Erionite-Ca
A valid IMA mineral species
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About Erionite-Ca
Formula:
(Ca,K2,Na2)2[Al4Si14O36] · 15H2O
Colour:
Colorless, white
Lustre:
Vitreous
Hardness:
3½ - 4
Specific Gravity:
2.08
Crystal System:
Hexagonal
Member of:
Name:
Named in 1898 by Arthur Starr Eakle from the Greek εριον meaning wool in allusion to the "wooly" appearance of the type material. Erionite was first found at the Durkee Fire Opal Mine, Swayze Creek, Durkee, Baker Co., Oregon (Tschernich, 1992). In modern nomenclature, the original erionite was erionite-Na, but potassium was nearly equal to sodium. Levinson Rule suffix added in allusion to Ca dominant exchangeable cations.
Type Locality:
Isostructural with:
Unique Identifiers
Mindat ID:
6915
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:1:6915:7
Similar Names
| Erionite-K | A valid IMA mineral species | (K2,Ca,Na2)2[Al4Si14O36] · 15H2O |
| Erionite-Na | A valid IMA mineral species - grandfathered | (Na2,K2,Ca)2[Al4Si14O36] · 15H2O |
IMA Classification of Erionite-Ca
Classification of Erionite-Ca
9.GD.20
9 : SILICATES (Germanates)
G : Tektosilicates with zeolitic H2O; zeolite family
D : Chains of 6-membered rings – tabular zeolites
9 : SILICATES (Germanates)
G : Tektosilicates with zeolitic H2O; zeolite family
D : Chains of 6-membered rings – tabular zeolites
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Eri-Ca | IMA–CNMNC | Warr, L.N. (2021). IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols. Mineralogical Magazine, 85(3), 291-320. doi:10.1180/mgm.2021.43 |
| Eri | Whitney & Evans (2010) | Whitney, D.L. and Evans, B.W. (2010) Abbreviations for names of rock-forming minerals. American Mineralogist, 95, 185–187 doi:10.2138/am.2010.3371 |
| Eri | Warr (2020) | Warr, L.N. (2020) Recommended abbreviations for the names of clay minerals and associated phases. Clay Minerals, 55, 261–264 doi:10.1180/clm.2020.30 |
Physical Properties of Erionite-Ca
Vitreous
Transparency:
Transparent
Colour:
Colorless, white
Streak:
White
Hardness:
3½ - 4 on Mohs scale
Density:
2.08 g/cm3 (Measured) 2.13 g/cm3 (Calculated)
Optical Data of Erionite-Ca
Type:
Uniaxial (+)
RI values:
nω = 1.4711 nε = 1.474
Max. Birefringence:
δ = 0.003
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 (negative)
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.
Optical Extinction:
Parallel extinction, positive elongation.
Chemistry of Erionite-Ca
Mindat Formula:
(Ca,K2,Na2)2[Al4Si14O36] · 15H2O
Element Weights:
Crystallography of Erionite-Ca
Crystal System:
Hexagonal
Class (H-M):
6/mmm(6/m2/m2/m) - Dihexagonal Dipyramidal
Space Group:
P63/mmc
Cell Parameters:
a = 13.333(1) Å, c = 15.091(2) Å
Ratio:
a:c = 1 : 1.132
Unit Cell V:
2,323.30 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Comment:
Cell parameters from Harada et al 1967 (type material).
Crystal Structure
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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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0002004 | Erionite-Ca | Gualtieri A, Artioli G, Passaglia E, Bigi S, Viani A, Hanson J C (1998) Crystal structure-crystal chemistry relationships in the zeolites erionite and offretite Sample from Agate Beach American Mineralogist 83 590-606 |  | 1998 | 0 | 293 | |
| 0002003 | Erionite-Ca | Gualtieri A, Artioli G, Passaglia E, Bigi S, Viani A, Hanson J C (1998) Crystal structure-crystal chemistry relationships in the zeolites erionite and offretite Sample from Tunguska American Mineralogist 83 590-606 | | 1998 | 0 | 293 | |
| 0002002 | Erionite-Ca | Gualtieri A, Artioli G, Passaglia E, Bigi S, Viani A, Hanson J C (1998) Crystal structure-crystal chemistry relationships in the zeolites erionite and offretite Sample from Shourdo American Mineralogist 83 590-606 | | 1998 | 0 | 293 | |
| 0002001 | Erionite-Ca | Gualtieri A, Artioli G, Passaglia E, Bigi S, Viani A, Hanson J C (1998) Crystal structure-crystal chemistry relationships in the zeolites erionite and offretite Sample from Lady Hill American Mineralogist 83 590-606 | | 1998 | 0 | 293 |
CIF Raw Data - click here to close
Geological Environment
Paragenetic Mode(s):
| Paragenetic Mode | Earliest Age (Ga) |
|---|---|
| Stage 3a: Earth’s earliest Hadean crust | >4.50 |
| 10 : Basalt-hosted zeolite minerals | |
| Stage 3b: Earth’s earliest hydrosphere | >4.45 |
| 14 : Hot springs, geysers, and other subaerial geothermal minerals | |
| 16 : Low-? aqueous alteration of Hadean subaerial lithologies (see also #23) | |
| 17 : Marine authigenic Hadean minerals (see also #24) | |
| Near-surface Processes | |
| 24 : Authigenic minerals in terrestrial sediments (see also #17) | |
| 25 : Evaporites (prebiotic) |
Type Occurrence of Erionite-Ca
General Appearance of Type Material:
Woolly white radial aggregates of fibers. The fibers reach 2 x 0.05 mm in size.
Place of Conservation of Type Material:
No designated type material.
Geological Setting of Type Material:
In thoroughly weathered and altered olivine basalt and andesite.
Associated Minerals at Type Locality:
Other Language Names for Erionite-Ca
Relationship of Erionite-Ca to other Species
Member of:
Other Members of Erionite Subgroup:
| Erionite-K | (K2,Ca,Na2)2[Al4Si14O36] · 15H2O | Hex. 6/mmm(6/m2/m2/m) : P63/mmc |
| Erionite-Na | (Na2,K2,Ca)2[Al4Si14O36] · 15H2O | Hex. 6/mmm(6/m2/m2/m) : P63/mmc |
Common Associates
Associations Based on Photo Data:
| 36 photos of Erionite-Ca associated with Lévyne-Ca | (Ca,Na2,K2)[Al2Si4O12] · 6H2O |
| 26 photos of Erionite-Ca associated with Smectite Group | A0.3D2-3[T4O10]Z2 · nH2O |
| 24 photos of Erionite-Ca associated with Clinoptilolite-Ca | Ca3(Si30Al6)O72 · 20H2O |
| 22 photos of Erionite-Ca associated with Offretite | KCaMg(Si13Al5)O36 · 15H2O |
| 13 photos of Erionite-Ca associated with Mordenite | (Na2,Ca,K2)4(Al8Si40)O96 · 28H2O |
| 12 photos of Erionite-Ca associated with Clay minerals | |
| 11 photos of Erionite-Ca associated with 'Chalcedony' | SiO2 |
| 5 photos of Erionite-Ca associated with Pyrite | FeS2 |
| 5 photos of Erionite-Ca associated with 'Palagonite' | |
| 4 photos of Erionite-Ca associated with Cowlesite | CaAl2Si3O10 · 6H2O |
Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat Grouping
| 9.GD.05 | Gmelinite-Ca | Ca2(Si8Al4)O24 · 11H2O |
| 9.GD.05 | Gmelinite-K | K4(Si8Al4O24) · 11H2O |
| 9.GD.05 | Gmelinite-Na | Na4(Si8Al4)O24 · 11H2O |
| 9.GD.10 | Chabazite-Mg | (Mg0.7K0.5Ca0.5Na0.1)[Al3Si9O24] · 10H2O |
| 9.GD.10 | Willhendersonite | KCa[Al3Si3O12] · 5H2O |
| 9.GD.10 | Chabazite-Ca | (Ca,K2,Na2)2[Al2Si4O12]2 · 12H2O |
| 9.GD.10 | Chabazite-K | (K2,Ca,Na2,Sr,Mg)2[Al2Si4O12]2 · 12H2O |
| 9.GD.10 | Chabazite-Na | (Na2,K2,Ca,Sr,Mg)2[Al2Si4O12]2 · 12H2O |
| 9.GD.10 | Chabazite-Sr | Sr2[Al2Si4O12]2 · 12H2O |
| 9.GD.15 | Lévyne-Ca | (Ca,Na2,K2)[Al2Si4O12] · 6H2O |
| 9.GD.15 | Lévyne-Na | (Na2,Ca,K2)[Al2Si4O12] · 6H2O |
| 9.GD.20 | Erionite-K | (K2,Ca,Na2)2[Al4Si14O36] · 15H2O |
| 9.GD.20 | Erionite-Na | (Na2,K2,Ca)2[Al4Si14O36] · 15H2O |
| 9.GD.20 | Bellbergite | (K,Ba,Sr)2Sr2Ca2(Ca,Na)4[Al3Si3O12]6 · 30H2O |
| 9.GD.25 | Offretite | KCaMg(Si13Al5)O36 · 15H2O |
| 9.GD.25 | Wenkite | (Ba,K)4(Ca,Na)6[(Si,Al)20O39(OH)2](SO4)3 · 0.5H2O |
| 9.GD.30 | Faujasite-Ca | (Ca,Na2,Mg)3.5[Al7Si17O48] · 32H2O |
| 9.GD.30 | Faujasite-Mg | (Mg,Na2,Ca)3.5[Al7Si17O48] · 32H2O |
| 9.GD.30 | Faujasite-Na | (Na2,Ca,Mg)3.5[Al7Si17O48] · 32H2O |
| 9.GD.35 | Maricopaite | Pb7Ca2(Si,Al)48O100 · 32H2O |
| 9.GD.35 | Mordenite | (Na2,Ca,K2)4(Al8Si40)O96 · 28H2O |
| 9.GD.40 | Dachiardite-K | K4(Si20Al4O48) · 13H2O |
| 9.GD.40 | Dachiardite-Ca | (Ca,Na2,K2)5Al10Si38O96 · 25H2O |
| 9.GD.40 | Dachiardite-Na | (Na2,Ca,K2)5Al10Si38O96 · 25H2O |
| 9.GD.45 | Epistilbite | CaAl2Si6O16 · 5H2O |
| 9.GD.50 | Ferrierite-K | (K,Na)5(Si31Al5)O72 · 18H2O |
| 9.GD.50 | Ferrierite-Mg | [Mg2(K,Na)2Ca0.5](Si29Al7)O72 · 18H2O |
| 9.GD.50 | Ferrierite-Na | (Na,K)5(Si31Al5)O72 · 18H2O |
| 9.GD.50 | Ferrierite-NH4 | (NH4,Mg0.5)5(Al5Si31O72) · 22H2O |
| 9.GD.55 | Bikitaite | LiAlSi2O6 · H2O |
Other Information
Health Risks:
Carcinogenic upon inhalation of its dust, due to its fibrous structure (Ref.: IARC Monography 42:225-239, 1987)
Internet Links for Erionite-Ca
mindat.org URL:
https://www.mindat.org/min-6915.html
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Please feel free to link to this page.
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References for Erionite-Ca
Reference List:
Harada, Kazuo, Iwamoto, Shigeki, Kihara, and Kuniaki (1967) Erionite, phillipsite, gonnardite in the amygdales of altered basalt from Mazé, Niigata prefecture, Japan. American Mineralogist, 52 (11-12) 1785-1794
Sheppard, Richard A., Gude, Arthur J., 3rd, (1969) Chemical composition and physical properties of the related zeolites offretite and erionite. American Mineralogist, 54 (5-6) 875-886
Localities for Erionite-Ca
Showing 39 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.
Australia | |
| Dogan et al. (2008) |
| M Latham Collection +1 other reference |
| Birch (1989) |
| Dogan et al. (2008) |
Canada | |
| Dogan et al. (2008) | |
Czech Republic | |
| - (n.d.) |
| Erionite-Ca from the Michlův hill near ... |
| Pauliš et al. (2018) |
| Pauliš et al. (2018) | |
| Pauliš et al. (2014) |
| P. Paulis et al. (2024) | |
| Rychlý et al. (1996) |
France | |
| Gualtieri et al. (1998) |
Germany | |
| SEM-EDS by Joy Desor |
| Blaß et al. (2001) |
Italy | |
| Passaglia et al. (1998) |
| Passaglia et al. (1995) +2 other references |
| Passaglia et al. (1998) |
Japan (TL) | |
| Am. Mineral. 52 +1 other reference |
| Ryoji Tanaka specimens |
New Zealand | |
| T. Saunderson collection |
| RRUFF database- Specimen I.D R060836 |
Russia | |
| Dogan et al. (2008) |
Slovakia | |
| Martin Števko-unpublished |
Turkey | |
| USGS Open File report 10-1286 |
UK | |
| Dogan et al. (2008) |
| Maggie Wilson | |
| Dogan et al. (2008) | |
| Paolo Grosso |
| J. Skupiewski |
| Dogan et al. (2008) |
USA | |
| O. Dzillas |
| Patrick Haynes |
| USGS Open File report 10-1286 |
| JAMES MacPHERSON (Associated Press Writer) | |
| JAMES MacPHERSON (Associated Press Writer) | |
| Wise et al. (1976) |
| Dogan et al. (2008) |
| Micro Probe Volume IX Number 3 |
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Monte Nero, San Pietro, Montecchio Maggiore, Vicenza Province, Veneto, Italy