Silvialite
A valid IMA mineral species
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About Silvialite
Silvia Tschermak
Formula:
(Ca,Na)4(Al6Si6O24)(SO4,CO3)
Colour:
White, slightly yellowish
Lustre:
Vitreous
Hardness:
5½
Specific Gravity:
2.75
Crystal System:
Tetragonal
Member of:
Name:
Named in honor of Silvia Hillebrand (née Tschermak) (1868–1923), bacteriologist and daughter of the Austrian mineralogist Gustav Tschermak von Sessenegg. The name was first suggested in 1914 for the then-hypothetical sulphate analogue of meionite. The mineral tschermakite is named after her father.
Type Locality:
Unique Identifiers
Mindat ID:
7296
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:1:7296:6
IMA Classification of Silvialite
Approved
IMA Formula:
Ca4Al6Si6O24(S6+O4)
Approval year:
1998
First published:
1999
Classification of Silvialite
9.FB.15
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.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Slv | IMA–CNMNC | Warr, L.N. (2021). IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols. Mineralogical Magazine, 85(3), 291-320. doi:10.1180/mgm.2021.43 |
| Slv | 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 Silvialite
Vitreous
Transparency:
Transparent
Colour:
White, slightly yellowish
Streak:
White
Hardness:
5½ on Mohs scale
Tenacity:
Brittle
Cleavage:
Distinct/Good
parallel to {100}
parallel to {100}
Fracture:
Conchoidal
Density:
2.75 g/cm3 (Measured) 2.77 g/cm3 (Calculated)
Optical Data of Silvialite
Type:
Uniaxial (-)
RI values:
nω = 1.585 nε = 1.558
Max. Birefringence:
δ = 0.027
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 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 Silvialite
Mindat Formula:
(Ca,Na)4(Al6Si6O24)(SO4,CO3)
Element Weights:
Crystallography of Silvialite
Crystal System:
Tetragonal
Class (H-M):
4/m - Dipyramidal
Space Group:
I4/m
Cell Parameters:
a = 12.160(3) Å, c = 7.560(1) Å
Ratio:
a:c = 1 : 0.622
Unit Cell V:
1,117.86 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:
2
Comment:
Contains disordered carbonate and sulfate groups along the fourfold axis.
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
Remove metal-metal sticks
Display Options
Black Background | White Background
Perspective On | Perspective Off
2D | Stereo | Red-Blue | Red-Cyan
Black Background | White Background
Perspective On | Perspective Off
2D | Stereo | Red-Blue | Red-Cyan
View
CIF File Best | x | y | z | a | b | c
CIF File Best | x | y | z | a | b | c
Rotation
Stop | Start
Stop | Start
Labels
Console Off | On | Grey | Yellow
Console Off | On | Grey | Yellow
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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0014537 | Silvialite | Teertstra D K, Schindler M, Sherriff B L, Hawthorne F C (1999) Silvialite, a new sulfate-dominant member of the scapolite group with an Al-Si composition near the I4/m-P42/n phase transition Mineralogical Magazine 63 321-329 |  | 1999 | McBride Province, Australia | 0 | 293 |
CIF Raw Data - click here to close
X-Ray Powder Diffraction
Powder Diffraction Data:
| d-spacing | Intensity |
|---|---|
| 3.45 Å | (100) |
| 3.07 Å | (40) |
| 3.82 Å | (20) |
| 3.04 Å | (15) |
| 2.69 Å | (15) |
| 6.03 Å | (5) |
| 3.49 Å | (5) |
Comments:
Cone No. 32, Cape York Peninsula, Queensland, Australia. The data are from the type description.
Geological Environment
Paragenetic Mode(s):
| Paragenetic Mode | Earliest Age (Ga) |
|---|---|
| Stage 3b: Earth’s earliest hydrosphere | >4.45 |
| 16 : Low-? aqueous alteration of Hadean subaerial lithologies (see also #23) | |
| Near-surface Processes | |
| 23 : Subaerial aqueous alteration by non-redox-sensitive fluids (see also #47) | |
| 25 : Evaporites (prebiotic) | |
| High-? alteration and/or metamorphism | |
| 31 : Thermally altered carbonate, phosphate, and iron formations | |
| Stage 4b: Highly evolved igneous rocks | >3.0 |
| 34 : Complex granite pegmatites | |
| Stage 5: Initiation of plate tectonics | <3.5-2.5 |
| 40 : Regional metamorphism (greenschist, amphibolite, granulite facies) |
Geological Setting:
Granulite facies metamorphic rocks
Type Occurrence of Silvialite
Place of Conservation of Type Material:
Systematic Reference Series of the National Mineral Collection at the Geological Survey of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, under catalogue number NMC 68080.
Geological Setting of Type Material:
mafic and ultramafic xenoliths from the lower crust or upper mantle
Associated Minerals at Type Locality:
Synonyms of Silvialite
Other Language Names for Silvialite
Relationship of Silvialite to other Species
Member of:
Other Members of Scapolite Group:
| Marialite | Na4Al3Si9O24Cl | Tet. 4/m : I4/m |
| Meionite | Ca4Al6Si6O24CO3 | Tet. 4/m : I4/m |
| 'Scapolite' | This term generally refers to just the marialite-meionite series, not the full scapolite group, ... | Tet. |
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. | Betzite | Na6Ca2(Al6Si6O24)Cl4 |
| 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 |
Fluorescence of Silvialite
None
Other Information
Notes:
faint deep-red cathodoluminesecnce.
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 Silvialite
mindat.org URL:
https://www.mindat.org/min-7296.html
Please feel free to link to this page.
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References for Silvialite
Reference List:
Teertstra, D. K., Schindler, M., Sherriff, B. L., Hawthorne, F. C. (1999) Silvialite, a new sulfate-dominant member of the scapolite group with an Al-Si
composition near the 14/m–P42/n phase
transition. Mineralogical Magazine, 63 (3) 321-329 doi:10.1180/002646199548547
Localities for Silvialite
Showing 9 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 (TL) | |
| Stolz (1987) +1 other reference |
Canada | |
| Teertstra et al. (1999) |
Germany | |
| Witzke (2000) +1 other reference |
Madagascar | |
| Andrianjakavah et al. +1 other reference |
Norway | |
| Putnis et al. (2017) |
| Porter (2014) |
| Porter (2014) |
| Porter (2014) | |
Spain | |
| Torró et al. (2018) |
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Loitsch Quarry, Weida, Greiz District, Thuringia, Germany