Ternesite
A valid IMA mineral species
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About Ternesite
Bernd Ternes
Formula:
Ca5(SiO4)2(SO4)
Colour:
Pale blue, brown, light green, colourless
Lustre:
Vitreous
Hardness:
4½ - 5
Specific Gravity:
2.94
Crystal System:
Orthorhombic
Name:
For Bernd Ternes of Mayen, Germany (born 28.8.1955 in Mayen in an old house, constructed with Bellerberg-basalt), who started collecting minerals in 1970. He found the mineral and provided specimens for study. Mr. Ternes is a specialist on the minerals of the Eifel area in Germany.
Unique Identifiers
Mindat ID:
7330
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:1:7330:7
Similar Names
| Dyrnaesite-(La) | A valid IMA mineral species | Na8Ce4+(La,REE)2(PO4)6 |
| Torrensite | A mixture of two or more distinct mineral species |
IMA Classification of Ternesite
Classification of Ternesite
9.AH.20
9 : SILICATES (Germanates)
A : Nesosilicates
H : Nesosilicates with CO3, SO4, PO4, etc.
9 : SILICATES (Germanates)
A : Nesosilicates
H : Nesosilicates with CO3, SO4, PO4, etc.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Tns | 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 Ternesite
Vitreous
Colour:
Pale blue, brown, light green, colourless
Streak:
White
Hardness:
4½ - 5 on Mohs scale
Cleavage:
None Observed
Density:
2.94 g/cm3 (Measured) 2.97 g/cm3 (Calculated)
Optical Data of Ternesite
Type:
Biaxial (-)
RI values:
nα = 1.630(1) nβ = 1.637(1) nγ = 1.640(1)
2V:
Measured: 63.5° (5), Calculated: 66°
Max. Birefringence:
δ = 0.010
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:
High (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 Ternesite
Mindat Formula:
Ca5(SiO4)2(SO4)
Element Weights:
Elements listed:
Crystallography of Ternesite
Crystal System:
Orthorhombic
Class (H-M):
mmm(2/m2/m2/m) - Dipyramidal
Space Group:
Pnma
Cell Parameters:
a = 6.863 Å, b = 15.387 Å, c = 10.181 Å
Ratio:
a:b:c = 0.446 : 1 : 0.662
Unit Cell V:
1,075.12 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Comment:
Crystal Structure
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Unit Cell | Unit Cell Packed
2x2x2 | 3x3x3 | 4x4x4
Unit Cell | Unit Cell Packed
2x2x2 | 3x3x3 | 4x4x4
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CIF File Best | x | y | z | a | b | c
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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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0014638 | Ternesite | Irran E, Tillmanns E, Hentschel G (1997) Ternesite, Ca5(SiO4)2SO4, a new mineral from the Ettringer Bellerberg/Eifel, Germany Mineralogy and Petrology 60 121-132 | 1997 | Ettringer Bellerberg volcano, Eifel, Germany | 0 | 293 |
CIF Raw Data - click here to close
X-Ray Powder Diffraction
Powder Diffraction Data:
| d-spacing | Intensity |
|---|---|
| 3.198 Å | (42) |
| 2.853 Å | (63) |
| 2.830 Å | (100) |
| 2.565 Å | (55) |
| 1.892 Å | (39) |
Geological Environment
Paragenetic Mode(s):
| Paragenetic Mode | Earliest Age (Ga) |
|---|---|
| High-? alteration and/or metamorphism | |
| 31 : Thermally altered carbonate, phosphate, and iron formations | |
| Stage 10a: Neoproterozoic oxygenation/terrestrial biosphere | <0.6 |
| 50 : Coal and/or oil shale minerals | <0.36 |
| 51 : Pyrometamorphic minerals (see also #54 and #56) | <0.36 |
| Stage 10b: Anthropogenic minerals | <10 Ka |
| 54 : Coal and other mine fire minerals (see also #51 and #56) | |
| 56 : Slag and smelter minerals (see also #51 and #55) |
Type Occurrence of Ternesite
General Appearance of Type Material:
Prismatic crystals to 0.2 mm length and 0.05 mm diameter, radially arranged into bright blue aggregates.
Place of Conservation of Type Material:
Institut fur Mineralogie und Kristallographie, Universitat Wien, Vienna, Austria.
Naturhistorisches Museum, Vienna, Austria.
Naturhistorisches Museum, Vienna, Austria.
Geological Setting of Type Material:
Ca-rich xenoliths in Quaternary leucite tephrite lava.
Associated Minerals at Type Locality:
Synonyms of Ternesite
Other Language Names for Ternesite
Relationship of Ternesite to other Species
Forms a series with:
Common Associates
Associations Based on Photo Data:
| 7 photos of Ternesite associated with Jasmundite | Ca11(SiO4)4O2S |
| 3 photos of Ternesite associated with Calcio-olivine | Ca2SiO4 |
| 1 photo of Ternesite associated with Aragonite | CaCO3 |
Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat Grouping
| 9.AH. | Fluorbritholite-(Nd) | Ca2Nd3(SiO4)3F |
| 9.AH.05 | Iimoriite-(Y) | Y2[SiO4][CO3] |
| 9.AH.10 | Tundrite-(Ce) | Na2Ce2Ti(SiO4)(CO3)2O2 |
| 9.AH.10 | Tundrite-(Nd) | Na2(Nd,Ce)2Ti(SiO4)(CO3)2O2 |
| 9.AH.15 | Galuskinite | Ca7(SiO4)3(CO3) |
| 9.AH.15 | Spurrite | Ca5(SiO4)2(CO3) |
| 9.AH.20 | Silicocarnotite | Ca5[(SiO4)(PO4)](PO4) |
| 9.AH.25 | Britholite-(Ce) | (Ce,Ca)5(SiO4)3OH |
| 9.AH.25 | Britholite-(Y) | (Y,Ca)5(SiO4)3OH |
| 9.AH.25 | Mattheddleite | Pb5(SiO4)1.5(SO4)1.5(Cl,OH) |
| 9.AH.25 | Fluorbritholite-(Ce) | (Ce,Ca)5(SiO4)3F |
| 9.AH.25 | Fluorellestadite | Ca5(SiO4)1.5(SO4)1.5F |
| 9.AH.25 | Fluorbritholite-(La) | Ca2La3(SiO4)3F |
| 9.AH.25 | Fluorbritholite-(Y) | (Y,Ca)5(SiO4)3F |
| 9.AH.25 | Hydroxylellestadite | Ca5(SiO4)1.5(SO4)1.5(OH) |
| 9.AH.25 | 'Calciobritholite' | (Ca,Y)5(SiO4,PO4)3(OH) |
| 9.AH.25 | 'Britholite-(La)' | Ca2(La,Ce,Ca)3(SiO4,PO4)3(OH,F) |
| 9.AH.25 | Tritomite-(Ce) | Ce5(SiO4,BO4)3(OH,O) |
| 9.AH.25 | Tritomite-(Y) | Y5(SiO4,BO4)3(O,OH,F) |
| 9.AH.25 | Fluorcalciobritholite | (Ca,REE)5(SiO4,PO4)3F |
| 9.AH.25 | Chlorellestadite | Ca5(SiO4)1.5(SO4)1.5Cl |
| 9.AH.35 | Dargaite | BaCa12(SiO4)4(SO4)2O3 |
| 9.AH.35 | Nabimusaite | KCa12(SiO4)4(SO4)2O2F |
| 9.AH.40 | Stracherite | BaCa6(SiO4)2[(PO4)(CO3)]F |
| 9.AH.40 | Zadovite | BaCa6[(SiO4)(PO4)](PO4)2F |
| 9.AH.40 | Gazeevite | BaCa6(SiO4)2(SO4)2O |
| 9.AH.45 | Flamite | Ca8-x(Na,K)x(SiO4)4-x(PO4)x |
| 9.AH.50 | Byzantievite | Ba5(Ca,REE,Y)22(Ti,Nb)18(SiO4)4[(PO4),(SiO4)]4(BO3)9O22[(OH),F]43(H2O)1.5 |
| 9.AH.55 | Greenwoodite | (Ba,V3+O)2V3+9(Fe3+,Fe2+)2Si2O22 |
| 9.AH.60 | Kihlmanite-(Ce) | Ce2TiO2(SiO4)(HCO3)2(H2O) |
| 9.AH.65 | Tsangpoite | Ca5(PO4)2(SiO4) |
| 9.AH.70 | 'Enalite' | (Th,REE,Al) [(PO4),(SiO4),(OH)] |
Fluorescence of Ternesite
Not fluorescent.
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 Ternesite
mindat.org URL:
https://www.mindat.org/min-7330.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 Ternesite
Reference List:
Brotherton, P.D.; Epstein, J.M.; Pryce, M.W.; White, A.H. (1974) Crystal structure of 'calcium sulphosilicate', Ca5(SiO4)2SO4. Australian Journal of Chemistry, 27 (3). 657-660 doi:10.1071/ch9740657
Localities for Ternesite
Showing 12 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.
France | |
| Eytier J.R. & Ch. et al. (2004) |
Germany (TL) | |
| Irran et al. (1997) +3 other references |
| Sharygin (2012) | |
| in the collection of Christof Schäfer +1 other reference | |
Israel | |
| Kahlenberg et al. (2019) |
| Galuskin et al. (2016) |
Middle East | |
| Vapnik et al. (2014) | |
Palestine | |
| Galuskina et al. (2019) |
| Galuskina et al. (2014) +1 other reference |
Portugal | |
| Oliveira et al. (2025) |
Russia | |
| Sharygin (2015) |
| Sharygin et al. (2014) |
Quick NavTopAbout TernesiteUnique IdentifiersSimilar NamesIMA Classification Classification Mineral SymbolsPhysical Properties Optical Data Chemistry Crystallography Crystal StructureX-Ray Powder DiffractionGeological EnvironmentType Occurrence SynonymsOther LanguagesRelationshipsCommon AssociatesStrunz-MindatFluorescence Other InformationInternet Links References Localities Locality List
Lapanouse-de-Sévérac slag locality, Sévérac-d'Aveyron, Rodez, Aveyron, Occitanie, France