Log In
Sitinakite
A valid IMA mineral species
This page is currently not sponsored. Click here to sponsor this page.
About Sitinakite
Formula:
KNa2Ti4(SiO4)2O5(OH) · 4H2O
Colour:
Colourless, light-brown to pale rose, pinkish brown
Lustre:
Vitreous
Hardness:
4½
Specific Gravity:
2.86
Crystal System:
Tetragonal
Name:
The name reflects its composition: silicon (Si), titanium (Ti), sodium (Na) and potassium (K).
This page provides mineralogical data about Sitinakite.
Unique Identifiers
Mindat ID:
3677
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:1:3677:7
Similar Names
| Stanĕkite | A valid IMA mineral species | (Mn2+,Fe2+,Mg)Fe3+(PO4)O |
IMA Classification of Sitinakite
Approved
IMA Formula:
KNa2Ti4+4Si2O13(OH)·4H2O
Approval year:
1989
First published:
1992
Classification of Sitinakite
9.AG.30
9 : SILICATES (Germanates)
A : Nesosilicates
G : Nesosilicates with additional anions; cations in > [6] +- [6] coordination
9 : SILICATES (Germanates)
A : Nesosilicates
G : Nesosilicates with additional anions; cations in > [6] +- [6] coordination
52.4.11.1
52 : NESOSILICATES Insular SiO4 Groups and O,OH,F,H2O
4 : Insular SiO4 Groups and O, OH, F, and H2O with cations in [6] and/or >[6] coordination
52 : NESOSILICATES Insular SiO4 Groups and O,OH,F,H2O
4 : Insular SiO4 Groups and O, OH, F, and H2O with cations in [6] and/or >[6] coordination
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Sit | 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 Sitinakite
Vitreous
Transparency:
Transparent, Translucent
Colour:
Colourless, light-brown to pale rose, pinkish brown
Streak:
White
Hardness:
4½ on Mohs scale
Tenacity:
Brittle
Cleavage:
Perfect
{100} and {001}
{100} and {001}
Density:
2.86(6) g/cm3 (Measured) 2.89 g/cm3 (Calculated)
Optical Data of Sitinakite
Type:
Uniaxial (+)
RI values:
nω = 1.780(3) nε = 1.988(3)
Max. Birefringence:
δ = 0.208
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:
Very High (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 uniaxial interference figure - the conoscopic
(convergent-light, Bertrand-lens-in) view, for a grain cut with the optic axis
centred and vertical. The coloured rings are isochromatics, computed with the
same physics as the Michel-Lévy bar above; the dark cross is the isogyre.
For a genuinely uniaxial mineral viewed this way, that cross stays perfectly stationary if you rotate the stage - unlike a biaxial mineral, where it splits apart on rotation. That invariance is itself the standard diagnostic test for telling uniaxial and biaxial minerals apart at the microscope.
For a genuinely uniaxial mineral viewed this way, that cross stays perfectly stationary if you rotate the stage - unlike a biaxial mineral, where it splits apart on rotation. That invariance is itself the standard diagnostic test for telling uniaxial and biaxial minerals apart at the microscope.
Chemistry of Sitinakite
Mindat Formula:
KNa2Ti4(SiO4)2O5(OH) · 4H2O
Element Weights:
Common Impurities:
Ca,Sr,Ba,Ce,Fe,Nb,Ta,Zr,TR
Crystallography of Sitinakite
Crystal System:
Tetragonal
Class (H-M):
4/mmm(4/m2/m2/m) - Ditetragonal Dipyramidal
Space Group:
P42/mcm
Setting:
P42/mcm
Cell Parameters:
a = 7.819(2) Å, c = 12.099(4) Å
Ratio:
a:c = 1 : 1.547
Unit Cell V:
739.69 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:
2
X-Ray Powder Diffraction
Powder Diffraction Data:
| d-spacing | Intensity |
|---|---|
| 7.84 Å | (100) |
| 6.02 Å | (100) |
| 3.25 Å | (80) |
| 2.003 Å | (70) |
| 2.608 Å | (60) |
| 3.36 Å | (50) |
| 2.805 Å | (50) |
Geological Environment
Paragenetic Mode(s):
| Paragenetic Mode | Earliest Age (Ga) |
|---|---|
| Near-surface Processes | |
| 22 : Hydration and low-? subsurface aqueous alteration (see also #23) |
Type Occurrence of Sitinakite
Co-Type Localities:
General Appearance of Type Material:
Equant and short prismatic crystals, 1 x 1 x 2 mm, and in 3-4 mm patches of intergrown crystals.
Place of Conservation of Type Material:
Geology Museum, Kola Branch, Academy of Sciences, Apatity, Mining Institute, St. Petersburg, Russia, 2021/1; The Natural History Museum, London, England, 1994,31.
Geological Setting of Type Material:
In hydrothermal natrolite nodules in alkalic pegmatites.
Associated Minerals at Type Locality:
Synonyms of Sitinakite
Other Language Names for Sitinakite
Common Associates
Associations Based on Photo Data:
| 6 photos of Sitinakite associated with Lemmleinite-K | K2(Ti,Nb)2(Si4O12)(OH,O)2 · 4H2O |
| 6 photos of Sitinakite associated with Aegirine | NaFe3+Si2O6 |
| 5 photos of Sitinakite associated with Sazykinaite-(Y) | Na5YZr[SiO3]6 · 6H2O |
| 2 photos of Sitinakite associated with Rhabdophane-(Ce) | Ce(PO4) · 0.6H2O |
| 1 photo of Sitinakite associated with Amicite | K2Na2Al4Si4O16 · 5H2O |
| 1 photo of Sitinakite associated with Deloneite | (Na0.5REE0.25Ca0.25)(Ca0.75REE0.25)Sr1.5(CaNa0.25REE0.25)(PO4)3F0.5(OH)0.5 |
Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat Grouping
| 9.AG. | Aluminotaipingite-(CeCa) | (Ce6Ca3)◻Al(SiO4)3[SiO3(OH)]4F3 |
| 9.AG. | 'Ivanyukite-Na-T' | Na2Ti4(SiO4)3(OH)O3 · 7H2O |
| 9.AG. | 'Ivanyukite-Na-C' | Na2Ti4(SiO4)3(OH)2O2 · 6H2O |
| 9.AG. | Edgrewite | Ca9(SiO4)4F2 |
| 9.AG.02 | Gatedalite | ZrMn2+2Mn3+4SiO12 |
| 9.AG.05 | Abswurmbachite | CuMn3+6(SiO4)O8 |
| 9.AG.05 | Neltnerite | CaMn3+6(SiO4)O8 |
| 9.AG.05 | Skogbyite | Zr(Mg2Mn3+4)SiO12 |
| 9.AG.05 | Braunite | Mn2+Mn3+6(SiO4)O8 |
| 9.AG.05 | 'Braunite-II' | Ca(Mn3+,Fe)14(SiO4)O20 |
| 9.AG.10 | Långbanite | Mn2+4Mn3+9Sb5+O16(SiO4)2 |
| 9.AG.12 | Taipingite-(CeCa) | (Ce7Ca2)◻Mg(SiO4)3[SiO3(OH)]4F3 |
| 9.AG.15 | Żabińskiite | Ca[Al0.5(Ta,Nb)0.5)]O(SiO4) |
| 9.AG.15 | Titanite | CaTiO(SiO4) |
| 9.AG.15 | Vanadomalayaite | CaVO(SiO4) |
| 9.AG.15 | Natrotitanite | (Na0.5Y0.5)TiO(SiO4) |
| 9.AG.15 | Malayaite | CaSnO(SiO4) |
| 9.AG.20 | Ferricerite-(LaCa) | (La6Ca3)◻Fe3+(SiO4)3(SiO3OH)4(OH)3 |
| 9.AG.20 | Aluminocerite-(CeCa) | (Ce6Ca3)◻Al(SiO4)3[SiO3(OH)]4(OH)3 |
| 9.AG.20 | Cerite-(CeCa) | (Ce7Ca2)◻Mg(SiO4)3(SiO3OH)4(OH)3 |
| 9.AG.20 | Nipeiite-(Ce) | Ce9Fe3+(SiO4)6[SiO3(OH)](OH)3 |
| 9.AG.25 | 'Yftisite-(Y)' | (Y,Dy,Er)4(Ti,Sn)(SiO4)2O(F,OH)6 |
| 9.AG.25 | Mieite-(Y) | Y4Ti(SiO4)2O[F,(OH)]6 |
| 9.AG.25 | Trimounsite-(Y) | Y2Ti2(SiO4)O5 |
| 9.AG.35 | Kittatinnyite | Ca2Mn2Mn(SiO4)2(OH)4 · 9H2O |
| 9.AG.40b | Paranatisite | Na2Ti(SiO4)O |
| 9.AG.40a | Natisite | Na2Ti(SiO4)O |
| 9.AG.45 | Törnebohmite-(Ce) | Ce2Al(SiO4)2(OH) |
| 9.AG.45 | Törnebohmite-(La) | La2Al(SiO4)2(OH) |
| 9.AG.50 | Ivanyukite-Na | Na2Ti4(SiO4)3(OH)2O2 · 6H2O |
| 9.AG.50 | Ivanyukite-K | K2Ti4(SiO4)3(OH)2O2 · 9H2O |
| 9.AG.50 | Ivanyukite-Cu | CuTi4(SiO4)3(OH)2O2 · 7H2O |
| 9.AG.50 | Kuliokite-(Y) | Y4Al(SiO4)2(OH)2F5 |
| 9.AG.50 | Hydroxyledgrewite | Ca9(SiO4)4(OH)2 |
| 9.AG.52 | Ulfanderssonite-(Ce) | (Ce15Ca)Σ16Mg2(SiO4)10(SiO3OH)(OH,F)5Cl3 |
| 9.AG.55 | Chantalite | CaAl2(SiO4)(OH)4 |
| 9.AG.60 | Vuagnatite | CaAl(SiO4)(OH) |
| 9.AG.60 | Mozartite | CaMn3+(SiO4)(OH) |
| 9.AG.65 | Hatrurite | Ca3(SiO4)O |
| 9.AG.70 | Jasmundite | Ca11(SiO4)4O2S |
| 9.AG.75 | Afwillite | Ca3[SiO4][SiO2(OH)2] · 2H2O |
| 9.AG.80 | Bultfonteinite | Ca2(HSiO4)F · H2O |
| 9.AG.85 | Zoltaiite | BaV4+2V3+12(SiO4)2O19 |
| 9.AG.90 | Tranquillityite | (Fe2+,Ca)8(Zr,Y)2Ti3(SiO4)3O12 |
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) | 6.2083% | 1,925 | 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
Fluorescence of Sitinakite
Not fluorescent
Other Information
Notes:
No dissolution observed in H2O, HCl, or HNO3 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 Sitinakite
mindat.org URL:
https://www.mindat.org/min-3677.html
Please feel free to link to this page.
Please feel free to link to this page.
Search Engines:
External Links:
Mineral Dealers:
References for Sitinakite
Reference List:
Men´shikov, Y. P., Sokolova, E. V., Egorov-Tismenko, Y. K., Khomyakov, A. P., Polezhaeva, L. I. (1992) Sitinakite Na2KTi4Si2O13(OH)·4H2O - a new mineral. Zapiski Vserossijskogo Mineralogicheskogo Obshchestva, 121 (1) 94-99
Jambor, John L., Vanko, David A. (1993) New Mineral Names. American Mineralogist, 78 (11-12) 1314-1319
Poojary, Damodara M., Cahill, Roy A., Clearfield, Abraham (1994) Synthesis, Crystal Structures, and Ion-Exchange Properties of a Novel Porous Titanosilicate. Chemistry of Materials, 6. 2364-2368 doi:10.1021/cm00048a024
Thorogood, Gordon J., Kennedy, Brendan J., Griffith, Christopher S., Elcombe, Maragaret M., Avdeev, Maxim, Hanna, John V., Thorogood, Samantha K., Luca, Vittorio (2010) Structure and Phase Transformations in the Titanosilicate, Sitinakite. The Importance of Water. Chemistry of Materials, 22. 4222-4231 doi:10.1021/cm100727h
Celestian, A. J., Powers, M., Rader, S. (2013) In situ Raman spectroscopic study of transient polyhedral distortions during cesium ion exchange into sitinakite. American Mineralogist, 98 (7) 1153-1161 doi:10.2138/am.2013.4349
Panikorovskii, Taras L., Kalashnikova, Galina O., Nikolaev, Anatoly I., Perovskiy, Igor A., Bazai, Ayya V., Yakovenchuk, Victor N., Bocharov, Vladimir N., Kabanova, Natalya A., Krivovichev, Sergey V. (2022) Ion-Exchange-Induced Transformation and Mechanism of Cooperative Crystal Chemical Adaptation in Sitinakite: Theoretical and Experimental Study. Minerals, 12 (2) 248 doi:10.3390/min12020248
Localities for Sitinakite
Showing 5 localities.
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.
Russia | |
| Arzamastsev et al. (2008) |
| [AmMin 85:1844] +2 other references | |
| Men´shikov et al. (1992) +2 other references |
| Men´shikov et al. (1992) +2 other references |
Quick NavTopAbout SitinakiteUnique IdentifiersSimilar NamesIMA Classification Classification Mineral SymbolsPhysical Properties Optical Data Chemistry Crystallography X-Ray Powder DiffractionGeological EnvironmentType Occurrence SynonymsOther LanguagesCommon AssociatesStrunz-MindatRadioactivityFluorescence Other InformationInternet Links References Localities Locality List
Koashva Open Pit, Koashva Mt, Murmansk Oblast, Russia