Betzite
A valid IMA mineral species
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About Betzite
Volker Betz
Formula:
Na6Ca2(Al6Si6O24)Cl4
Colour:
Colorless
Hardness:
5½
Specific Gravity:
2.38
Crystal System:
Hexagonal
Member of:
Name:
Named in honor of Volker Betz (b. 1947, Heilbronn, Germany), amateur mineral collector specializing in zeolite minerals and minerals from zeolite localities. He has also written a number of articles about those interests.
Dimorph of:
Betzite occurs as colourless hexagonal prismatic crystals visually identical to its dimorph quadridavyne (6/m), with which it is associated at the type locality. They can only be distinguished by SXRD.
Unique Identifiers
Mindat ID:
55549
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:1:55549:0
Similar Names
IMA Classification of Betzite
Classification of Betzite
9.FB.
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
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Bzt | 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 Betzite
Transparency:
Transparent
Colour:
Colorless
Streak:
White
Hardness:
5½ on Mohs scale
Tenacity:
Brittle
Cleavage:
Distinct/Good
{1010}
{1010}
Parting:
parting on {0001}
Density:
2.38(2) g/cm3 (Measured) 2.363 g/cm3 (Calculated)
Optical Data of Betzite
Type:
Uniaxial (+)
RI values:
nω = 1.528(2) nε = 1.545(3)
Max. Birefringence:
δ = 0.017
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:
None to Very Low
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 uniaxial interference figure - the conoscopic
(convergent-light, Bertrand-lens-in) view, for a grain cut with the optic axis
centred and vertical. The coloured rings are isochromatics, computed with the
same physics as the Michel-Lévy bar above; the dark cross is the isogyre.
For a genuinely uniaxial mineral viewed this way, that cross stays perfectly stationary if you rotate the stage - unlike a biaxial mineral, where it splits apart on rotation. That invariance is itself the standard diagnostic test for telling uniaxial and biaxial minerals apart at the microscope.
For a genuinely uniaxial mineral viewed this way, that cross stays perfectly stationary if you rotate the stage - unlike a biaxial mineral, where it splits apart on rotation. That invariance is itself the standard diagnostic test for telling uniaxial and biaxial minerals apart at the microscope.
Chemistry of Betzite
Mindat Formula:
Na6Ca2(Al6Si6O24)Cl4
Element Weights:
Crystallography of Betzite
Crystal System:
Hexagonal
Class (H-M):
6 - Pyramidal
Space Group:
P63
Cell Parameters:
a = 12.8166(9) Å, c = 5.3562(3) Å
Ratio:
a:c = 1 : 0.418
Unit Cell V:
761.96 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:
3
Morphology:
Hexagonal prismatic crystals.
X-Ray Powder Diffraction
Powder Diffraction Data:
| d-spacing | Intensity |
|---|---|
| 11.14 Å | (31) |
| 4.833 Å | (93) |
| 3.715 Å | (95) |
| 3.313 Å | (100) |
| 2.787 Å | (37) |
| 2.681 Å | (56) |
| 2.474 Å | (35) |
| 2.146 Å | (24) |
Comments:
Bellerberg volcano, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. Data from the type description.
Type Occurrence of Betzite
General Appearance of Type Material:
Colorless hexagonal prismatic crystals up to 2 mm long and up to 0.5 mm thick.
Place of Conservation of Type Material:
Collections of the Fersman Mineralogical Museum, Russian Academy of Sciences, Leninskiy Prospekt 18-2, Moscow 119071, Russia, registration number 5706/1.
Geological Setting of Type Material:
Metasomatically altered (pyrometamorphosed) calcic xenolith, hosted by alkaline basalt.
Associated Minerals at Type Locality:
Synonyms of Betzite
Other Language Names for Betzite
Relationship of Betzite to other Species
Member of:
Other Members of Cancrinite Group:
| Afghanite | (Na,K)22Ca10(Si24Al24O96)(SO4)6Cl6 | Trig. 3m : P31c |
| Alloriite | (Na,Ca,K)26Ca4(Al6Si6O24)4(SO4)6Cl6 | Trig. 3m : P31c |
| Balliranoite | (Na,K)6Ca2(Si6Al6O24)Cl2(CO3) | 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 : P31c |
| 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 : P31c |
| 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 : P31c |
| Hydroxycancrinite | Na8(Al6Si6O24)(OH)2 · 2H2O | Hex. 6 : P63 |
| Kircherite | Na5Ca2K(Al6Si6O24)(SO4)2 · 0.33H2O | Trig. 32 : R32 |
| 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 : P31c |
| Microsommite | Na4K2Ca2(Al6Si6O24)(SO4)Cl2 | Hex. 622 : P6322 |
| Pitiglianoite | Na6K2(Al6Si6O24)(SO4) · 2H2O | Hex. 6 : P63 |
| Quadridavyne | (Na,K)6Ca2(Al6Si6O24)Cl4 | Hex. 6/m : P63/m |
| Sacrofanite | (Na61K19Ca32)(Si84Al84O336)(SO4)26Cl2F6 · 2H2O | Hex. |
| Steudelite | Na3(K17Ca7)Ca4(Al24Si24O96)(SO3)6F6 · 4H2O | Hex. 6m2 : P62c |
| Sulfhydrylbystrite | Na5K2Ca[Al6Si6O24](S5)2(SH) | Trig. 3m : P31c |
| Tounkite | (Na,Ca,K)8(Si6Al6)O24(SO4)2Cl · 0.5H2O | Hex. 622 : P6222 |
| '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:
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.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 | Sacrofanite | (Na61K19Ca32)(Si84Al84O336)(SO4)26Cl2F6 · 2H2O |
| 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) |
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 Betzite
mindat.org URL:
https://www.mindat.org/min-55549.html
Please feel free to link to this page.
Please feel free to link to this page.
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Mineral Dealers:
References for Betzite
Reference List:
Miyawaki, Ritsuro, Hatert, Frédéric, Pasero, Marco, Mills, Stuart J. (2021) Newsletter 62. Mineralogical Magazine, 85 (4) 634-638 doi:10.1180/mgm.2021.62
Chukanov, Nikita V.; Zubkova, Natalia V.; Kazheva, Olga N.; Varlamov, Dmitry A.; Pekov, Igor V.; Belakovskiy, Dmitriy I.; Ternes, Bernd; Schüller, Willi; Britvin, Sergey N.; Pushcharovsky, Dmitry Yu. (2023) Betzite, Na6Ca2(Al6Si6O24)Cl4, a New Cancrinite-Group Mineral from the Eifel Paleovolcanic Region, Germany. The Canadian Journal of Mineralogy and Petrology, 61 (1). 177-188 doi:10.3749/2200039
Localities for Betzite
Showing 1 localities.
ⓘ - 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.
- 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.
Germany (TL) | |
| Miyawaki et al. (2021) +1 other reference |
Quick NavTopAbout BetziteUnique IdentifiersSimilar NamesIMA Classification Classification Mineral SymbolsPhysical Properties Optical Data Chemistry Crystallography X-Ray Powder DiffractionType Occurrence SynonymsOther LanguagesRelationshipsCommon AssociatesStrunz-MindatOther InformationInternet Links References Localities
Bellerberg volcano, Vordereifel, Mayen-Koblenz, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany