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Tschörtnerite

A valid IMA mineral species
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09199240017271929059598.jpg
Tschörtnerite

Caspar quarry, Ettringen, Vordereifel, Mayen-Koblenz, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany
05570940017271929086318.jpg
Tschörtnerite, etc.

Caspar quarry, Ettringen, Vordereifel, Mayen-Koblenz, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany
03609680017361053295252.jpg
Tschörtnerite

Caspar quarry, Ettringen, Vordereifel, Mayen-Koblenz, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany
09199240017271929059598.jpg
Tschörtnerite

Caspar quarry, Ettringen, Vordereifel, Mayen-Koblenz, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany
05570940017271929086318.jpg
Tschörtnerite, etc.

Caspar quarry, Ettringen, Vordereifel, Mayen-Koblenz, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany
03609680017361053295252.jpg
Tschörtnerite

Caspar quarry, Ettringen, Vordereifel, Mayen-Koblenz, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany
09199240017271929059598.jpg
Tschörtnerite

Caspar quarry, Ettringen, Vordereifel, Mayen-Koblenz, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany
05570940017271929086318.jpg
Tschörtnerite, etc.

Caspar quarry, Ettringen, Vordereifel, Mayen-Koblenz, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany
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About TschörtneriteHide

Formula:
Ca4(Ca,Sr,K,Ba)3Cu3[Al3Si3O12]4(OH)8 · nH2O
Colour:
Light blue
Lustre:
Vitreous
Hardness:
4½
Specific Gravity:
2.1
Crystal System:
Isometric
Member of:
Zeolite Group
Name:
Named in 1998 by H. Effenberger, G. Giester, W. Krause, H. J. Bernhardt in honor of Jochen Tschörtner (b. 1941) of Cologne (Germany), pharmacist, mineral collector and discoverer of the mineral.
Zeolite Group. The only currently known natural representative of the group with copper as an essential cation.


Name EncodingHide

ASCII-7:
Tschortnerite

Unique IdentifiersHide

Mindat ID:
7343
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:1:7343:7

IMA Classification of TschörtneriteHide

IMA status:
Approved
IMA Formula:
Ca4(K,Ca,Sr,Ba)3Cu2+3Al12Si12O48(OH)8·20H2O
Approval year:
1995

Classification of TschörtneriteHide

Strunz-mindat (2026):
9.GF.40

9 : SILICATES (Germanates)
G : Tektosilicates with zeolitic H2O; zeolite family
F : Other Rare Zeolites

Mineral SymbolsHide

As of 2021 there are now IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols (abbreviations) for each mineral species, useful for tables and diagrams.

SymbolSourceReference for Standard
ThtIMA–CNMNCWarr, L.N. (2021). IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols. Mineralogical Magazine, 85(3), 291-320. doi:10.1180/mgm.2021.43

Physical Properties of TschörtneriteHide

Lustre:
Vitreous
Transparency:
Transparent
Colour:
Light blue
Hardness:
4½ on Mohs scale
Hardness:
VHN30=350 kg/mm2 - Vickers
Cleavage:
None Observed
Fracture:
Conchoidal
Density:
2.1 g/cm3 (Measured)    2.1 g/cm3 (Calculated)

Optical Data of TschörtneriteHide

Type:
Isotropic
RI values:
n = 1.504
Surface Relief:
Moderate (negative)
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

Chemistry of TschörtneriteHide

Mindat Formula:
Ca4(Ca,Sr,K,Ba)3Cu3[Al3Si3O12]4(OH)8 · nH2O
Element Weights:
Element% weight
O44.399 %
Si16.408 %
Al15.763 %
Ca13.658 %
Cu9.281 %
H0.491 %

Calculated from ideal end-member formula.
O
Si
Al
Ca
Cu
H
Elements listed:
Al, Ba, Ca, Cu, H, K, O, Si, Sr - search for minerals with similar chemistry

Crystallography of TschörtneriteHide

Crystal System:
Isometric
Class (H-M):
m3m(4/m32/m) - Hexoctahedral
Space Group:
Fm3m
Cell Parameters:
a = 31.62 Å
Unit Cell V:
31614 ų
Z:
16
Morphology:
hexahedron faces
Twinning:
None

Geological EnvironmentHide

Paragenetic Mode(s):
Paragenetic ModeEarliest Age (Ga)
Stage 3a: Earth’s earliest Hadean crust>4.50
9 : Lava/xenolith minerals (hornfels, sanidinite facies)
10 : Basalt-hosted zeolite minerals
Stage 7: Great Oxidation Event<2.4
47a : [Near-surface hydration of prior minerals]

Type Occurrence of TschörtneriteHide

Type Locality:
ⓘ Caspar quarry, Ettringen, Vordereifel, Mayen-Koblenz, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany
Place of Conservation of Type Material:
Institut für Mineralogie, Ruhr Universität Bochum, Germany
Geological Setting of Type Material:
Ca-rich xenolite in leucite-tephrite lava

Synonyms of TschörtneriteHide

Other Language Names for TschörtneriteHide

Relationship of Tschörtnerite to other SpeciesHide

Member of:
Zeolite Group
Other Members of Zeolite Group:
AlflarseniteNaCa2Be3Si4O13(OH) · 2H2OMon. 2 : P21
AmiciteK2Na2Al4Si4O16 · 5H2OMon. 2
Ammonioleucite(NH4)(AlSi2O6)Tet. 4/m : I41/a
AnalcimeNa(AlSi2O6) · H2OTric. 1 : P1
ArzamastseviteK6Al5Si6O20(OH)4ClTet. 42m : I42m
Bellbergite(K,Ba,Sr)2Sr2Ca2(Ca,Na)4[Al3Si3O12]6 · 30H2OHex.
BikitaiteLiAlSi2O6 · H2OTric. 1 : P1
BoggsiteCa8Na3(Si,Al)96O192 · 70H2OOrth. mmm(2/m2/m2/m) : Imma
Brewsterite SubgroupZeolite Group.
Chabazite-Levyne SubgroupM[Al2Si4O12] · 6H2O
ChiavenniteCaMnBe2Si5O13(OH)2 · 2H2OMon. 2/m : P21/b
Clinoptilolite Subgroup(Na/Ca/K)3-6[Al6-7Si29-30O72] · 20H2O
CowlesiteCaAl2Si3O10 · 6H2OOrth. mmm(2/m2/m2/m)
Dachiardite SubgroupZeolite Group.
DirenzoiteNaK6MgCa2(Al13Si47O120) · 36H2OOrth. mmm(2/m2/m2/m) : Pmmn
EdingtoniteBa[Al2Si3O10] · 4H2OOrth. 222 : P212121
EpistilbiteCaAl2Si6O16 · 5H2OMon.
Erionite SubgroupM2[Al4Si14O36] · 15H2O
FabrièsiteNa3Al3Si3O12 · 2H2OOrth. mm2 : Pmm2
Faujasite SubgroupM3.5[Al7Si17O48] · 32H2O
Ferrierite SubgroupName used for unanalysed specimens that could be either ferrierite-K, ferrierite-Mg, ...
FerrochiavenniteCa1-2Fe[(Si,Al,Be)5Be2O13(OH)2] · 2H2OMon. 2/m : P21/b
Flörkeite(K3Ca2Na)[Al8Si8O32] · 12H2OTric. 1 : P1
Garronite Subgroup
GaultiteNa4Zn2Si7O18 · 5H2OOrth. mm2 : Fdd2
Gismondine SubgroupZeolite Group.
Gmelinite SubgroupIn 1997, gmelinite was split into Gmelinite-Ca, Gmelinite-Na and Gmelinite-K.
GobbinsiteNa5(Si11Al5)O32 · 11H2OOrth. mmm(2/m2/m2/m) : Pnma
GoosecreekiteCa[Al2Si6O16] · 5H2OMon. 2 : P21
GottardiiteNa3Mg3Ca5Al19Si117O272 · 93H2OOrth. mmm(2/m2/m2/m) : Cmca
Heulandite Subgroup(Na/Ca/K)5-6[Al8-9 Si27-28 O72] · nH2O
HsianghualiteCa3Li2(Be3Si3O12)F2Iso. 23 : I213
KalborsiteK6Al4BSi6O20(OH)4ClTet. 42m : P421c
KirchhoffiteCs(BSi2O6)Tet. 4/mmm(4/m2/m2/m) : I41/acd
LaumontiteCaAl2Si4O12 · 4H2OMon. 2/m : B2/m
LeuciteK(AlSi2O6)Tet. 4/m : I41/a
LimousiniteBaCa[Be4P4O16] · 6H2OMon. 2/m : P21/b
LithositeK6Al4Si8O25 · 2H2OMon.
Loomisite Ba[Be2P2O8] · H2OMon. m
LovdariteK2Na6Be4Si14O36 · 9H2OOrth. mm2
MaricopaitePb7Ca2(Si,Al)48O100 · 32H2OOrth.
MartinandresiteBa2(Al4Si12O32) · 10H2OOrth. mmm(2/m2/m2/m) : Pmmn
Mazzite SubgroupZeolite Group.
MeieriteBa44Si66Al30O192Cl25(OH)33Iso. m3m(4/m32/m) : Im3m
MerlinoiteK5Ca2(Si23Al9)O64 · 24H2OOrth. mmm(2/m2/m2/m) : Immm
Montesommaite(K,Na)9Al9Si23O64 · 10H2OOrth. mm2 : Fdd2
Mordenite(Na2,Ca,K2)4(Al8Si40)O96 · 28H2OOrth.
MountainiteKNa2Ca2[Si8O19(OH)] · 6H2OMon. 2/m : P2/b
MutinaiteNa3Ca4Si85Al11O192 · 60H2OOrth. mmm(2/m2/m2/m) : Pnma
NabesiteNa2BeSi4O10 · 4H2OOrth. 222 : P212121
Natrolite SubgroupA subgroup of the Zeolite Group.
OffretiteKCaMg(Si13Al5)O36 · 15H2OHex. 6m2 : P6m2
PahasapaiteLi8(Ca,Li,K)10.5Be24(PO4)24 · 38H2OIso. 23 : I23
ParthéiteCa2(Si4Al4) O15 (OH)2 · 4H2OMon. 2/m : B2/b
Paulingite SubgroupPaulingite was originally described in 1960.
PerlialiteK9Na(Ca,Sr)[Al2Si4O12]6 · 15H2OHex. 6/mmm(6/m2/m2/m) : P6/mmm
Phillipsite Subgroup(Ca0.5,K,Na,Ba0.5)4-7[Al4-7Si12-9O32] . 12H2O
Pollucite(Cs,Na)2(Al2Si4O12) · 2H2OIso. m3m(4/m32/m) : Ia3d
RoggianiteCa2Be(OH)2Al2Si4O13 · 2.5H2OTet. 4/mmm(4/m2/m2/m) : I4/mcm
RongibbsitePb2(Si4Al)O11(OH) Mon. 2/m : B2/m
Stilbite SubgroupM6-7[Al8-9Si27-28O72] · nH2O
Terranovaite(Na,Ca)8(Si68Al12)O160 · 29H2OOrth.
Thomsonite SubgroupThe large majority of "thomsonite" is thomsonite-Ca.
ThornasiteNa12Th4+3(Si8O19)4 · 18H2OTrig. 3m : R3m
Tschernichite(Ca,Na2)[Al2Si4O12] · 4-8H2OTet. 4/mmm(4/m2/m2/m) : P4/mmm
'UM1996-38-SiO:AlCaHNa'Na-Ca-Al-Si-O-H
'UM1999-33-SiO:AlHKNa'K7Na5Al12Si20O64 · 24H2O
'UM2002-40-SiO:AlCaHKMgNa'(Mg,Ca,Na,K)7.5(Al12.8Si51.2)O128 · 65H2OTet. 422 : P4122
'Unnamed (Ca analogue of Merlinoite)'(Ca,K,Na)5(Ca,Ba)2Al9Si23O64 · 23H2O ?
WairakiteCa(Al2Si4O12) · 2H2OMon. 2/m : B2/m
WeinebeneiteCaBe3(PO4)2(OH)2 · 4H2OMon. m : Bb
Wenkite(Ba,K)4(Ca,Na)6[(Si,Al)20O39(OH)2](SO4)3 · 0.5H2OHex. 6m2 : P62m
Wilancookite(Ba5Li2◻)Ba6Be24P24O96 · 26H2OIso. 23 : I23
WillhendersoniteKCa[Al3Si3O12] · 5H2OTric. 1 : P1
YugawaraliteCaAl2Si6O16 · 4H2OMon. m : Pb

Common AssociatesHide

Associations Based on Photo Data:
3 photos of Tschörtnerite associated with WillhendersoniteKCa[Al3Si3O12] · 5H2O

Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat GroupingHide

9.GF.05Terranovaite(Na,Ca)8(Si68Al12)O160 · 29H2OOrth.
9.GF.10GottardiiteNa3Mg3Ca5Al19Si117O272 · 93H2OOrth. mmm(2/m2/m2/m) : Cmca
9.GF.15LovdariteK2Na6Be4Si14O36 · 9H2OOrth. mm2
9.GF.20GaultiteNa4Zn2Si7O18 · 5H2OOrth. mm2 : Fdd2
9.GF.25FerrochiavenniteCa1-2Fe[(Si,Al,Be)5Be2O13(OH)2] · 2H2OMon. 2/m : P21/b
9.GF.25ChiavenniteCaMnBe2Si5O13(OH)2 · 2H2OMon. 2/m : P21/b
9.GF.30Tschernichite(Ca,Na2)[Al2Si4O12] · 4-8H2OTet. 4/mmm(4/m2/m2/m) : P4/mmm
9.GF.35MutinaiteNa3Ca4Si85Al11O192 · 60H2OOrth. mmm(2/m2/m2/m) : Pnma
9.GF.55DirenzoiteNaK6MgCa2(Al13Si47O120) · 36H2OOrth. mmm(2/m2/m2/m) : Pmmn
9.GF.60MeieriteBa44Si66Al30O192Cl25(OH)33Iso. m3m(4/m32/m) : Im3m
9.GF.65RongibbsitePb2(Si4Al)O11(OH) Mon. 2/m : B2/m

Fluorescence of TschörtneriteHide

Other InformationHide

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 TschörtneriteHide

References for TschörtneriteHide

Localities for TschörtneriteHide

Showing 1 localities.

This map shows a selection of localities that have latitude and longitude coordinates recorded. Click on the symbol to view information about a locality. The symbol next to localities in the list can be used to jump to that position on the map.
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Locality ListHide

- 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). 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.
Germany (TL)
 
  • Rhineland-Palatinate
    • Mayen-Koblenz
      • Vordereifel
        • Ettringen
AM 83 (1998) +2 other references
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