Calclacite
A valid IMA mineral species - grandfathered
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Formula:
Ca(CH3COO)Cl · 5H2O
Colour:
White
Lustre:
Silky
Specific Gravity:
1.5
Crystal System:
Monoclinic
Name:
Named by René Van Tassel (1916-2013) in 1945 in allusion to its composition, containing CALcium, chlorine (CL) and ACetate.
Calcium chloride acetate pentahydrate.
A mineral which forms on calcareous rock and fossil specimens and pottery shards through the interaction of acetic acid derived from oak museum storage cabinets (anthropogenic).
A mineral which forms on calcareous rock and fossil specimens and pottery shards through the interaction of acetic acid derived from oak museum storage cabinets (anthropogenic).
Unique Identifiers
Mindat ID:
862
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:1:862:8
IMA Classification of Calclacite
Approved, 'Grandfathered' (first described prior to 1959)
IMA Formula:
Ca(CH3COO)1-Cl·5H2O
Classification of Calclacite
10.AA.25
10 : ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
A : Salts of organic acids
A : Formates, Acetates, etc.
10 : ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
A : Salts of organic acids
A : Formates, Acetates, etc.
50.2.4.1
50 : ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
2 : Mellitates, Citrates, Cyanates, Acetates and Formates
50 : ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
2 : Mellitates, Citrates, Cyanates, Acetates and Formates
31.4.1
31 : Oxalates, Citrates, Mellitates and Acetates
4 : Acetates
31 : Oxalates, Citrates, Mellitates and Acetates
4 : Acetates
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Calc | 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 Calclacite
Silky
Transparency:
Translucent
Comment:
Lustre silky in aggregates.
Colour:
White
Streak:
White
Comment:
Not determined
Density:
1.5 g/cm3 (Measured) 1.55 g/cm3 (Calculated)
Optical Data of Calclacite
Type:
Biaxial (+)
RI values:
nα = 1.468 nβ = 1.484 nγ = 1.515
2V:
Measured: 80° , Calculated: 74°
Max. Birefringence:
δ = 0.047
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
Dispersion:
relatively weak
Chemistry of Calclacite
Mindat Formula:
Ca(CH3COO)Cl · 5H2O
Element Weights:
Crystallography of Calclacite
Crystal System:
Monoclinic
Class (H-M):
2/m - Prismatic
Space Group:
P21/b
Cell Parameters:
a = 11.51 Å, b = 13.72 Å, c = 6.82 Å
β = 116.7°
β = 116.7°
Ratio:
a:b:c = 0.839 : 1 : 0.497
Unit Cell V:
962.16 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:
4
Morphology:
Crystals as slky, hairlike efflorescences.
Comment:
Space Group determined on synthetic 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0019021 | Calclacite | Giuseppetti G, Tadini C, Ungaretti L (1970) La struttura cristallina della calclacite Periodico di Mineralogia 39 145-158 | 1970 | synthetic | 0 | 293 |
CIF Raw Data - click here to close
X-Ray Powder Diffraction
Powder Diffraction Data:
| d-spacing | Intensity |
|---|---|
| 8.27 Å | (strong) |
| 3.24 Å | (strong) |
| 2.43 Å | (strong) |
| 6.87 Å | (medium) |
| 4.16 Å | (medium) |
| 2.30 Å | (medium) |
| 6.15 Å | (weak) |
Comments:
Synthetic. Data from van Tassel (1958). An alternate pattern, including orientation effects, is given in Voncken et al. (2001).
Geological Environment
Paragenetic Mode(s):
| Paragenetic Mode | Earliest Age (Ga) |
|---|---|
| Stage 7: Great Oxidation Event | <2.4 |
| 47g : [Halogen-bearing surface weathering minerals] | |
| Stage 10b: Anthropogenic minerals | <10 Ka |
| 57 : Other minerals formed by human processes |
Other Language Names for Calclacite
Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat Grouping
| 10.AA. | Henrysunite | Na2(C2H3O3)2(H2O) |
| 10.AA.05 | Formicaite | Ca(HCOO)2 |
| 10.AA.10 | Dashkovaite | Mg(HCOO)2 · 2H2O |
| 10.AA.20 | Acetamide | CH3CONH2 |
| 10.AA.30 | Paceite | CaCu(CH3COO)4 · 6H2O |
| 10.AA.35 | Hoganite | Cu(CH3COO)2 · H2O |
| 10.AA.40 | Lianbinite | (NH4)(C2H3O3)(C2H4O3) |
| 10.AA.40 | Domitrovicite | Zn(C2H3O3)2 · 2H2O |
| 10.AA.40 | Puschridgeite | Mn(C2H3O3)2(H2O)2 |
| 10.AA.40 | Lazaraskeite | Cu(C2H3O3)2 |
| 10.AA.40 | Glecklerite | Na(C2H3O3) |
| 10.AA.40 | Jimkrieghite | Ca(C2H3O3)2 |
| 10.AA.40 | Stanevansite | Mg(C2H3O3)2 · 2H2O |
| 10.AA.40 | Rasmussenite | Ca(C2H3O3)2 · 3H2O |
| 10.AA.45 | Marchettiite | C5H7N5O3 |
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 Calclacite
mindat.org URL:
https://www.mindat.org/min-862.html
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References for Calclacite
Reference List:
Echigo, T., Kimata, M. (2010) Crystal Chemistry and Genesis of Organic Minerals: a Review of Oxalate and Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon Minerals. The Canadian Mineralogist, 48 (6) 1329-1357 doi:10.3749/canmin.48.5.1329
