Vote for your favorite mineral in #MinCup26! - Azurite vs. Smithsonite
It's carbonate-vs-carbonate to kick off Mineral Cup 2026 with copper-rich Azurite against zinc-rich Smithsonite.
Log InRegister
Quick Links : The Mindat ManualThe Rock H. Currier Digital LibraryMindat Newsletter [Free Download]
Home PageAbout MindatThe Mindat ManualHistory of MindatCopyright StatusWho We AreContact UsAdvertise on Mindat
Donate to MindatCorporate SponsorshipSponsor a PageSponsored PagesMindat AdvertisersAdvertise on Mindat
Learning CenterWhat is a mineral?The most common minerals on earthInformation for EducatorsMindat ArticlesThe ElementsThe Rock H. Currier Digital LibraryGeologic TimeExplore Fossils
Minerals by PropertiesMinerals by ChemistryMineral Visual ExplorerAdvanced Locality SearchRandom MineralRandom LocalitySearch by minIDLocalities Near MeSearch ArticlesSearch GlossaryMore Search Options
Search For:
Mineral Name:
Locality Name:
Keyword(s):
 
The Mindat ManualAdd a New PhotoRate PhotosLocality Edit ReportCoordinate Completion ReportAdd Glossary Item
Mining CompaniesStatisticsUsersMineral MuseumsClubs & OrganizationsMineral Shows & EventsThe Mindat DirectoryDevice SettingsThe Mineral QuizTime Machine
Photo SearchPhoto GalleriesSearch by ColorPhoto Colour ExplorerNew Photos TodayNew Photos YesterdayMembers' Photo GalleriesPast Photo of the Day GalleryPhotography

Tungusite

A valid IMA mineral species
This page is currently not sponsored. Click here to sponsor this page.
07388750017271927217199.jpg
Tungusite

Nizhnyaya Tunguska River Basin, Evenkiysky District, Krasnoyarsk Krai, Russia
08182320017271927243524.jpg
Tungusite

Newbury Park, Thousand Oaks, Ventura County, California, USA
07523120017271927281882.jpg
Tungusite

Terra do Baptista gabbro outcrop, Porto da Cruz, Machico, Madeira Island, Madeira, Portugal
07388750017271927217199.jpg
Tungusite

Nizhnyaya Tunguska River Basin, Evenkiysky District, Krasnoyarsk Krai, Russia
08182320017271927243524.jpg
Tungusite

Newbury Park, Thousand Oaks, Ventura County, California, USA
07523120017271927281882.jpg
Tungusite

Terra do Baptista gabbro outcrop, Porto da Cruz, Machico, Madeira Island, Madeira, Portugal
01456590017271927414804.jpg
Tungusite

Nizhnyaya Tunguska River Basin, Evenkiysky District, Krasnoyarsk Krai, Russia
08182320017271927243524.jpg
Tungusite

Newbury Park, Thousand Oaks, Ventura County, California, USA
Hide all sections | Show all sections

About TungusiteHide

Formula:
Ca4Fe2Si6O15(OH)6
Colour:
Yellow-green, grass-green
Lustre:
Pearly
Hardness:
2
Specific Gravity:
2.59
Crystal System:
Triclinic
Member of:
Gyrolite Group
Name:
Named after its discovery locality, the right bank of the Lower Tunguska River, Eastern Siberia Region, Russia.
Gyrolite Group.


Unique IdentifiersHide

Mindat ID:
4055
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:1:4055:2

Similar NamesHide

Native TungstenA valid IMA mineral speciesW
TinaksiteA valid IMA mineral speciesK2Na(Ca,Mn2+)2TiO[Si7O18(OH)]
TungsteniteA valid IMA mineral species - grandfatheredWS2
TungstibiteA valid IMA mineral speciesSb23+WO6
TungstiteA valid IMA mineral species - grandfatheredWO3 · H2O

IMA Classification of TungusiteHide

IMA status:
Approved
IMA Formula:
Ca14Fe2+9Si24O60(OH)22
Approval year:
1966
First published:
1966
Type description reference:
Kudryashova, V.I. (1966) Tungusite, a new mineral of the hydrous calcium silicate group. Doklady Akademii Nauk SSSR: 171: 1167-1170.

Classification of TungusiteHide

Strunz-mindat (2026):
9.EE.30

9 : SILICATES (Germanates)
E : Phyllosilicates
E : Single tetrahedral nets of 6-membered rings connected by octahedral nets or octahedral bands
Dana 8th ed.:
78.5.9.1

78 : Unclassified Silicates
5 :
Hey's CIM Ref.:
14.22.5

14 : Silicates not Containing Aluminum
22 : Silicates of Fe and Ca

Mineral SymbolsHide

As of 2021 there are now IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols (abbreviations) for each mineral species, useful for tables and diagrams.

SymbolSourceReference for Standard
TguIMA–CNMNCWarr, L.N. (2021). IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols. Mineralogical Magazine, 85(3), 291-320. doi:10.1180/mgm.2021.43

Physical Properties of TungusiteHide

Lustre:
Pearly
Transparency:
Transparent
Colour:
Yellow-green, grass-green
Hardness:
2 on Mohs scale
Tenacity:
Brittle
Comment:
Platelets flexible.
Density:
2.59 g/cm3 (Measured)    

Optical Data of TungusiteHide

Type:
Uniaxial (-)

Chemistry of TungusiteHide

Mindat Formula:
Ca4Fe2Si6O15(OH)6
Element Weights:
Element% weight
O42.935 %
Si21.534 %
Ca20.486 %
Fe14.273 %
H0.773 %

Calculated from ideal end-member formula.
Elements listed:
Ca, Fe, H, O, Si - search for minerals with similar chemistry
Common Impurities:
Al,Mn,Mg,Na,H2O

Crystallography of TungusiteHide

Crystal System:
Triclinic
Class (H-M):
1 - Pinacoidal
Space Group:
P1
Cell Parameters:
a = 9.714(9) Å, b = 9.721(9) Å, c = 22.09(3) Å
α = 90.13(1)°, β = 98.3(2)°, γ = 120.0(1)°
Ratio:
a:b:c = 0.999 : 1 : 2.272
Unit Cell V:
1,780.81 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:
1
Comment:
Polytypism phenomena are known (Ferraris et al., 1995).

X-Ray Powder DiffractionHide

Powder Diffraction Data:
d-spacingIntensity
3.591 Å(100)
1.837 Å(74)
4.20 Å(62)
2.655 Å(34)
7.22 Å(33)
4.31 Å(30)
2.856 Å(27)
1.580 Å(26)
3.037 Å(25)
2.800 Å(25)
2.746 Å(25)
5.40 Å(23)
Comments:
Lower Tunguska River, Russia. Data from Ferraris et al. (1995).

Geological EnvironmentHide

Paragenetic Mode(s):
Paragenetic ModeEarliest Age (Ga)
Stage 3a: Earth’s earliest Hadean crust>4.50
10 : Basalt-hosted zeolite minerals

Type Occurrence of TungusiteHide

Type Locality:
ⓘ Tura quarry, Tura, Nizhnyaya Tunguska River Basin, Evenkiysky District, Krasnoyarsk Krai, Russia
General Appearance of Type Material:
As flakes, to 15 mm, and as platy aggregates with a radial-fibrous structure, to 8 cm. Microscopic intergrowths of tungusite with gyrolite and reyerite.
Place of Conservation of Type Material:
A.E. Fersman Mineralogical Museum, Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia.
Geological Setting of Type Material:
Amygdules and druses in spherulitic lava.
Associated Minerals at Type Locality:
AnalcimeApophyllite GroupCalciteGyroliteQuartz
Zeolite Group
Reference:
Kudryashova, V.I. (1966) Tungusite, a new mineral of the hydrous calcium silicate group. Doklady Akademii Nauk SSSR: 171: 1167-1170.

Synonyms of TungusiteHide

Other Language Names for TungusiteHide

Dutch:Tungusiet
German:Tungusit
Spanish:Tungusita

Relationship of Tungusite to other SpeciesHide

Member of:
Gyrolite Group
Other Members of Gyrolite Group:
CairncrossiteSr2Ca7-xNa2x(Si4O10)4(OH)2(H2O)15-xTric. 1 : P1
GyroliteNaCa16Si23AlO60(OH)8 · 14H2OTric. 1 : P1
OrlymaniteCa4Mn3Si8O20(OH)6 · 2H2OHex.

Common AssociatesHide

Associations Based on Photo Data:
2 photos of Tungusite associated with Augite(CaxMgyFez)(Mgy1Fez1)Si2O6
2 photos of Tungusite associated with ClinochloreMg5Al(AlSi3O10)(OH)8
2 photos of Tungusite associated with Thomsonite-CaNaCa2[Al5Si5O20] · 6H2O
2 photos of Tungusite associated with PectoliteNaCa2Si3O8(OH)
1 photo of Tungusite associated with Britholite-(Ce)(Ce,Ca)5(SiO4)3OH
1 photo of Tungusite associated with FluorapatiteCa5(PO4)3F
1 photo of Tungusite associated with BaddeleyiteZrO2
1 photo of Tungusite associated with Apophyllite GroupAB4[Si8O20]X · 8H2O

Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat GroupingHide

9.EE.CairncrossiteSr2Ca7-xNa2x(Si4O10)4(OH)2(H2O)15-xTric. 1 : P1
9.EE.05BementiteMn7Si6O15(OH)8Mon.
9.EE.07InnsbruckiteMn33(Si2O5)14(OH)38Mon. m : Bm
9.EE.10'Brokenhillite'Mn8Si6O15(OH)10Hex. 6mm : P63mc
9.EE.10Mcgillite(Mn,Fe)8Si6O15(OH)8Cl2Mon. 2/m : B2/m
9.EE.10FriedeliteMn2+8Si6O15(OH,Cl)10Mon. 2/m : B2/m
9.EE.10Pyrosmalite-(Mn)Mn2+8Si6O15(OH,Cl)10Trig. 3m(32/m) : P3m1
9.EE.10Pyrosmalite-(Fe)Fe2+8Si6O15(OH,Cl)10Trig. 3m(32/m) : P3m1
9.EE.15NeleniteMn2+16As3+3Si12O36(OH)17Trig. 3m(32/m) : R3m
9.EE.15SchalleriteMn2+16As3Si12O36(OH)17Trig. 3m : P3m1
9.EE.20Palygorskite◻Al2Mg2◻2Si8O20(OH)2(H2O)4 · 4H2OMon. 2/m : B2/m
9.EE.20YofortieriteMn2+Mn2+2Mn2+2◻2Si8O20(OH)2(H2O)4 · 4H2OMon. 2/m : B2/m
9.EE.20WindhoekiteFe3+(Fe3+1.67◻0.33)Ca2◻2Si8O20(OH)2(H2O)4(OH)2 · 6H2OMon. 2/m : B2/m
9.EE.20Windmountainite◻Fe3+2Mg2◻2Si8O20(OH)2(H2O)4 · 4H2OMon. 2/m : B2/m
9.EE.20IkorskyiteKMn3+(Si4O10) · 3H2OMon. 2/m : P21/b
9.EE.20TuperssuatsiaiteFe3+Fe3+2(Na◻)◻2Si8O20(OH)2(H2O)4 · 2H2OMon. 2/m : B2/m
9.EE.20'Unnamed (Na-Ca-Fe-Silicate-Hydrate)'NaCa(Fe2+,Al,Mn)5[Si8O19(OH)](OH)7 · 5H2OTric. 1 : P1
9.EE.25SepioliteMg4(Si6O15)(OH)2 · 6H2OOrth. mmm(2/m2/m2/m) : Pnna
9.EE.25LoughliniteNa2Mg3Si6O16 · 8H2OOrth. mmm(2/m2/m2/m)
9.EE.25Falcondoite(Ni,Mg)4Si6O15(OH)2 · 6H2OOrth.
9.EE.25Kalifersite(K,Na)5Fe3+7Si20O50(OH)6 · 12H2OTric. 1 : P1
9.EE.30OrlymaniteCa4Mn3Si8O20(OH)6 · 2H2OHex.
9.EE.30GyroliteNaCa16Si23AlO60(OH)8 · 14H2OTric. 1 : P1
9.EE.35Reyerite(Na,K)2Ca14(Si,Al)24O58(OH)8 · 6H2OTrig. 3 : P3
9.EE.35KodamaiteNa3(Ca5Na)Si16O36(OH)4F2 · (14-x)H2O Tric. 1 : P1
9.EE.35Truscottite(Ca,Mn)14Si24O58(OH)8 · 2H2OTrig.
9.EE.40NatrosiliteNa2Si2O5Mon. 2/m : P21/b
9.EE.45MakatiteNa2Si4O8(OH)2 · 4H2OMon. 2/m : P21/b
9.EE.50VarennesiteNa8Mn2Si10O25(OH,Cl)2 · 12H2OOrth. mmm(2/m2/m2/m) : Cmcm
9.EE.55RaiteMn2+Mn2+2Na2(◻1.75Ti0.25)Si8O20(OH)2(H2O)4 · Na(H2O)6Orth. 222 : C222
9.EE.60IntersiliteNa6Mn2+Ti[Si10O24(OH)](OH)3 · 4H2OMon.
9.EE.65ZakharoviteNa4Mn5Si10O24(OH)6 · 6H2OTrig. 3m
9.EE.65ShafranovskiteNa3K2(Mn,Fe,Na)4[Si9(O,OH)27](OH)2 · nH2OTrig. 3m : P31c
9.EE.70ZeophylliteCa13Si10O28(OH)2F8 · 6H2OTrig. 3 : R3
9.EE.75Minehillite(K,Na)2-3Ca28Zn4Al4Si40O112(OH)16Hex.
9.EE.80Fedorite(Na,K)2-3(Ca4Na3)Si16O38(OH,F)2 · 3.5H2OTric. 1 : P1
9.EE.80Martinite(Na,◻,Ca)12Ca4(Si,S,B)14B2O38(OH,Cl)2F2 · 4H2OTric. 1 : P1
9.EE.80EllingseniteNa5Ca6Si18O38(OH)13 · 6H2OTric. 1 : P1
9.EE.85Lalondeite(Na,Ca)6(Ca,Na)3Si16O38(F,OH)2 · 3H2OTric. 1 : P1

Other InformationHide

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 TungusiteHide

References for TungusiteHide

Localities for TungusiteHide

Showing 11 localities.

This map shows a selection of localities that have latitude and longitude coordinates recorded. Click on the symbol to view information about a locality. The symbol next to localities in the list can be used to jump to that position on the map.
Hide all sections | Show all sections

Locality ListHide

- 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). Struck out - Mineral was erroneously reported from this locality. Faded * - Never found at this locality but inferred to have existed at some point in the past (e.g. from pseudomorphs).

All localities listed without proper references should be considered as questionable.
Canada
 
  • Ontario
    • Thunder Bay District
      • MacGregor Township
Sabina (1991)
Iceland
 
  • Vatnajökull Glacier
Ágústsdóttir et al. (1994)
India
 
  • Tamil Nadu
    • Chengalpattu district
Deepthi et al. (2015)
Portugal
 
  • Madeira
    • Madeira Island
      • Machico
        • Porto da Cruz
Alves (n.d.)
Alves (n.d.)
Russia
 
  • Krasnoyarsk Krai
    • Evenkiysky District
Ferraris et al. (1995)
        • Tura
Kudryashova (1966) +1 other reference
    • Taymyrskiy Autonomous Okrug
      • Taimyr Peninsula
Spiridonov et al. (2008)
Ukraine
 
  • Crimea
    • Bakhchysarai
      • Trudolyubovka
A.V.KASATKIN ANALYTICAL DATA +1 other reference
USA
 
  • California
    • Los Angeles County
DeVito F. (1996)
    • Ventura County
      • Thousand Oaks
www.mindat.org (2012)
Quick NavTopAbout TungusiteUnique IdentifiersSimilar NamesIMA Classification Classification Mineral SymbolsPhysical Properties Optical Data Chemistry Crystallography X-Ray Powder DiffractionGeological EnvironmentType Occurrence SynonymsOther LanguagesRelationshipsCommon AssociatesStrunz-MindatOther InformationInternet Links References Localities Locality List
 
and/or  
Mindat.org® is an outreach project of the Hudson Institute of Mineralogy, a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization. Mindat® and mindat.org® are registered trademarks of the Hudson Institute of Mineralogy.
Copyright © mindat.org and the Hudson Institute of Mineralogy 1993-2026, except where stated. Most political location boundaries are © OpenStreetMap contributors. Mindat.org relies on the contributions of thousands of members and supporters. Founded in 2000 by Jolyon Ralph and Ida Chau.
Content on this site may not be used to train, fine-tune, or otherwise develop artificial intelligence or machine learning models without prior written permission - see our Terms & Conditions.
To cite: Ralph, J., Von Bargen, D., Martynov, P., Zhang, J., Que, X., Prabhu, A., Morrison, S. M., Li, W., Chen, W., & Ma, X. (2025). Mindat.org: The open access mineralogy database to accelerate data-intensive geoscience research. American Mineralogist, 110(6), 833–844. doi:10.2138/am-2024-9486.
Privacy Policy - Terms & Conditions - Contact Us / DMCA issues - Report a bug/vulnerability Current server date and time: September 1, 2026 04:47:22 Page updated: July 14, 2026 12:00:07
Go to top of page