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⇱ Metathénardite: Mineral information, data and localities.

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Metathénardite

A valid IMA mineral species
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About MetathénarditeHide

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Formula:
Na2SO4
Colour:
Colorless, white, light-blue, greenish, yellowish, grayish or brownish,
Lustre:
Vitreous
Hardness:
3
Specific Gravity:
2.72
Crystal System:
Hexagonal
Name:
Originally reported by Lacroix (1905) as a hypothetical mineral from Mt. Pelée, Martinique, Lesser Antilles, French West Indies. Named for being a dimorph of thénardite formed at high temperatures and unstable at room temperature. Approved by IMA in 2016 on submitted material from Glavnaya Tenoritovaya fumarole, Tolbachik volcano, Kamchatka, Russia.
Dimorph of:
A name applied to a high-temperature, hexagonal polymorph of Na2SO4. Approved as a new mineral in 2016. All specimens with metathénardite were collected from areas with temperatures of 350–400 °C


Name EncodingHide

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ASCII-7:
Metathenardite

Unique IdentifiersHide

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Mindat ID:
30808
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:1:30808:7

IMA Classification of MetathénarditeHide

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Approved
IMA Formula:
Na2(SO4)
Approval year:
2016
First published:
2019

Classification of MetathénarditeHide

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7.AD.30

7 : SULFATES (selenates, tellurates, chromates, molybdates, wolframates)
A : Sulfates (selenates, etc.) without additional anions, without H2O
D : With only large cations

Mineral SymbolsHide

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

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

Physical Properties of MetathénarditeHide

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Vitreous
Transparency:
Transparent
Colour:
Colorless, white, light-blue, greenish, yellowish, grayish or brownish,
Streak:
White
Hardness:
Tenacity:
Brittle
Cleavage:
None Observed
Parting:
None observed
Fracture:
Irregular/Uneven
Density:
2.72(1) g/cm3 (Measured)    2.717 g/cm3 (Calculated)

Optical Data of MetathénarditeHide

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Type:
Uniaxial (-)
RI values:
nω = 1.489(2) nε = 1.486(2)
Max. Birefringence:
δ = 0.003
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.

Surface Relief:
Moderate
Pleochroism:
Non-pleochroic

Chemistry of MetathénarditeHide

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Mindat Formula:
Na2SO4
Element Weights:
Element% weight
O45.055 %
Na32.370 %
S22.574 %

Calculated from ideal end-member formula.

Crystallography of MetathénarditeHide

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Crystal System:
Hexagonal
Class (H-M):
6/mmm(6/m2/m2/m) - Dihexagonal Dipyramidal
Space Group:
P63/mmc
Setting:
P63/mmc
Cell Parameters:
a = 5.3467(9) Å, c = 7.088(2) Å
Ratio:
a:c = 1 : 1.326
Unit Cell V:
175.48 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:
2
Morphology:
Hexagonal tabular to lamellar. Pinacoid {001} (usually the major form), with the hexagonal prism {100}, the hexagonal dipyramid {102} and narrow faces of the hexagonal dipyramid {201}.

X-Ray Powder DiffractionHide

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Powder Diffraction Data:
d-spacingIntensity
4.667 Å(27)
3.904 Å(89)
3.565 Å(33)
2.824 Å(94)
2.686 Å(100)
2.325 Å(12)
2.203 Å(10)
1.939 Å(35)

Geological EnvironmentHide

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Paragenetic Mode(s):
Paragenetic ModeEarliest Age (Ga)
Stage 7: Great Oxidation Event<2.4
45a : [Sulfates, arsenates, selenates, antimonates]
45b : [Other oxidized fumarolic minerals]

Type Occurrence of MetathénarditeHide

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General Appearance of Type Material:
Hexagonal tabular, lamellar, or dipyramidal crystals (forms: {001}, {100}, {102}, and {201}) up to 3 mm combined in crusts up to several hundred cm2 in area.
Place of Conservation of Type Material:
Collections of the Fersman Mineralogical Museum of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia (registration number 4771/1).
Geological Setting of Type Material:
Volcanic fumaroles.
Associated Minerals at Type Locality:

Synonyms of MetathénarditeHide

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Other Language Names for MetathénarditeHide

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Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat GroupingHide

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7.AD.BubnovaiteK2Na8Ca(SO4)6Trig. 3m : P31c
7.AD.DobrovolskyiteNa4Ca(SO4)3Trig. 3 : R3
7.AD.CalciolangbeiniteK2Ca2(SO4)3 Iso. 23 : P213
7.AD.MurphyitePb(Te6+O4)Mon. 2/m : P21/b
7.AD.CuprodobrovolskyiteNa4Cu(SO4)3Trig. 3 : R3
7.AD.KristjániteKNa2H(SO4)2Mon. 2/m
7.AD.05Mascagnite(NH4)2SO4Orth. mmm(2/m2/m2/m) : Pnma
7.AD.05ArcaniteK2SO4Orth. mmm(2/m2/m2/m)
7.AD.10MercalliteKHSO4Orth. mmm(2/m2/m2/m) : Pbca
7.AD.15MiseniteK8H6(SO4)7Mon.
7.AD.20Letovicite(NH4)3H(SO4)2Tric.
7.AD.25ThénarditeNa2SO4Orth. mmm(2/m2/m2/m) : Fddd
7.AD.25GlauberiteNa2Ca(SO4)2Mon. 2/m : B2/b
7.AD.30AnhydriteCaSO4Orth. mmm(2/m2/m2/m)
7.AD.35BaryteBaSO4Orth. mmm(2/m2/m2/m) : Pnma
7.AD.35CelestineSrSO4Orth. mmm(2/m2/m2/m) : Pnma
7.AD.35OlsacheritePb2(Se6+O4)(SO4)Orth.
7.AD.35AnglesitePbSO4Orth. mmm(2/m2/m2/m) : Pnma
7.AD.40KalistrontiteK2Sr(SO4)2Trig. 3m(32/m) : R3m
7.AD.40PalmieriteK2Pb(SO4)2Trig. 3m(32/m) : R3m
7.AD.45IvsiteNa3H(SO4)2Mon. 2/m : P21/b
7.AD.55MarkhininiteTlBi(SO4)2Tric. 1 : P1

Other InformationHide

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Thermal Behaviour:
Unstable at room temperature.
Notes:
Dissolves in H2O at room temperature.
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 MetathénarditeHide

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mindat.org URL:
https://www.mindat.org/min-30808.html
Please feel free to link to this page.

References for MetathénarditeHide

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Reference List:

Localities for MetathénarditeHide

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Showing 7 localities.

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

Locality ListHide

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👁 Image
- This locality has map coordinates listed. 👁 Image
- This locality has estimated coordinates. ⓘ - Click for references and further information on this occurrence. ? - Indicates mineral may be doubtful at this locality. 👁 Image
- Good crystals or important locality for species. 👁 Image
- 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.
France
  • Martinique
    • Arrondissement of La Trinité
      • Grand'Rivière
Palache et al. (1951)
Iceland
  • Southern Region
    • Rangárþing eystra
Balić-Žunić et al. (2016)
Balić-Žunić et al. (2024)
    • Vestmannaeyjar
      • Vestmannaeyjar archipelago (Westman islands)
        • Heimaey Island
Mitolo et al. (2008)
Russia (TL)
  • Kamchatka Krai
    • Milkovsky District
      • Tolbachik Volcanic field
        • Great Fissure eruption (Main Fracture)
          • Northern Breakthrough (North Breach)
            • Second scoria cone
XRD and EPMA by Dr. Igor Pekov +3 other references
Pekov et al. (2016) +2 other references
Pekov et al. (2019)
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