Banalsite
A valid IMA mineral species - grandfathered
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About Banalsite
Formula:
Na2BaAl4Si4O16
Colour:
White
Lustre:
Pearly
Hardness:
6
Specific Gravity:
3.05 (Calculated)
Crystal System:
Orthorhombic
Name:
The name is derived from the chemical symbols of the elements in its composition: barium (Ba), sodium (Na), Aluminum (Al) and silicon (Si).
Type Locality:
Forms a solid-solution series with stronalsite (see banalsite-stronalsite series for examples of zoned specimens spanning the composition range).
Unique Identifiers
Mindat ID:
504
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:1:504:7
IMA Classification of Banalsite
Approved, 'Grandfathered' (first described prior to 1959)
First published:
1944
Classification of Banalsite
9.FA.60
9 : SILICATES (Germanates)
F : Tektosilicates without zeolitic H2O
A : Tektosilicates without additional non-tetrahedral anions
9 : SILICATES (Germanates)
F : Tektosilicates without zeolitic H2O
A : Tektosilicates without additional non-tetrahedral anions
76.1.6.1
76 : TECTOSILICATES Al-Si Framework
1 : Al-Si Framework with Al-Si frameworks
76 : TECTOSILICATES Al-Si Framework
1 : Al-Si Framework with Al-Si frameworks
16.12.8
16 : Silicates Containing Aluminum and other Metals
12 : Aluminosilicates of Sr, Ba and Zn
16 : Silicates Containing Aluminum and other Metals
12 : Aluminosilicates of Sr, Ba and Zn
Mineral Symbols
As of 2021 there are now IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols (abbreviations) for each mineral species, useful for tables and diagrams.
Please only use the official IMA–CNMNC symbol. Older variants are listed for historical use only.
Please only use the official IMA–CNMNC symbol. Older variants are listed for historical use only.
| Symbol | Source | Reference for Standard |
|---|---|---|
| Bns | IMA–CNMNC | Warr, L.N. (2021). IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols. Mineralogical Magazine, 85(3), 291-320. doi:10.1180/mgm.2021.43 |
| Bns | The Canadian Mineralogist (2019) | The Canadian Mineralogist (2019) The Canadian Mineralogist list of symbols for rock- and ore-forming minerals (December 30, 2019). download |
Physical Properties of Banalsite
Pearly
Transparency:
Transparent, Translucent
Comment:
Cleavages show a good pearly lustre
Colour:
White
Streak:
White
Hardness:
6 on Mohs scale
Cleavage:
Distinct/Good
(110) and (001).
(110) and (001).
Density:
3.05 g/cm3 (Calculated)
Optical Data of Banalsite
Type:
Biaxial (+)
RI values:
nα = 1.5695(5) nβ = 1.5710(5) nγ = 1.5775(5)
2V:
Measured: 41° , Calculated: 52°
Max. Birefringence:
δ = 0.008
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 (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
Chemistry of Banalsite
Mindat Formula:
Na2BaAl4Si4O16
Element Weights:
Common Impurities:
Mn,Mg,Ca,K
Crystallography of Banalsite
Crystal System:
Orthorhombic
Class (H-M):
mm2 - Pyramidal
Space Group:
Iba2
Cell Parameters:
a = 8.5400(7) Å, b = 10.0127(5) Å, c = 16.7897(14) Å
Ratio:
a:b:c = 0.853 : 1 : 1.677
Unit Cell V:
1,435.66 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Twinning:
none
Comment:
Benallt
Crystal Structure
Load
Unit Cell | Unit Cell Packed
2x2x2 | 3x3x3 | 4x4x4
Unit Cell | Unit Cell Packed
2x2x2 | 3x3x3 | 4x4x4
Show
Big Balls | Small Balls | Just Balls | Spacefill
Polyhedra Off | Si Polyhedra | All Polyhedra
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Big Balls | Small Balls | Just Balls | Spacefill
Polyhedra Off | Si Polyhedra | All Polyhedra
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Display Options
Black Background | White Background
Perspective On | Perspective Off
2D | Stereo | Red-Blue | Red-Cyan
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Perspective On | Perspective Off
2D | Stereo | Red-Blue | Red-Cyan
View
CIF File Best | x | y | z | a | b | c
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Rotation
Stop | Start
Stop | Start
Labels
Console Off | On | Grey | Yellow
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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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0006095 | Banalsite | Liferovich R P, Locock A J, Mitchell R H, Shpachenko A K (2006) The crystal structure of stronalsite and a redetermination of the structure of banalsite The Canadian Mineralogist 44 533-546 |  | 2006 | Langban, Sweden | 0 | 293 |
| 0006094 | Banalsite | Liferovich R P, Locock A J, Mitchell R H, Shpachenko A K (2006) The crystal structure of stronalsite and a redetermination of the structure of banalsite The Canadian Mineralogist 44 533-546 | | 2006 | Benallt mine, Wales | 0 | 293 |
| 0010759 | Banalsite | Takeuchi Y, Kudoh Y, Haga N (1973) The interpretation of partial Patterson functions and its application to structure analyses of serandite Mn2NaHSi3O9 and banalsite BaNa2Al4Si4O16 Zeitschrift fur Kristallographie 138 313-336 | | 1973 | 0 | 293 |
CIF Raw Data - click here to close
X-Ray Powder Diffraction
Powder Diffraction Data:
| d-spacing | Intensity |
|---|---|
| 3.53 Å | (100) |
| 5.20 Å | (90) |
| 8.50 Å | (80) |
| 3.21 Å | (80) |
| 2.90 Å | (80) |
| 2.09 Å | (80) |
| 3.77 Å | (70) |
Comments:
Benallt mine, Wales.
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) | |
| High-? alteration and/or metamorphism | |
| 32 : Ba/Mn/Pb/Zn deposits, including metamorphic deposits | |
| Stage 4b: Highly evolved igneous rocks | >3.0 |
| 35 : Ultra-alkali and agpaitic igneous rocks | |
| 36 : Carbonatites, kimberlites, and related igneous rocks |
Type Occurrence of Banalsite
Place of Conservation of Type Material:
National School of Mines, Paris, France.
The Natural History Museum, London, England, 1944,420-423.
Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA 108656.
National Museum of Natural History, Washington, D.C., USA, 105854.
The Natural History Museum, London, England, 1944,420-423.
Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA 108656.
National Museum of Natural History, Washington, D.C., USA, 105854.
Associated Minerals at Type Locality:
Synonyms of Banalsite
Ba Feldspar (in part)
Other Language Names for Banalsite
Relationship of Banalsite to other Species
Forms a series with:
Common Associates
Associations Based on Photo Data:
| 2 photos of Banalsite associated with Trinepheline | NaAlSiO4 |
| 2 photos of Banalsite associated with Celsian | Ba(Al2Si2O8) |
| 2 photos of Banalsite associated with Cymrite | BaAl2Si2(O,OH)8 · H2O |
| 2 photos of Banalsite associated with Melanotekite | Pb2Fe3+2(Si2O7)O2 |
| 2 photos of Banalsite associated with Fabrièsite | Na3Al3Si3O12 · 2H2O |
| 2 photos of Banalsite associated with Nepheline | Na3K(Al4Si4O16) |
| 2 photos of Banalsite associated with 'Chromojadeite' | Na(Al,Cr)Si2O6 |
| 2 photos of Banalsite associated with Albite | Na(AlSi3O8) |
| 2 photos of Banalsite associated with Stronalsite | Na2SrAl4Si4O16 |
| 2 photos of Banalsite associated with Natrolite | Na2Al2Si3O10 · 2H2O |
Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat Grouping
| 9.FA. | Bonaccorsiite | KK2Na3(Al6Si36)O84 |
| 9.FA. | Hexacelsian | BaAl2Si2O8 |
| 9.FA. | Wodegongjieite | KCa3(Al7Si9)O32 |
| 9.FA.05 | Panunzite | (K,Na)AlSiO4 |
| 9.FA.05 | Yoshiokaite | (Ca,Na)[Al(Al,Si)O4] |
| 9.FA.05 | Nepheline | Na3K(Al4Si4O16) |
| 9.FA.05 | Trinepheline | NaAlSiO4 |
| 9.FA.05 | Davidsmithite | (Ca,◻)2Na6Al8Si8O32 |
| 9.FA.05 | Kaliophilite | KAlSiO4 |
| 9.FA.05 | Kalsilite | KAlSiO4 |
| 9.FA.05 | 'Carnegieite' | NaAlSiO4 |
| 9.FA.05 | Megakalsilite | KAlSiO4 |
| 9.FA.05 | Trikalsilite | K2NaAl3(SiO4)3 |
| 9.FA.10 | Malinkoite | NaBSiO4 |
| 9.FA.15 | Virgilite | LiAlSi2O6 |
| 9.FA.25 | Lisitsynite | KBSi2O6 |
| 9.FA.30 | Ferrisanidine | K[Fe3+Si3O8] |
| 9.FA.30 | Buddingtonite | (NH4)(AlSi3O8) |
| 9.FA.30 | Rubicline | Rb(AlSi3O8) |
| 9.FA.30 | 'Monalbite' | NaAlSi3O8 |
| 9.FA.30 | Microcline | K(AlSi3O8) |
| 9.FA.30 va | 'Germanate-celsian' | BaAl2Ge2O8 |
| 9.FA.30 | Celsian | Ba(Al2Si2O8) |
| 9.FA.30 | Sanidine | K(AlSi3O8) |
| 9.FA.30 | Orthoclase | K(AlSi3O8) |
| 9.FA.35 | Reedmergnerite | NaBSi3O8 |
| 9.FA.35 | Albite | Na(AlSi3O8) |
| 9.FA.35 | Anorthite | Ca(Al2Si2O8) |
| 9.FA.40 | Paracelsian | Ba(Al2Si2O8) |
| 9.FA.45 | Svyatoslavite | Ca(Al2Si2O8) |
| 9.FA.45 | Kumdykolite | Na(AlSi3O8) |
| 9.FA.50 | Slawsonite | Sr(Al2Si2O8) |
| 9.FA.55 | Lisetite | CaNa2Al4Si4O16 |
| 9.FA.60 | Stronalsite | Na2SrAl4Si4O16 |
| 9.FA.65 | Maleevite | BaB2Si2O8 |
| 9.FA.65 | Pekovite | SrB2Si2O8 |
| 9.FA.65 | Danburite | CaB2Si2O8 |
| 9.FA.70 | Liebermannite | KAlSi3O8 |
| 9.FA.70 | Lingunite | NaAlSi3O8 |
| 9.FA.70 | Stöfflerite | CaAl2Si2O8 |
| 9.FA.75 | Pfaffenbergite | KNa3(Al4Si12)O32 |
| 9.FA.75 | Kokchetavite | K(AlSi3O8) |
Other Information
Notes:
The mineral is decomposed by HCl, leaving a colourless residue.
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 Banalsite
mindat.org URL:
https://www.mindat.org/min-504.html
Please feel free to link to this page.
Please feel free to link to this page.
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References for Banalsite
Reference List:
Smith, W. Campbell; Bannister, F. A.; Hey, Max H. (1944) Banalsite, a new barium-felspar from Wales. Mineralogical Magazine and Journal of the Mineralogical Society, 27 (186). 33-47 doi:10.1180/minmag.1944.027.186.01
Liferovich, R. P., Locock, A. J., Mitchell, R. H., Shpachenko, A. K. (2006) The crystal structure of stronalsite and a redetermination of the structure of banalsite. The Canadian Mineralogist, 44 (2) 533-546 doi:10.2113/gscanmin.44.2.533
Liferovich, R. P., Mitchell, R. H., Zozulya, D. R., Shpachenko, A. K. (2006) Paragenesis and composition of banalsite, stronalsite, and their solid solution in nepheline syenite and ultramafic alkaline rocks. The Canadian Mineralogist, 44 (4) 929-942 doi:10.2113/gscanmin.44.4.929
Localities for Banalsite
Showing 27 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.
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Benallt Mine, Rhiw, Aberdaron, Gwynedd, Wales, UK