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⇱ Afghanite: Mineral information, data and localities.

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Afghanite

A valid IMA mineral species
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About AfghaniteHide

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Formula:
(Na,K)22Ca10(Si24Al24O96)(SO4)6Cl6
Colour:
White, light blue, dark blue
Lustre:
Vitreous
Hardness:
5½ - 6
Specific Gravity:
2.55
Crystal System:
Trigonal
Name:
Named after the country of its discovery, Afghanistan.
Can be confused visually with lazurite and sodalite, but differs morphological.
Structurally related to UM2004-48-SiO:AlClCaNaS.




Unique IdentifiersHide

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Mindat ID:
41
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:1:41:9

IMA Classification of AfghaniteHide

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Approved
IMA Formula:
(Na,K)22Ca10(Si24Al24)O96(SO4)6Cl6
Approval year:
1967
First published:
1968

Classification of AfghaniteHide

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9.FB.05

9 : SILICATES (Germanates)
F : Tektosilicates without zeolitic H2O
B : Tektosilicates with additional anions
76.2.5.1

76 : TECTOSILICATES Al-Si Framework
2 : Al-Si Framework Feldspathoids and related species
17.10.12

17 : Silicates Containing other Anions
10 : Silicates with sulphate, molybdate or tungstate

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

Physical Properties of AfghaniteHide

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Vitreous
Transparency:
Translucent
Colour:
White, light blue, dark blue
Comment:
Colourless in thin section
Streak:
White
Hardness:
5½ - 6 on Mohs scale
Hardness Data:
Measured
Cleavage:
Perfect
{1010}
Fracture:
Conchoidal
Density:
2.55 g/cm3 (Measured)    2.65 g/cm3 (Calculated)

Optical Data of AfghaniteHide

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Type:
Uniaxial (+)
RI values:
nω = 1.523 nε = 1.529
Max. Birefringence:
δ = 0.006
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

Chemistry of AfghaniteHide

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Mindat Formula:
(Na,K)22Ca10(Si24Al24O96)(SO4)6Cl6
Element Weights:
Element% weight
O42.167 %
Si14.804 %
Al14.222 %
Na11.108 %
Ca8.802 %
Cl4.672 %
S4.225 %

Calculated from ideal end-member formula.

Crystallography of AfghaniteHide

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Crystal System:
Trigonal
Class (H-M):
3m - Ditrigonal Pyramidal
Space Group:
P31c
Setting:
P31c
Cell Parameters:
a = 12.8013(7) Å, c = 21.4119(18) Å
Ratio:
a:c = 1 : 1.673
Unit Cell V:
3,038.74 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Morphology:
Hexagonal prisms with steep terminations ( scalenohera or rhombohedra?).
Also as stout to slender, thin tabular laths and as rounded grains.
Comment:
Cell data from Ballirano et al. (1996). Previously assumed space group P63mc is incorrect.

Crystal StructureHide

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Data courtesy of the American Mineralogist Crystal Structure Database. Click on an AMCSD ID to view structure
IDSpeciesReferenceLinkYearLocalityPressure (GPa)Temp (K)
0018843AfghaniteBallirano P, Bosi F (2012) Thermal behavior of afghanite, an ABABACAC member of the cancrinite group American Mineralogist 97 630-6402012Case Collina, Latium, Italy0293
0006636AfghaniteBallirano P, Bonaccorsi E, Maras A, Merlino S (1997) Crystal structure of afghanite, the eight-layer member of the cancrinite-group: evidence for long-range Si,Al ordering European Journal of Mineralogy 9 21-3019970293
CIF Raw Data - click here to close

X-Ray Powder DiffractionHide

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Powder Diffraction Data:
d-spacingIntensity
3.688 Å(100)
3.298 Å(100)
4.82 Å(80)
3.997 Å(60)
2.865 Å(60)
2.130 Å(60)
1.792 Å(60)

Geological EnvironmentHide

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Paragenetic Mode(s):
Paragenetic ModeEarliest Age (Ga)
High-? alteration and/or metamorphism
31 : Thermally altered carbonate, phosphate, and iron formations
Stage 4b: Highly evolved igneous rocks>3.0
35 : Ultra-alkali and agpaitic igneous rocks
Geological Setting:
In silicified limestone xenoliths in pumice (Pitigliano quarry, Italy).

Type Occurrence of AfghaniteHide

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General Appearance of Type Material:
In thin veinlets cutting lazurite crystals.
Place of Conservation of Type Material:
Mineralogy-Crystallography Laboratory, University Pierre and Marie Curie, Paris;
National School of Mines, Paris, France;
The Natural History Museum, London, England, 1969,72.
Geological Setting of Type Material:
Lapis lazuli-bearing skarn
Associated Minerals at Type Locality:

Synonyms of AfghaniteHide

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Other Language Names for AfghaniteHide

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Dutch:Afghaniet
French:Afghanite
German:Afghanit
Italian:Afghanite
Latvian:Afganīts
Norwegian:Afghanitt
Spanish:Afghanita

Relationship of Afghanite to other SpeciesHide

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Other Members of Cancrinite Group:
Alloriite(Na,Ca,K)26Ca4(Al6Si6O24)4(SO4)6Cl6Trig. 3m : P31c
Balliranoite(Na,K)6Ca2(Si6Al6O24)Cl2(CO3)Hex. 6 : P63
BetziteNa6Ca2(Al6Si6O24)Cl4Hex. 6 : P63
Biachellaite(Na,Ca,K)8(Al6Si6O24)(SO4)2(OH)0.5 · H2OTrig. 3 : P3
Bystrite(Na,K)7Ca(Al6Si6O24)(S5)ClTrig. 3m : P31c
Cancrinite(Na,Ca,◻)8(Al6Si6O24)(CO3,SO4)2 · 2H2OHex. 6 : P63
CancrisiliteNa7(Al5Si7O24)(CO3) · 3H2OHex. 6mm : P63mc
CarbobystriteNa8(Al6Si6O24)(CO3) · 3.5H2OTrig. 3m : P31c
Davyne(Na,K)6Ca2(Al6Si6O24)(Cl2,SO4)2Hex. 6/m : P63/m
DepmeieriteNa8(Al6Si6O24)(PO4,CO3)1-x · 3H2O (x<0.5)Hex. 6 : P63
Fantappièite[Na82.5Ca33K16.5](Si99Al99O396)(SO4)33 · 4H2OTrig. 3 : R3
Farneseite(Na,Ca,K)56(Al6Si6O24)7(SO4)12 · 6H2OHex. 6/m : P63/m
Franzinite(Na,K)6Ca2(Al6Si6O24)(SO4)2 · 0.5H2OHex.
Giuseppettite(Na,K,Ca)7-8(Al6Si6O24)(SO4,Cl)1-2Trig. 3m : P31c
HydroxycancriniteNa8(Al6Si6O24)(OH)2 · 2H2OHex. 6 : P63
KircheriteNa5Ca2K(Al6Si6O24)(SO4)2 · 0.33H2OTrig. 32 : R32
KyanoxaliteNa7(Al6-xSi6+xO24)(C2O4)0.5+x · 5H2O (0 < x < 0.5)Hex. 6 : P63
Liottite(Na,K)16Ca8(Al6Si6O24)3(SO4)5Cl4Hex. 6 : P6
Marinellite(Na,K)42Ca6(Al6Si6O24)6(SO4)8Cl2 · 3H2OTrig. 3m : P31c
MicrosommiteNa4K2Ca2(Al6Si6O24)(SO4)Cl2Hex. 622 : P6322
PitiglianoiteNa6K2(Al6Si6O24)(SO4) · 2H2OHex. 6 : P63
Quadridavyne(Na,K)6Ca2(Al6Si6O24)Cl4Hex. 6/m : P63/m
Sacrofanite(Na61K19Ca32)(Si84Al84O336)(SO4)26Cl2F6 · 2H2OHex.
SteudeliteNa3(K17Ca7)Ca4(Al24Si24O96)(SO3)6F6 · 4H2OHex. 6m2 : P62c
SulfhydrylbystriteNa5K2Ca[Al6Si6O24](S5)2(SH)Trig. 3m : P31c
Tounkite(Na,Ca,K)8(Si6Al6)O24(SO4)2Cl · 0.5H2OHex. 622 : P6222
'UM2004-48-SiO:AlClCaNaS'(Na,Ca)8(Si6Al6)O24(SO4)1.7Cl1.3
'UM2009-23-SiO:AlCCaClHKNaS'(Na,Ca)24K10[(Si,Al)60O120](SO4)5.6Cl1.5(CO3)0.4 · 11H2OTrig. 3 : P3
Vishnevite(Na,K)8(Al6Si6O24)(SO4,CO3) · 2H2OHex. 6 : P63

Common AssociatesHide

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Associated Minerals Based on Photo Data:
131 photos of Afghanite associated with CalciteCaCO3
83 photos of Afghanite associated with PyriteFeS2
46 photos of Afghanite associated with LazuriteNa7Ca(Al6Si6O24)(SO4)(S3) · H2O
18 photos of Afghanite associated with PhlogopiteKMg3(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
12 photos of Afghanite associated with MarialiteNa4Al3Si9O24Cl
8 photos of Afghanite associated with Sodalite Group
8 photos of Afghanite associated with DiopsideCaMgSi2O6
8 photos of Afghanite associated with NephelineNa3K(Al4Si4O16)
6 photos of Afghanite associated with Thomsonite-CaNaCa2[Al5Si5O20] · 6H2O
6 photos of Afghanite associated with 'Marble'

Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat GroupingHide

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9.FB.Perchukite-(Y)PbYAsSi2O8Mon. 2/m : B2/b
9.FB.Åsgruvanite-(Ce)Ce16Ca5Al(SiO4)6(AsO3)8(CO3)2Cl4F3(OH)2Trig. 3m(32/m) : P3m1
9.FB.SteudeliteNa3(K17Ca7)Ca4(Al24Si24O96)(SO3)6F6 · 4H2OHex. 6m2 : P62c
9.FB.Wenlanzhangite-(Y)Y2V3+2V4+2(SiO4)2O4(OH)4Tric. 1 : P1
9.FB.SlyudyankaiteNa28Ca4(Si24Al24O96)(SO4)6(S6)1/3(CO2) · 2H2OTric. 1 : P1
9.FB.Bolotinaite(Na7◻)(Al6Si6O24)F · 4H2OIso. 43m : I43m
9.FB.SapozhnikoviteNa8(Al6Si6O24)(HS)2Iso. 43m : P43n
9.FB.BetziteNa6Ca2(Al6Si6O24)Cl4Hex. 6 : P63
9.FB.05Quadridavyne(Na,K)6Ca2(Al6Si6O24)Cl4Hex. 6/m : P63/m
9.FB.05SulfhydrylbystriteNa5K2Ca[Al6Si6O24](S5)2(SH)Trig. 3m : P31c
9.FB.05Marinellite(Na,K)42Ca6(Al6Si6O24)6(SO4)8Cl2 · 3H2OTrig. 3m : P31c
9.FB.05Bystrite(Na,K)7Ca(Al6Si6O24)(S5)ClTrig. 3m : P31c
9.FB.05Franzinite(Na,K)6Ca2(Al6Si6O24)(SO4)2 · 0.5H2OHex.
9.FB.05KyanoxaliteNa7(Al6-xSi6+xO24)(C2O4)0.5+x · 5H2O (0 < x < 0.5)Hex. 6 : P63
9.FB.05Vishnevite(Na,K)8(Al6Si6O24)(SO4,CO3) · 2H2OHex. 6 : P63
9.FB.05Farneseite(Na,Ca,K)56(Al6Si6O24)7(SO4)12 · 6H2OHex. 6/m : P63/m
9.FB.05Alloriite(Na,Ca,K)26Ca4(Al6Si6O24)4(SO4)6Cl6Trig. 3m : P31c
9.FB.05Liottite(Na,K)16Ca8(Al6Si6O24)3(SO4)5Cl4Hex. 6 : P6
9.FB.05DepmeieriteNa8(Al6Si6O24)(PO4,CO3)1-x · 3H2O (x<0.5)Hex. 6 : P63
9.FB.05Biachellaite(Na,Ca,K)8(Al6Si6O24)(SO4)2(OH)0.5 · H2OTrig. 3 : P3
9.FB.05Cancrinite(Na,Ca,◻)8(Al6Si6O24)(CO3,SO4)2 · 2H2OHex. 6 : P63
9.FB.05CancrisiliteNa7(Al5Si7O24)(CO3) · 3H2OHex. 6mm : P63mc
9.FB.05Fantappièite[Na82.5Ca33K16.5](Si99Al99O396)(SO4)33 · 4H2OTrig. 3 : R3
9.FB.05CarbobystriteNa8(Al6Si6O24)(CO3) · 3.5H2OTrig. 3m : P31c
9.FB.05MicrosommiteNa4K2Ca2(Al6Si6O24)(SO4)Cl2Hex. 622 : P6322
9.FB.05PitiglianoiteNa6K2(Al6Si6O24)(SO4) · 2H2OHex. 6 : P63
9.FB.05Tounkite(Na,Ca,K)8(Si6Al6)O24(SO4)2Cl · 0.5H2OHex. 622 : P6222
9.FB.05Balliranoite(Na,K)6Ca2(Si6Al6O24)Cl2(CO3)Hex. 6 : P63
9.FB.05Giuseppettite(Na,K,Ca)7-8(Al6Si6O24)(SO4,Cl)1-2Trig. 3m : P31c
9.FB.05Sacrofanite(Na61K19Ca32)(Si84Al84O336)(SO4)26Cl2F6 · 2H2OHex.
9.FB.05KircheriteNa5Ca2K(Al6Si6O24)(SO4)2 · 0.33H2OTrig. 32 : R32
9.FB.05HydroxycancriniteNa8(Al6Si6O24)(OH)2 · 2H2OHex. 6 : P63
9.FB.05Davyne(Na,K)6Ca2(Al6Si6O24)(Cl2,SO4)2Hex. 6/m : P63/m
9.FB.10HaüyneNa3Ca(Si3Al3)O12(SO4)Iso. 43m : P43n
9.FB.10LazuriteNa7Ca(Al6Si6O24)(SO4)(S3) · H2OIso. 43m : P43n
9.FB.10DanaliteBe3Fe2+4(SiO4)3SIso. 43m : P43n
9.FB.10HelvineBe3Mn2+4(SiO4)3SIso. 43m : P43n
9.FB.10KamaishiliteCa2(Al2SiO6)(OH)2Tet.
9.FB.10SodaliteNa4(Si3Al3)O12ClIso. 43m : P43n
9.FB.10NoseanNa8(Al6Si6O24)(SO4) · H2OIso. 43m : P43n
9.FB.10GenthelviteBe3Zn4(SiO4)3SIso. 43m : P43n
9.FB.10BicchuliteCa2(Al2SiO6)(OH)2Iso. 43m : I43m
9.FB.10Tsaregorodtsevite(N(CH3)4)(AlSi5O12)Orth. 222 : I222
9.FB.10VladimirivanoviteNa6Ca2(Al6Si6O24)(SO4,S3,S2,Cl)2 · H2OOrth. mmm(2/m2/m2/m)
9.FB.10Tugtupite(BeAlSi)Na4(SiO4)3ClTet. 4 : I4
9.FB.15MarialiteNa4Al3Si9O24ClTet. 4/m : I4/m
9.FB.15MeioniteCa4Al6Si6O24CO3Tet. 4/m : I4/m
9.FB.15Silvialite(Ca,Na)4(Al6Si6O24)(SO4,CO3)Tet. 4/m : I4/m

Other InformationHide

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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 AfghaniteHide

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mindat.org URL:
https://www.mindat.org/min-41.html
Please feel free to link to this page.

References for AfghaniteHide

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Reference List:

Localities for AfghaniteHide

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Showing 29 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.
Afghanistan
Hogarth (1979)
    • Kuran wa Munjan District
Dudley Blauwet priv. comm. (2008)
      • Sar-e-Sang
Bariand et al. (1968) +1 other reference
Woodside et al. (2014)
Fernando Camara (2013)
Canada
  • Nunavut
    • Qikiqtaaluk Region
      • Baffin Island
Hogarth (1979)
Germany
  • Rhineland-Palatinate
    • Mayen-Koblenz
      • Vordereifel
Blaß et al. (2003)
        • Ettringen
Blaß et al. (2001)
Italy
  • Campania
    • Metropolitan City of Naples
 ... +5 other references
in the collection of Luigi Mattei
  • Lazio
    • Metropolitan City of Rome Capital
      • Magliano Romano
Stoppani et al. (1982)
Parodi et al. (1996)
Gresta et al. (2002)
    • Viterbo Province
Stoppani et al. (1982) +1 other reference
Di Domenico Dario
      • Gradoli
Signoretti et al. (2001)
      • Onano
Cresta et al. (2002)
      • Valentano
Burli et al. (2007)
      • Vetralla
Signoretti et al. (2004) +1 other reference
Boiocchi (2006)
Carlini
      • Viterbo
Bill Henderson specimens
www.gminromano.it (2005) +1 other reference
Stoppani et al. (1982)
  • Tuscany
    • Grosseto Province
      • Pitigliano
Liotti (1991)
Russia
  • Slyudyanka
    • Malaya Bystraya River Valley
Hogarth (1979) +2 other references
Pavel.M. Kartashov (n.d.) +2 other references
Tajikistan
  • Gorno-Badakhshan
    • Roshtqal'a
      • Shakhdara range
        • Badom-Dara
Hogarth (1979)
USA
  • New York
    • St. Lawrence County
      • Edwards
Hogarth (1979)
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