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Karpinskite
A valid IMA mineral species - grandfathered - questionable
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Formula:
(Ni,Mg)2Si2O5(OH)2 (?)
Colour:
Colorless, light blue to deep greenish blue
Hardness:
2½ - 3
Specific Gravity:
2.53 - 2.63
Crystal System:
Monoclinic
Name:
Named in honor of Alexander Petrovich Karpinsky (7 January 1847, Turyinskiye Rudniki - 15 July 1936) Russian/Soviet geologist and mineralogist, and the president of the Russian Academy of Sciences (later Academy of Sciences of the USSR). He was awarded the Wollaston Medal in 1916.
Possibly a Ni-rich antigorite or a Ni-rich interstratification of a talc-group mineral and a chlorite-group mineral.
Status needs to be confirmed.
Status needs to be confirmed.
Unique Identifiers
Mindat ID:
2163
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:1:2163:6
Similar Names
IMA Classification of Karpinskite
Approved, 'Grandfathered' (first described prior to 1959), Questionable
IMA Formula:
(Mg,Ni2+)2Si2O5(OH)2
Classification of Karpinskite
9.EC.60
9 : SILICATES (Germanates)
E : Phyllosilicates
C : Phyllosilicates with mica sheets, composed of tetrahedral and octahedral nets
9 : SILICATES (Germanates)
E : Phyllosilicates
C : Phyllosilicates with mica sheets, composed of tetrahedral and octahedral nets
78.5.6.1
78 : Unclassified Silicates
5 :
78 : Unclassified Silicates
5 :
14.26.5
14 : Silicates not Containing Aluminum
26 : Silicates of Ni
14 : Silicates not Containing Aluminum
26 : Silicates of Ni
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Kpi | IMA–CNMNC | Warr, L.N. (2021). IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols. Mineralogical Magazine, 85(3), 291-320. doi:10.1180/mgm.2021.43 |
Pronunciation of Karpinskite
Pronunciation:
| Play | Recorded by | Country |
|---|---|---|
| Jolyon Ralph | United Kingdom |
Physical Properties of Karpinskite
Colour:
Colorless, light blue to deep greenish blue
Hardness:
2½ - 3 on Mohs scale
Density:
2.53 - 2.63 g/cm3 (Measured)
Optical Data of Karpinskite
Type:
Biaxial (-)
RI values:
nα = 1.553 - 1.57 nγ = 1.569 - 1.594
Max. Birefringence:
δ = 0.016 - 0.024
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 (positive)
Relative to Canada balsam mounting medium (n ≈ 1.537).
Relative to Canada balsam mounting medium (n ≈ 1.537).
This shows the grain boundary and Becke line effect under plane-polarised
light, based on the contrast between this mineral's average refractive
index and the mounting medium. It does not take into account mineral
colouration.
In focus
Interference Figure:
This shows the idealized biaxial acute bisectrix (Bxa) interference figure
- the conoscopic view for a grain cut perpendicular to the acute bisectrix, using
this mineral's 2V. The two small white dots mark the melatopes - the points
where the two optic axes emerge - and are shown only when they fall within the
field of view. The coloured bands are isochromatics, and the dark bands are
isogyres.
Rotate the stage: at 0°/90° the isogyres form a cross through the melatopes; at 45° they pull apart into curved hyperbolas. That splitting on rotation - absent in a uniaxial figure - is the standard diagnostic test for telling biaxial minerals from uniaxial ones. If 2V is large, the melatopes may fall outside the field of view, as they often do at the microscope too.
No measured or calculated 2V is on file for this mineral, so the value used here (89°) is estimated from its recorded refractive indices and optic sign, not from a direct 2V measurement.
Rotate the stage: at 0°/90° the isogyres form a cross through the melatopes; at 45° they pull apart into curved hyperbolas. That splitting on rotation - absent in a uniaxial figure - is the standard diagnostic test for telling biaxial minerals from uniaxial ones. If 2V is large, the melatopes may fall outside the field of view, as they often do at the microscope too.
No measured or calculated 2V is on file for this mineral, so the value used here (89°) is estimated from its recorded refractive indices and optic sign, not from a direct 2V measurement.
Dispersion:
strong
Chemistry of Karpinskite
Mindat Formula:
(Ni,Mg)2Si2O5(OH)2 (?)
Common Impurities:
Al,Cu,Ca,H2O
Crystallography of Karpinskite
Crystal System:
Monoclinic
Morphology:
minute plates and prisms
Comment:
Questionable
Geological Environment
Paragenetic Mode(s):
| Paragenetic Mode | Earliest Age (Ga) |
|---|---|
| Stage 3b: Earth’s earliest hydrosphere | >4.45 |
| 13 : Hadean serpentinization |
Type Occurrence of Karpinskite
Other Language Names for Karpinskite
Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat Grouping
| 9.EC. | Meifuite | KFe6(Si7Al)O19(OH)4Cl2 |
| 9.EC. | Balestraite | KLi2V5+Si4O12 |
| 9.EC. | Voloshinite | Rb(LiAl1.5◻0.5)(Al0.5Si3.5)O10F2 |
| 9.EC.05 | Talc | Mg3Si4O10(OH)2 |
| 9.EC.05 | Minnesotaite | Fe2+3Si4O10(OH)2 |
| 9.EC.05 | Willemseite | Ni3Si4O10(OH)2 |
| 9.EC.10 | Fluorluanshiweiite | KLiAl1.5(Si3.5Al0.5)O10F2 |
| 9.EC.10 | Garmite | CsLiMg2(Si4O10)F2 |
| 9.EC.10 | Gorbunovite | CsLi2(Ti,Fe)Si4O10(F,OH,O)2 |
| 9.EC.10 | Ferripyrophyllite | Fe3+Si2O5(OH) |
| 9.EC.10 | Manganiceladonite | K(MgMn3+◻)(Si4O10)(OH)2 |
| 9.EC.10 | Luanshiweiite | KLiAl1.5(Si3.5Al0.5)O10(OH)2 |
| 9.EC.10 | Pyrophyllite | Al2Si4O10(OH)2 |
| 9.EC.15 | Paragonite | NaAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| 9.EC.15 | Ferroaluminoceladonite | K(Fe2+Al◻)(Si4O10)(OH)2 |
| 9.EC.15 | Nanpingite | CsAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH,F)2 |
| 9.EC.15 | Ferroceladonite | K(Fe2+Fe3+◻)(Si4O10)(OH)2 |
| 9.EC.15 | Ganterite | Ba0.5(Na,K)0.5Al2(Si2.5Al1.5)O10(OH)2 |
| 9.EC.15 | Kreiterite | CsLi2Fe3+(Si4O10)F2 |
| 9.EC.15 | Roscoelite | KV3+2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| 9.EC.15 | Aluminoceladonite | K(MgAl◻)(Si4O10)(OH)2 |
| 9.EC.15 | Tobelite | (NH4)Al2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| 9.EC.15 | Tainiolite | KLiMg2(Si4O10)F2 |
| 9.EC.15 | Celadonite | K(MgFe3+◻)(Si4O10)(OH)2 |
| 9.EC.15 | Chromceladonite | K(MgCr◻)(Si4O10)(OH)2 |
| 9.EC.15 | Montdorite | KFe2+1.5Mn2+0.5Mg0.5Si4O10(F,OH)2 |
| 9.EC.15 | Chromphyllite | KCr2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| 9.EC.15 | Boromuscovite | KAl2(BSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| 9.EC.15 | 'UM1988-22-SiO:AlCaFFeHKLiMg' | KLiMgAl2Si3O10F2 |
| 9.EC.15 | Chernykhite | (Ba,Na)(V3+,Al,Mg)2((Si,Al)4O10)(OH)2 |
| 9.EC.15 | Muscovite | KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| 9.EC.20 | Masutomilite | K(LiAlMn2+)[AlSi3O10]F2 |
| 9.EC.20 | Oxyphlogopite | K(Mg,Ti,Fe)3[(Si,Al)4O10](O,F)2 |
| 9.EC.20 | 'Chloroferrokinoshitalite' | (Ba,K)(Fe2+,Mg)3(Al2Si2O10)(Cl,OH,F)2 |
| 9.EC.20 | Siderophyllite | KFe2+2Al(Al2Si2O10)(OH)2 |
| 9.EC.20 | Sokolovaite | CsLi2Al(Si4O10)F2 |
| 9.EC.20 | Hendricksite | KZn3(Si3Al)O10(OH)2 |
| 9.EC.20 | Tetraferriphlogopite | KMg3(Si3Fe3+)O10(OH)2 |
| 9.EC.20 | Fluorannite | KFe2+3(Si3Al)O10F2 |
| 9.EC.20 | Aspidolite | NaMg3(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| 9.EC.20 | Suhailite | (NH4)Fe2+3(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| 9.EC.20 | Ephesite | NaLiAl2(Al2Si2O10)(OH)2 |
| 9.EC.20 | Norrishite | KLiMn3+2(Si4O10)O2 |
| 9.EC.20 | Phlogopite | KMg3(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| 9.EC.20 | Yangzhumingite | KMg2.5(Si4O10)F2 |
| 9.EC.20 | Orlovite | KLi2Ti(Si4O10)OF |
| 9.EC.20 | Tetraferriannite | KFe2+3(Si3Fe3+)O10(OH)2 |
| 9.EC.20 | Shirokshinite | K(NaMg2)(Si4O10)F2 |
| 9.EC.20 | Trilithionite | K(Li1.5Al1.5)(AlSi3O10)(F,OH)2 |
| 9.EC.20 | Polylithionite | KLi2Al(Si4O10)(F,OH)2 |
| 9.EC.20 | Shirozulite | KMn2+3(Si3Al)O10(OH)2 |
| 9.EC.20 | Preiswerkite | NaMg2Al(Al2Si2O10)(OH)2 |
| 9.EC.20 | Fluorophlogopite | KMg3(Si3Al)O10F2 |
| 9.EC.20 | Wonesite | (Na,K,◻)(Mg,Fe,Al)6(Si,Al)8O20(OH,F)4 |
| 9.EC.20 | 'UM2004-49-SiO:AlCsFHKLi' | (Cs,K)(Al,Li)2.6((Si,Al)4O10)(F,OH)2 |
| 9.EC.20 | Fluorotetraferriphlogopite | KMg3(Fe3+Si3O10)F2 |
| 9.EC.20 | Annite | KFe2+3(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| 9.EC.20 | Eastonite | KMg2Al(Al2Si2O10)(OH)2 |
| 9.EC.22 | 'Pimelite' | Ni3Si4O10(OH)2 · 4H2O |
| 9.EC.30 | Margarite | CaAl2(Al2Si2O10)(OH)2 |
| 9.EC.35 | Kinoshitalite | (Ba,K)(Mg,Mn2+,Al)3(Al2Si2O10)(OH)2 |
| 9.EC.35 | Ferrokinoshitalite | (Ba,K)(Fe2+,Mg)3(Al2Si2O10)(OH,F)2 |
| 9.EC.35 | Clintonite | CaAlMg2(SiAl3O10)(OH)2 |
| 9.EC.35 | Oxykinoshitalite | (Ba,K)(Mg,Ti,Fe3+,Fe2+)3((Si,Al)4O10)(O,OH,F)2 |
| 9.EC.35 | Fluorokinoshitalite | BaMg3(Al2Si2O10)F2 |
| 9.EC.35 | Bityite | CaLiAl2(AlBeSi2O10)(OH)2 |
| 9.EC.35 | Anandite | (Ba,K)(Fe2+,Mg)3((Si,Al,Fe)4O10)(S,OH)2 |
| 9.EC.40 | Montmorillonite | (Na,Ca)0.33(Al,Mg)2(Si4O10)(OH)2 · nH2O |
| 9.EC.40 | Beidellite | (Na,Ca0.5)0.3Al2((Si,Al)4O10)(OH)2 · nH2O |
| 9.EC.40 | Volkonskoite | Ca0.3(Cr,Mg,Fe)2((Si,Al)4O10)(OH)2 · 4H2O |
| 9.EC.40 | Nontronite | Na0.3Fe2((Si,Al)4O10)(OH)2 · nH2O |
| 9.EC.40 | Kurumsakite | (Zn,Ni,Cu)8Al8V5+2Si5O35 · 27H2O (?) |
| 9.EC.40 | Yakhontovite | (Ca,Na)0.5(Cu,Fe,Mg)2(Si4O10)(OH)2 · 3H2O |
| 9.EC.45 | Swinefordite | Li(Al,Li,Mg)3((Si,Al)4O10)2(OH,F)4 · nH2O |
| 9.EC.45 | Hectorite | Na0.3(Mg,Li)3(Si4O10)(F,OH)2 |
| 9.EC.45 | Zincsilite | Zn3Si4O10(OH)2 · 4H2O (?) |
| 9.EC.45 | Hanjiangite | Ba2CaV3+Al(H2AlSi3O12)(CO3)2F |
| 9.EC.45 | Spadaite | MgSiO2(OH)2 · H2O (?) |
| 9.EC.45 | Ferrosaponite | Ca0.3(Fe2+,Mg,Fe3+)3((Si,Al)4O10)(OH)2 · 4H2O |
| 9.EC.45 | Stevensite | (Ca,Na)xMg3-x(Si4O10)(OH)2 |
| 9.EC.45 | Saponite | Ca0.25(Mg,Fe)3((Si,Al)4O10)(OH)2 · nH2O |
| 9.EC.45 | Sauconite | Na0.3Zn3((Si,Al)4O10)(OH)2 · 4H2O |
| 9.EC.50 | Vermiculite | Mg0.7(Mg,Fe,Al)6(Si,Al)8O20(OH)4 · 8H2O |
| 9.EC.52 | 'Tarasovite' | near NaKAl11Si13O40(OH)9 · 3H2O |
| 9.EC.55 | Clinochlore | Mg5Al(AlSi3O10)(OH)8 |
| 9.EC.55 | Borocookeite | (LiAl4◻)[BSi3O10](OH)8 |
| 9.EC.55 | Franklinfurnaceite | Ca2Fe3+Mn2+3Mn3+(Zn2Si2O10)(OH)8 |
| 9.EC.55 | Pennantite | Mn2+5Al(AlSi3O10)(OH)8 |
| 9.EC.55 | Vakhrushevaite | Mg5Cr(AlSi3O10)(OH)8 |
| 9.EC.55 | Nimite | Ni5Al(AlSi3O10)(OH)8 |
| 9.EC.55 | Cookeite | (LiAl4◻)[AlSi3O10](OH)8 |
| 9.EC.55 | Gonyerite | Mn2+5Fe3+(Fe3+Si3O10)(OH)8 |
| 9.EC.55 | Chamosite | Fe2+5Al(AlSi3O10)(OH)8 |
| 9.EC.55 | 'Orthochamosite' | (Fe2+,Mg,Fe3+)5Al(AlSi3O10)(OH,O)8 |
| 9.EC.55 | Baileychlore | Zn5Al(AlSi3O10)(OH)8 |
| 9.EC.55 | Sudoite | Mg2Al3(AlSi3O10)(OH)8 |
| 9.EC.55 | Glagolevite | Na(Mg,Al)6(AlSi3O10)(OH,O)8 |
| 9.EC.55 | Donbassite | Al4.33(AlSi3O10)(OH)8 |
| 9.EC.60 | Dozyite | Mg7Al2(Al2Si4O15)(OH)12 |
| 9.EC.60 | Rectorite | (Na,Ca)Al4((Si,Al)8O20)(OH)4 · 2H2O |
| 9.EC.60 | Corrensite | (Mg,Fe)9((Si,Al)8O20)(OH)10 · nH2O |
| 9.EC.60 | Aliettite | Ca0.2Mg6((Si,Al)8O20)(OH)4 · 4H2O |
| 9.EC.60 | Lunijianlaite | Li0.7Al6.2(AlSi7O20)(OH,O)10 |
| 9.EC.60 | Tosudite | Na0.5(Al,Mg)6((Si,Al)8O18)(OH)12 · 5H2O |
| 9.EC.60 | Hydrobiotite | K(Mg,Fe2+)6((Si,Al)8O20)(OH)4 · nH2O |
| 9.EC.60 | Saliotite | (Li,Na)Al3(AlSi3O10)(OH)5 |
| 9.EC.60 | Kulkeite | Mg8Al(AlSi7O20)(OH)10 |
| 9.EC.60 | Brinrobertsite | Na0.3Al4(Si4O10)2(OH)4 · 3.5 H2O |
| 9.EC.65 | Macaulayite | (Fe,Al)24Si4O43(OH)2 |
| 9.EC.70 | Burckhardtite | Pb2(Fe3+Te6+)[AlSi3O8]O6 |
| 9.EC.75 | Niksergievite | (Ba,Ca)2Al3(AlSi3O10)(CO3)(OH)6 · nH2O |
| 9.EC.75 | Ferrisurite | (Pb,Ca)2.4Fe3+2(Si4O10)(CO3)1.7(OH)3 · nH2O |
| 9.EC.75 | Surite | (Pb,Ca)3(Al,Fe2+,Mg)2((Si,Al)4O10)(CO3)2(OH)2 |
| 9.EC.80 | Kegelite | Pb8Al4(Si8O20)(SO4)2(CO3)4(OH)8 |
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 Karpinskite
mindat.org URL:
https://www.mindat.org/min-2163.html
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References for Karpinskite
Reference List:
Localities for Karpinskite
Showing 1 localities.
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.
Russia (TL) | |
| American Mineralogist 42 (1957) +1 other reference |

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