 3 photos of Serendibite associated with Diopside | CaMgSi2O6 |
| 1 photo of Serendibite associated with Quartz | SiO2 |
Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat Grouping
| 9.DH. | Devilliersite | Ca4Ca2Fe3+10O4[(Fe3+10Si2)O36] |
| 9.DH. | 'Gageite-2M' | (Mn,Mg,Zn)42Si16O54(OH)40 |
| 9.DH. | Bavsiite | Ba2V2O2[Si4O12] |
| 9.DH. | Yuzuxiangite | Sr3Fe3+(Si2O6)2(OH) · 3H2O |
| 9.DH. | Louisfuchsite | Ca2(Mg4Ti2)(Al4Si2)O20 |
| 9.DH.05 | Leucophanite | NaCaBeSi2O6F |
| 9.DH.10 | Ohmilite | Sr3(Ti,Fe3+)(Si4O12)(O,OH) · 2-3H2O |
| 9.DH.15 | Haradaite | SrVSi2O7 |
| 9.DH.15 | Suzukiite | BaVSi2O7 |
| 9.DH.20 | Shcherbakovite | (K,Ba)KNa(Ti,Nb)2(Si4O12)O2 |
| 9.DH.20 | Batisite | BaNaNaTi2(Si4O12)O2 |
| 9.DH.20 | Noonkanbahite | BaKNaTi2(Si4O12)O2 |
| 9.DH.25 | Taikanite | Sr3BaMn2+2(Si4O12)O2 |
| 9.DH.30 | Krauskopfite | BaSi2O5 · 3H2O |
| 9.DH.35 | Gageite | Mn21(Si4O12)2O3(OH)20 |
| 9.DH.35 | Balangeroite | (Mg,Fe2+,Fe3+,Mn2+)42Si16O54(OH)40 |
| 9.DH.40 | Kuratite | Ca2(Fe2+5Ti)O2[Si4Al2O18] |
| 9.DH.40 | Aenigmatite | Na4[Fe2+10Ti2]O4[Si12O36] |
| 9.DH.40 | Dorrite | Ca4(Mg3Fe3+9)O4(Si3Al8Fe3+O36) |
| 9.DH.40 | Rhönite | Ca4[Mg8Fe3+2Ti2]O4[Si6Al6O36] |
| 9.DH.40 | Khesinite | Ca4(Mg3Fe3+9)O4(Fe3+9Si3)O36 |
| 9.DH.40 | 'UM1991-29-SiO:FeMgNa' | Na4(Mg5Fe3+7)O4[Si9Fe3+3O36] |
| 9.DH.40 | Høgtuvaite | Ca4[Fe2+6Fe3+6]O4[Si8Be2Al2O36] |
| 9.DH.40 | 'Leucorhönite' | Ca2(Mg,Fe3+,Al)6(Si,Al)6O20 |
| 9.DH.40 | Welshite | Ca4Mg9Sb3O4[Si6Be3AlFe2O36] |
| 9.DH.40 | Wilkinsonite | Na2Fe2+4Fe3+2(Si6O18)O2 |
| 9.DH.40 | Krinovite | Na2Mg4Cr3+2(Si6O18)O2 |
| 9.DH.40 | Makarochkinite | (Ca,Na)4[Fe2+8Fe3+2Ti2]O4[Si8Be2Al2O36] |
| 9.DH.45 | Sapphirine | Mg4(Mg3Al9)O4[Si3Al9O36] |
| 9.DH.50 | Khmaralite | (Mg,Al,Fe)16[(Al,Si,Be)12O36]O4 |
| 9.DH.55 | 'UM1988-26-SiO:AlMg' | Mg4Al2O[Si3Al2O15] |
| 9.DH.55 | Surinamite | (Mg,Fe)3Al4BeSi3O16 |
| 9.DH.60 | Deerite | Fe2+6Fe3+3(Si6O17)O3(OH)5 |
| 9.DH.65 | Taneyamalite | (Na,Ca)Mn2+12(Si,Al)12(O,OH)44 |
| 9.DH.65 | Howieite | Na(Fe2+,Fe3+,Al,Mg)12(Si6O17)2(O,OH)10 |
| 9.DH.70 | Johninnesite | Na2Mn2+9Mg7(OH)8[AsO4]2[Si6O17]2 |
| 9.DH.75 | Agrellite | NaCa2Si4O10F |
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 Serendibite
mindat.org URL:
https://www.mindat.org/min-3623.html
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Please feel free to link to this page.
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References for Serendibite
Reference List:
Prior, G. T., Coomáraswámy, A. K. (1903) Serendibite, a new borosilicate from Ceylon. Mineralogical Magazine and Journal of the Mineralogical Society, 13 (61) 224-227 doi:10.1180/minmag.1903.13.61.04
Richmond, Gerald M. (1939) Serendibite and associated minerals from the New City Quarry, Riverside, California. American Mineralogist, 24 (11). 725-726
Nicollet, Christian (1990) Occurrences of grandidierite, serendibite and tourmaline near Ihosy, southern Madagascar. Mineralogical Magazine, 54 (374) 131-133 doi:10.1180/minmag.1990.054.374.16
Grew, Edward S., Pertsev, Nikolay N., Boronikhin, Vladimir A., Borisovskiy, Sergey Ye., Yates, Martin G., Marquez, Nicholas (1991) Serendibite in the Tayozhnoye deposit of the Aldan Shield, eastern Siberia, U.S.S.R. American Mineralogist, 76 (5-6). 1061-1080
Derveer, D. G. Van, Swihart, G. H., Gupta, P. K. Sen, Grew, E. S. (1993) Cation occupancies in serendibite: A crystal structure study. American Mineralogist, 78 (1-2) 195-203
Jensen, B. B. (1996) Solid solution among members of the aenigmatite group. Mineralogical Magazine, 60 (403) 982-986 doi:10.1180/minmag.1996.060.403.14
Kunzmann, Thomas (1999) The aenigmatite-rhönite mineral group. European Journal of Mineralogy, 11 (4) 743-756 doi:10.1127/ejm/11/4/0743
Grew, E. S.; Hålenius, U.; Pasero, M.; Barbier, J. (2008) Recommended nomenclature for the sapphirine and surinamite groups (sapphirine supergroup). Mineralogical Magazine, 72 (4). p.839-876. doi:10.1180/minmag.2008.072.4.839
Belley, P. M., Grice, J. D., Fayek, M., Kowalski, P. M., Grew, E. S. (2014) A new occurrence of the borosilicate serendibite in tourmaline-bearing calc-silicate rocks, Portage-du-Fort marble, Grenville province, Québec: evolution of boron isotope and tourmaline compositions in a metamorphic context. The Canadian Mineralogist, 52 (4). 595-616 doi:10.3749/canmin.1400034
Localities for Serendibite
Showing 24 localities.
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.
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The
Warren County, New York, USA