Calciborite
A valid IMA mineral species - grandfathered
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About Calciborite
Formula:
Ca(B2O4)
Colour:
Colorless to white
Hardness:
3½
Specific Gravity:
2.878
Crystal System:
Orthorhombic
Name:
The name alludes to the composition, containing CALCIum and BORon.
Unique Identifiers
Mindat ID:
854
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:1:854:9
IMA Classification of Calciborite
Approved, 'Grandfathered' (first described prior to 1959)
IMA Formula:
CaB2O4
Classification of Calciborite
6.BC.10
6 : BORATES
B : Diborates
C : Ino-diborates with triangles and/or tetrahedra
6 : BORATES
B : Diborates
C : Ino-diborates with triangles and/or tetrahedra
24.5.2.1
24 : ANHYDROUS BORATES
5 : Miscellaneous
24 : ANHYDROUS BORATES
5 : Miscellaneous
9.3.1
9 : Borates
3 : Borates of Ca and Sr
9 : Borates
3 : Borates of Ca and Sr
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Cbo | 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 Calciborite
Transparency:
Transparent, Translucent
Colour:
Colorless to white
Hardness:
3½ on Mohs scale
Fracture:
Irregular/Uneven, Conchoidal
Density:
2.878 g/cm3 (Measured) 2.88 g/cm3 (Calculated)
Optical Data of Calciborite
Type:
Biaxial (-)
RI values:
nα = 1.595 nβ = 1.654 nγ = 1.670
2V:
Measured: 54° , Calculated: 52°
Max. Birefringence:
δ = 0.075
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 or r < v
Chemistry of Calciborite
Mindat Formula:
Ca(B2O4)
Element Weights:
Elements listed:
Crystallography of Calciborite
Crystal System:
Orthorhombic
Class (H-M):
mmm(2/m2/m2/m) - Dipyramidal
Space Group:
Pccn
Setting:
Pccn
Cell Parameters:
a = 8.38 Å, b = 13.82 Å, c = 5.00 Å
Ratio:
a:b:c = 0.606 : 1 : 0.362
Unit Cell V:
579.06 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:
8
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
Remove metal-metal sticks
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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0012450 | Calciborite | Shashkin D N, Simonov M A, Belov N V (1970) Crystal structure of calciborite CaB2O4=Ca2[BO3BO]2 Doklady Akademii Nauk SSSR 195 345-348 | 1970 | 0 | 293 |
CIF Raw Data - click here to close
X-Ray Powder Diffraction
Powder Diffraction Data:
| d-spacing | Intensity |
|---|---|
| 3.44 Å | (10) |
| 3.57 Å | (8) |
| 1.976 Å | (7) |
| 1.870 Å | (7) |
| 1.793 Å | (7) |
| 7.10 Å | (6) |
| 3.81 Å | (6) |
Geological Environment
Paragenetic Mode(s):
| Paragenetic Mode | Earliest Age (Ga) |
|---|---|
| High-? alteration and/or metamorphism | |
| 31 : Thermally altered carbonate, phosphate, and iron formations |
Type Occurrence of Calciborite
General Appearance of Type Material:
Prismatic crystals, to 1.5 cm
Place of Conservation of Type Material:
St. Petersburg Mining Institute, St. Petersburg, 1297/1; A.E. Fersman Mineralogical Museum, Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia, 64943.
Geological Setting of Type Material:
a contact metasomatized limestone near a quartz diorite
intrusion associated with a copper deposit in skarn.
intrusion associated with a copper deposit in skarn.
Associated Minerals at Type Locality:
Other Language Names for Calciborite
Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat Grouping
| 6.BC.15 | Vimsite | CaB2O2(OH)4 |
| 6.BC.20 | Parasibirskite | Ca2(B2O5) · H2O |
| 6.BC.20 | Sibirskite | Ca2(HB2O5)(OH) |
| 6.BC.25 | Shimazakiite | Ca2B2-xO5-3x(OH)3x (x = 0~0.06) |
Other Information
Notes:
Bright green cathodoluminescence.
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 Calciborite
mindat.org URL:
https://www.mindat.org/min-854.html
Please feel free to link to this page.
Please feel free to link to this page.
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References for Calciborite
Localities for Calciborite
Showing 2 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.
Japan | |
| Kobayashi et al. (2014) |
Russia (TL) | |
| American Mineralogist: 85: 1322. +6 other references |
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Novofrolovskoye B-Cu deposit, Tur'insk, Turya river, Serovsky District, Sverdlovsk Oblast, Russia