Colemanite
A valid IMA mineral species - grandfathered
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About Colemanite
William Tell Coleman
Formula:
Ca[B3O4(OH)3] · H2O
Colour:
Colourless, white, yellowish, grey; colourless in transmitted light
Lustre:
Adamantine, Vitreous
Hardness:
4½
Specific Gravity:
2.423
Crystal System:
Monoclinic
Name:
Named in 1883 in honor of William Tell Coleman (29 February 1824, Cynthiana, Kentucky, USA - 22 November 1893, San Fransico, California, USA), a founder of the California borax industry and owner of the mine where the mineral was first found.
The fluorescence observed for Turkish specimens may come from As3+ and/or As5+, that were found to be present in the amount up to 125 ppm (Helvacı et al, 2017).
Visit gemdat.org for gemological information about Colemanite.
Visit gemdat.org for gemological information about Colemanite.Unique Identifiers
Mindat ID:
1108
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:1:1108:8
IMA Classification of Colemanite
Approved, 'Grandfathered' (first described prior to 1959)
IMA Formula:
CaB3O4(OH)3 · H2O
First published:
1883
Classification of Colemanite
6.CB.10
6 : BORATES
C : Triborates
B : Ino-triborates
6 : BORATES
C : Triborates
B : Ino-triborates
26.3.5.1
26 : HYDRATED BORATES CONTAINING HYDROXYL OR HALOGEN
3 : Triborates
26 : HYDRATED BORATES CONTAINING HYDROXYL OR HALOGEN
3 : Triborates
9.3.14
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Cole | 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 Colemanite
Adamantine, Vitreous
Transparency:
Transparent, Translucent
Colour:
Colourless, white, yellowish, grey; colourless in transmitted light
Streak:
White
Hardness:
4½ on Mohs scale
Cleavage:
Perfect
On {010} perfect; on {001} distinct.
On {010} perfect; on {001} distinct.
Fracture:
Irregular/Uneven, Sub-Conchoidal
Density:
2.423(5) g/cm3 (Measured) 2.422 g/cm3 (Calculated)
Optical Data of Colemanite
Type:
Biaxial (+)
RI values:
nα = 1.586 nβ = 1.592 nγ = 1.614
2V:
Measured: 55° to 56°, Calculated: 56°
Max. Birefringence:
δ = 0.028
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.
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
Dispersion:
relatively weak r > v
Optical Extinction:
X = b; Y ∧ c = -6°; Z ∧ c = 84°.
Chemistry of Colemanite
Mindat Formula:
Ca[B3O4(OH)3] · H2O
Element Weights:
Elements listed:
Crystallography of Colemanite
Crystal System:
Monoclinic
Class (H-M):
2/m - Prismatic
Space Group:
P21/b
Setting:
P21/a
Cell Parameters:
a = 8.712(2) Å, b = 11.247(3) Å, c = 6.091(1) Å
β = 110.12°
β = 110.12°
Ratio:
a:b:c = 0.775 : 1 : 0.542
Unit Cell V:
560.40 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:
2
Morphology:
Crystals commonly short prismatic [001] with large (110), large to small (001) and complex terminations; pseudo-rhombohedral with large (110) and (301); pseudo-octahedral with large (221) and (011). Massive, cleavable to granular and compact.
Crystallographic forms of Colemanite
Crystal Atlas:
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Colemanite no.6 - Goldschmidt (1913-1926)
Colemanite no.46 - Goldschmidt (1913-1926)
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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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0005295 | Colemanite | Burns P C, Hawthorne F C (1993) Hydrogen bonding in colemanite: An X-ray and structure-energy study The Canadian Mineralogist 31 297-304 |  | 1993 | 0 | 293 |
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X-Ray Powder Diffraction
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Data courtesy of RRUFF project at University of Arizona, used with permission.
Powder Diffraction Data:
| d-spacing | Intensity |
|---|---|
| 3.13 Å | (100) |
| 5.64 Å | (50) |
| 3.85 Å | (50) |
| 2.550 Å | (50) |
| 2.010 Å | (50) |
| 4.00 Å | (36) |
| 3.29 Å | (36) |
Comments:
Twenty Mule Team Canyon, Death Valley, USA.
Geological Environment
Paragenetic Mode(s):
| Paragenetic Mode | Earliest Age (Ga) |
|---|---|
| Near-surface Processes | |
| 25 : Evaporites (prebiotic) |
Geological Setting:
Borate deposits formed in arid alkalai lacustrine environments.
Type Occurrence of Colemanite
General Appearance of Type Material:
Like semi-crystalline calcite.
Place of Conservation of Type Material:
No defined type material.
Geological Setting of Type Material:
Evaporite borate deposit.
Synonyms of Colemanite
Other Language Names for Colemanite
Dutch:Colemaniet
French:Colémanite
German:Colemanit
Neocolemanit
Neocolemanit
Italian:Colemanite
Polish:Colemanit
Russian:Колеманит
Spanish:Colemanita
Neocolemanita
Neocolemanita
Ukrainian:Колеманіт
Common Associates
Associated Minerals Based on Photo Data:
| 175 photos of Colemanite associated with Calcite | CaCO3 |
| 32 photos of Colemanite associated with Celestine | SrSO4 |
| 31 photos of Colemanite associated with Hydroboracite | CaMg[B3O4(OH)3]2 · 3H2O |
| 24 photos of Colemanite associated with Veatchite | Sr2B11O16(OH)5 · H2O |
| 23 photos of Colemanite associated with Ulexite | NaCa[B5O6(OH)6] · 5H2O |
| 21 photos of Colemanite associated with Todorokite | (Na,Ca,K,Ba,Sr)1-x(Mn,Mg,Al)6O12 · 3-4H2O |
| 20 photos of Colemanite associated with Pararealgar | As4S4 |
| 15 photos of Colemanite associated with Inyoite | Ca(H4B3O7)(OH) · 4H2O |
| 15 photos of Colemanite associated with Nobleite | CaB6O9(OH)2 · 3H2O |
| 14 photos of Colemanite associated with Realgar | As4S4 |
Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat Grouping
| 6.CB.15 | Hydroboracite | CaMg[B3O4(OH)3]2 · 3H2O |
| 6.CB.20 | Howlite | Ca2B5SiO9(OH)5 |
| 6.CB.25 | Jarandolite | Ca[B3O4(OH)3] |
Fluorescence of Colemanite
Bright pale yellow fluorescence, may phosphoresce pale green.
Other Information
IR Spectrum:
Boron Open Pit material, [cm-1]: 3608, 3525, 3245sw, 1675sh, 1590sh, 1460sh, 1363s, 1330s, 1282, 1229, 1154, 1117, 1065sh, 1044s, 935s, 893s, 865sh, 813, 758, 732, 695sh, 669, 629, 603w, 578, 546w, 513, 495w, 422
Electrical:
Pyroelectric and piezoelectric at very low temperatures.
Thermal Behaviour:
Before the blowpipe it exfoliates, decrepitates violently, and melts imperfectly.
Notes:
Soluble in hot HCl, with the separation of boric acid upon cooling. Very slightly soluble in water (1 part in 1,100 at 20°-25°).
Health Risks:
No information on health risks for this material has been entered into the database. You should always treat mineral specimens with care.
Industrial Uses:
Ore of boron.
Colemanite in petrology
An essential component of rock names highlighted in red, an accessory component in rock names highlighted in green.
Internet Links for Colemanite
mindat.org URL:
https://www.mindat.org/min-1108.html
Please feel free to link to this page.
Please feel free to link to this page.
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References for Colemanite
Reference List:
Hutchinson, A. (1912) On the identity of Neocolemanite with Colemanite. Mineralogical Magazine and Journal of the Mineralogical Society, 16 (75) 239-246 doi:10.1180/minmag.1912.016.75.10
Rogers, Austin F. (1919) Colemanite pseudomorphous after inyoite from Death Valley, California. American Mineralogist, 4 (11) 135-139
Foshag, William Frederick (1921) The origin of the colemanite deposits of California. Economic Geology, 16 (3) 199-214 doi:10.2113/gsecongeo.16.3.199
(1934) The microscopic determination of the nonopaque minerals. Bulletin 848. US Geological Survey doi:10.3133/b848
Christ, C. L., Clark, J. R., Evans, H. T. (1954) The structure of colemanite, CaB3O4(OH)3.H2O, determined by the direct method of Hauptman & Karle. Acta Crystallographica, 7 (5) 453-454 doi:10.1107/s0365110x54001375
Christ, C. L., Clark, J. R., Evans Jnr, H. T. (1958) Studies of borate minerals. III. The crystal structure of colemanite, CaB3O4(OH)2.H2O. Acta Crystallographica, 11 (11) 761-770 doi:10.1107/s0365110x58002176
Perloff, A., Block, S. (1960) Low temperature phase transformation of colemanite. American Mineralogist, 45 (1-2) 229
Burns, P. C., Hawthorne, F. C. (1993) Hydrogen bonding in colemanite; an X-ray and structure-energy study. The Canadian Mineralogist, 31 (2) 297-304 doi:10.3749/1499-1276-31.2.297
Lin, J., Pan, Y., Chen, N., Mao, M., Li, R., Feng, R. (2011) Arsenic Incorporation in Colemanite from Borate Deposits: Data from Icp-Ms, -Sxrf, Xafs and Epr Analyses. The Canadian Mineralogist, 49 (3) 809-822 doi:10.3749/canmin.49.3.809
Frost, Ray L., Xi, Yunfei, Scholz, Ricardo, Belotti, Fernanda Maria, Cândido Filho, Mauro (2013) Infrared and Raman spectroscopic characterization of the borate mineral colemanite – CaB3O4(OH)3·H2O – implications for the molecular structure. Journal of Molecular Structure, 1037. 23-28 doi:10.1016/j.molstruc.2012.11.047
Chukanov, Nikita V. (2014) Infrared spectra of mineral species Vol. 1 - Springer Geochemistry/Mineralogy. Springer Netherlands. doi:10.1007/978-94-007-7128-4
Helvacı, Cahit, Öztürk, Yeşim Yücel, Emmermann, Axel (2017) Fluorescence survey of Turkish borate minerals: comparative measurements of fluorescence spectra of the most important borate mineral species, Turkey. Neues Jahrbuch für Mineralogie - Abhandlungen Journal of Mineralogy and Geochemistry, 194 (1) 1-17 doi:10.1127/njma/2016/0016
Localities for Colemanite
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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.
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Gharah Gol Boron Mine, Qarah Gol, Central District, Mahneshan County, Zanjan Province, Iran