Litidionite
A valid IMA mineral species - grandfathered
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About Litidionite
Formula:
KNaCuSi4O10
Hardness:
5 - 6
Specific Gravity:
2.75
Crystal System:
Triclinic
Member of:
Name:
From the Greek for "pebble". Formerly called lithiodionite; renamed in 2014 (IMA 14-C) in agreement with its original spelling.
This page provides mineralogical data about Litidionite.
Unique Identifiers
Mindat ID:
2422
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:1:2422:4
IMA Classification of Litidionite
Approved, 'Grandfathered' (first described prior to 1959)
First published:
1880
Classification of Litidionite
9.DG.70
9 : SILICATES (Germanates)
D : Inosilicates
G : Inosilicates with 3-periodic single and multiple chains
9 : SILICATES (Germanates)
D : Inosilicates
G : Inosilicates with 3-periodic single and multiple chains
70.1.1.1
70 : INOSILICATES Column or Tube Structures
1 : Column or Tube Structures with columnar silicate units
70 : INOSILICATES Column or Tube Structures
1 : Column or Tube Structures with columnar silicate units
14.2.6
14 : Silicates not Containing Aluminum
2 : Silicates of Cu
14 : Silicates not Containing Aluminum
2 : Silicates of Cu
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Ltd | 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 Litidionite
Hardness:
5 - 6 on Mohs scale
Density:
2.75 g/cm3 (Measured) 2.85 g/cm3 (Calculated)
Optical Data of Litidionite
Type:
Biaxial (-)
RI values:
nα = 1.548 nβ = 1.574
2V:
Measured: 56°
Max. Birefringence:
δ = 0.000
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:
none
Chemistry of Litidionite
Mindat Formula:
KNaCuSi4O10
Element Weights:
Common Impurities:
Fe,Pb,Ca
Crystallography of Litidionite
Crystal System:
Triclinic
Class (H-M):
1 - Pinacoidal
Space Group:
P1
Cell Parameters:
a = 9.80(1) Å, b = 8.01(1) Å, c = 6.97(1) Å
α = 114.12(8)°, β = 99.52(6)°, γ = 105.59(8)°
α = 114.12(8)°, β = 99.52(6)°, γ = 105.59(8)°
Ratio:
a:b:c = 1.223 : 1 : 0.87
Unit Cell V:
456.81 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:
2
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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0000464 | Litidionite | Pozas J M M, Rossi G, Tazzoli V (1975) Re-examination and crystal structure analysis of litidionite American Mineralogist 60 471-474 |  | 1975 | 0 | 293 | |
| 0019812 | Litidionite | Brandao P, Rocha J, Reis M S, dos Santos A M, Jin R (2009) Magnetic properties of KNaMSi4O10 compounds (M=Mn,Fe,Cu) Journal of Solid State Chemistry 182 253-258 | 2009 | synthetic | 0 | 293 |
CIF Raw Data - click here to close
X-Ray Powder Diffraction
Powder Diffraction Data:
| d-spacing | Intensity |
|---|---|
| 6.75 Å | (35) |
| 3.652 Å | (18) |
| 3.372 Å | (100) |
| 3.223 Å | (75) |
| 2.675 Å | (37) |
| 2.409 Å | (85) |
Type Occurrence of Litidionite
General Appearance of Type Material:
Very tiny blue plates.
Place of Conservation of Type Material:
Natural History Museum, Paris, France, 99.788.
Geological Setting of Type Material:
In lapilli modified by fumarolic activity.
Associated Minerals at Type Locality:
Synonyms of Litidionite
Other Language Names for Litidionite
Dutch:Litidioniet
Russian:Литидионит
Relationship of Litidionite to other Species
Member of:
Other Members of Litidionite Group:
| Calcinaksite | KNaCa(Si4O10) · H2O | Tric. 1 : P1 |
| Enricofrancoite | KNaCaSi4O10 | Tric. 1 : P1 |
| Fenaksite | (K,Na)4(Fe,Mn)2(Si4O10)2(OH,F) | Tric. 1 : P1 |
| Manaksite | KNaMnSi4O10 | Tric. 1 : P1 |
Common Associates
Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat Grouping
| 9.DG. | Barrydawsonite-(Y) | Na1.5Y0.5CaSi3O8(OH) |
| 9.DG. | Paratobermorite | Ca5AlSi5O16(OH) · 5H2O |
| 9.DG. | Calcinaksite | KNaCa(Si4O10) · H2O |
| 9.DG. | Alvesite | NaKZrSi6O15 · 2H2O |
| 9.DG.02 | Steedeite | NaMn2[Si3BO9](OH)2 |
| 9.DG.02 | Nolzeite | NaMn2[Si3BO9](OH)2 · 2H2O |
| 9.DG.05 | Murakamiite | LiCa2Si3O8(OH) |
| 9.DG.05 | Serandite | NaMn2+2Si3O8(OH) |
| 9.DG.05 | Bustamite | CaMn2+(Si2O6) |
| 9.DG.05 | Pectolite | NaCa2Si3O8(OH) |
| 9.DG.05 | Tanohataite | LiMn2Si3O8(OH) |
| 9.DG.05 | Dalnegorskite | Ca5Mn(Si3O9)2 |
| 9.DG.05 | Wollastonite-1A | CaSiO3 |
| 9.DG.05 | Wollastonite | Ca3(Si3O9) |
| 9.DG.05 | Ferrobustamite | CaFe2+(Si2O6) |
| 9.DG.05 | Schizolite | NaCaMnSi3O8(OH) |
| 9.DG.07 | Cascandite | CaScSi3O8(OH) |
| 9.DG.08 | Plombièrite | Ca5Si6O16(OH)2 · 7H2O |
| 9.DG.10 | Clinotobermorite | Ca5Si6O17 · 5H2O |
| 9.DG.10 | Riversideite | Ca5Si6O16(OH)2 · 2H2O |
| 9.DG.10 | Tobermorite | Ca5Si6O17 · 5H2O |
| 9.DG.12 | Jusite | Na2Ca15Al4Si16O54 · 17H2O |
| 9.DG.12 | Kenotobermorite | Ca4Si6O15(OH)2 · 5H2O |
| 9.DG.15 | Foshagite | Ca4(Si3O9)(OH)2 |
| 9.DG.20 | Jennite | Ca9(Si3O9)2(OH)8 · 8H2O |
| 9.DG.20 | Kamenevite | K2TiSi3O9 · H2O |
| 9.DG.25 | Paraumbite | K3Zr2H(Si3O9)2 · nH2O |
| 9.DG.25 | Umbite | K2(Zr,Ti)Si3O9 · H2O |
| 9.DG.30 | Sørensenite | Na4SnBe2Si6O16(OH)4 |
| 9.DG.32 | Escheite | Ca2NaMnTi5[Si12O34]O2(OH)3 · 12H2O |
| 9.DG.35 | Xonotlite | Ca6(Si6O17)(OH)2 |
| 9.DG.40 | Hillebrandite | Ca2(SiO3)(OH)2 |
| 9.DG.45 | Zorite | Na8(Ti,Nb)5(Si6O17)2(OH,O)5 · 14H2O |
| 9.DG.45 | Chivruaiite | Ca4(Ti,Nb)5(Si6O17)2(OH,O)5 · 13-14H2O |
| 9.DG.50 | Haineaultite | (Na,Ca)5Ca(Ti,Nb)5(Si6O17)2(OH,F)8 · 5H2O |
| 9.DG.55 | Epididymite | Na2Be2Si6O15 · H2O |
| 9.DG.60 | Eudidymite | Na2Be2Si6O15 · H2O |
| 9.DG.65 | Elpidite | Na2ZrSi6O15 · 3H2O |
| 9.DG.65 | Patynite | NaKCa4[Si9O23] |
| 9.DG.67 | Whelanite | Cu2+2Ca6[Si6O17(OH)](CO3)(OH)3 · 2H2O |
| 9.DG.70 | Enricofrancoite | KNaCaSi4O10 |
| 9.DG.70 | Yusupovite | Na2Zr(Si6O15) · 2.5H2O |
| 9.DG.70 | Fenaksite | (K,Na)4(Fe,Mn)2(Si4O10)2(OH,F) |
| 9.DG.70 | Manaksite | KNaMnSi4O10 |
| 9.DG.75 | Senkevichite | CsKNaCa2TiO[Si7O18](OH) |
| 9.DG.75 | Tinaksite | K2Na(Ca,Mn2+)2TiO[Si7O18(OH)] |
| 9.DG.75 | Tokkoite | K2Ca4[Si7O18(OH)](OH,F) |
| 9.DG.80 | Fluorcanasite | K3Na3Ca5Si12O30F4 · H2O |
| 9.DG.80 | Canasite | K3Na3Ca5Si12O30(OH)4 |
| 9.DG.85 | Miserite | K1.5-x(Ca,Y,REE)5(Si6O15)(Si2O7)(OH,F)2 · yH2O |
| 9.DG.90 | Frankamenite | K3Na3Ca5(Si12O30)(F,OH)4 · H2O |
| 9.DG.92 | Charoite | (K,Sr)15-16(Ca,Na)32[Si6O11(O,OH)6]2[Si12O18(O,OH)12]2[Si17O25(O,OH)18]2(OH,F)4 · ~3H2O |
| 9.DG.95 | Yuksporite | K4(Ca,Na)14(Sr,Ba)2(◻,Mn,Fe)(Ti,Nb)4(O,OH)4(Si6O17)2(Si2O7)3(H2O,OH)3 |
| 9.DG.97 | Eveslogite | (Na,K,Ca,Sr,Ba)48 [(Ti,Nb,Mn,Fe2+)12Si48O144(OH)12](F,OH,Cl)14 |
Radioactivity
Radioactivity:
| Element | % Content | Activity (Bq/kg) | Radiation Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Uranium (U) | 0.0000% | 0 | α, β, γ |
| Thorium (Th) | 0.0000% | 0 | α, β, γ |
| Potassium (K) | 9.8244% | 3,046 | β, γ |
For comparison:
- Banana: ~15 Bq per fruit
- Granite: 1,000–3,000 Bq/kg
- EU exemption limit: 10,000 Bq/kg
Note: Risk is shown relative to daily recommended maximum exposure to non-background radiation of 1000 µSv/year. Note that natural background radiation averages around 2400 µSv/year so in reality these risks are probably extremely overstated! With infrequent handling and safe storage natural radioactive minerals do not usually pose much risk.
Interactive Simulator:
Note: The mass selector refers to the mass of radioactive mineral present, not the full specimen, also be aware that the matrix may also be radioactive, possibly more radioactive than this mineral!
Activity: –
| Distance | Dose rate | Risk |
|---|---|---|
| 1 cm | ||
| 10 cm | ||
| 1 m |
The external dose rate (D) from a radioactive mineral is estimated by summing the gamma radiation contributions from its Uranium, Thorium, and Potassium content, disregarding daughter-product which may have a significant effect in some cases (eg 'pitchblende'). This involves multiplying the activity (A, in Bq) of each element by its specific gamma ray constant (Γ), which accounts for its unique gamma emissions. The total unshielded dose at 1 cm is then scaled by the square of the distance (r, in cm) and multiplied by a shielding factor (μshield). This calculation provides a 'worst-case' or 'maximum risk' estimate because it assumes the sample is a point source and entirely neglects any self-shielding where radiation is absorbed within the mineral itself, meaning actual doses will typically be lower. The resulting dose rate (D) is expressed in microsieverts per hour (μSv/h).
D = ((AU × ΓU) + (ATh × ΓTh) + (AK × ΓK)) / r2 × μshield
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 Litidionite
mindat.org URL:
https://www.mindat.org/min-2422.html
Please feel free to link to this page.
Please feel free to link to this page.
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References for Litidionite
Reference List:
Pozas, Jose M. Martin, Rossi, Giuseppe, Tazzoli, Vittorio (1975) Re-examination and crystal structure analysis of litidionite. American Mineralogist, 60 (5-6) 471-474
Localities for Litidionite
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.
Italy (TL) | |
| Pozas et al. (1975) +1 other reference |
| Russo et al. (2004) | |
Russia | |
| Sidorov (2019) +1 other reference |
USA | |
| Castor et al. (2004) |
Quick NavTopAbout LitidioniteUnique IdentifiersIMA Classification Classification Mineral SymbolsPhysical Properties Optical Data Chemistry Crystallography Crystal StructureX-Ray Powder DiffractionType Occurrence SynonymsOther LanguagesRelationshipsCommon AssociatesStrunz-MindatRadioactivityOther InformationInternet Links References Localities Locality List
Somma-Vesuvius Complex, Campania, Italy