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Carraraite
A valid IMA mineral species
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About Carraraite
Formula:
Ca3(SO4)[Ge(OH)6](CO3) · 12H2O
Colour:
White
Lustre:
Vitreous
Crystal System:
Hexagonal
Member of:
Name:
Named for the type locality, marble quarries in Carrara basin, Apuan Alps, Italy
Unique Identifiers
Mindat ID:
7038
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:1:7038:2
IMA Classification of Carraraite
Approved
IMA Formula:
Ca3Ge(S6+O4)(CO3)(OH)6·12H2O
Approval year:
1998
Classification of Carraraite
7.DG.15
7 : SULFATES (selenates, tellurates, chromates, molybdates, wolframates)
D : Sulfates (selenates, etc.) with additional anions, with H2O
G : With large and medium-sized cations; with NO3, CO3, B(OH)4, SiO4 or IO3
7 : SULFATES (selenates, tellurates, chromates, molybdates, wolframates)
D : Sulfates (selenates, etc.) with additional anions, with H2O
G : With large and medium-sized cations; with NO3, CO3, B(OH)4, SiO4 or IO3
32.4.4.6
32 : COMPOUND SULFATES
4 : Hydrated Compound Sulfates containing Hydroxyl or Halogen
32 : COMPOUND SULFATES
4 : Hydrated Compound Sulfates containing Hydroxyl or Halogen
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Cra | 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 Carraraite
Optical Data of Carraraite
Type:
Uniaxial (+)
RI values:
nω = 1.479(1) nε = 1.509(1)
Max. Birefringence:
δ = 0.030
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 (negative)
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 Carraraite
Mindat Formula:
Ca3(SO4)[Ge(OH)6](CO3) · 12H2O
Element Weights:
Crystallography of Carraraite
Crystal System:
Hexagonal
Cell Parameters:
a = 11.056 Å, b = 3 Å, c = 10.629(6) Å
Ratio:
a:b:c = 3.685 : 1 : 3.543
Unit Cell V:
1,125.17 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Morphology:
Hexagonal crystals, prismatic {100}, tabular {001}.
Comment:
Space group P63 or P63/m
Crystal Structure
Load
Unit Cell | Unit Cell Packed
2x2x2 | 3x3x3 | 4x4x4
Unit Cell | Unit Cell Packed
2x2x2 | 3x3x3 | 4x4x4
Show
Big Balls | Small Balls | Just Balls | Spacefill
Polyhedra Off | Si Polyhedra | All Polyhedra
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Big Balls | Small Balls | Just Balls | Spacefill
Polyhedra Off | Si Polyhedra | All Polyhedra
Remove metal-metal sticks
Display Options
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Perspective On | Perspective Off
2D | Stereo | Red-Blue | Red-Cyan
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2D | Stereo | Red-Blue | Red-Cyan
View
CIF File Best | x | y | z | a | b | c
CIF File Best | x | y | z | a | b | c
Rotation
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Labels
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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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0002736 | Carraraite | Merlino S, Orlandi P (2001) Carraraite and zaccagnaite, two new minerals from the Carrara marble quarries: their chemical compositions, physical properties and structural features American Mineralogist 86 1293-1301 |  | 2001 | 0 | 293 |
CIF Raw Data - click here to close
X-Ray Powder Diffraction
Powder Diffraction Data:
| d-spacing | Intensity |
|---|---|
| 9.57 Å | (very strong) |
| 5.53 Å | (strong) |
| 3.83 Å | (strong) |
| 3.56 Å | (moderately strong) |
| 2.74 Å | (moderately strong) |
| 3.44 Å | (moderate) |
| 2.53 Å | (moderate) |
Comments:
Gioia quarry, Italy. Data from the type description. Pattern is similar to thaumasite.
Geological Environment
Paragenetic Mode(s):
| Paragenetic Mode | Earliest Age (Ga) |
|---|---|
| Near-surface Processes | |
| 23 : Subaerial aqueous alteration by non-redox-sensitive fluids (see also #47) | |
| Stage 7: Great Oxidation Event | <2.4 |
| 46 : Near-surface hydrothermal alteration of minerals (see also #22) |
Type Occurrence of Carraraite
Place of Conservation of Type Material:
Museo di Storia Naturale e del Territorio, University of Pisa, Via Roma 103, I-56011 Calci(PI), Italy.
Geological Setting of Type Material:
Marble altered by aluminium rich hydrothermal solutions acting on sulfides.
Associated Minerals at Type Locality:
Synonyms of Carraraite
Other Language Names for Carraraite
Relationship of Carraraite to other Species
Member of:
Other Members of Ettringite Group:
| Bentorite | Ca6Cr2(SO4)3(OH)12 · 26H2O | Trig. 3m : P31c |
| Buryatite | Ca3(Si,Fe3+,Al)(SO4)B(OH)4(OH,O)6 · 12H2O | Trig. 3m : P31c |
| Charlesite | Ca6(Al,Si)2(SO4)2[B(OH)4](OH,O)12 · 26H2O | Trig. 3m : P31c |
| Chiyokoite | Ca3Si(CO3)[B(OH)4]O (OH)5 · 12H2O | Hex. 6 : P63 |
| Ettringite | Ca6Al2(SO4)3(OH)12 · 26H2O | Trig. 3m : P31c |
| Hielscherite | Ca3Si(SO4)(SO3)(OH)6 · 11H2O | Hex. 6 : P63 |
| Imayoshiite | Ca3Al(CO3)[B(OH)4](OH)6 · 12H2O | Hex. 6/mmm(6/m2/m2/m) : P63/mmc |
| Jouravskite | Ca3Mn4+(SO4)(CO3)(OH)6 · 12H2O | Hex. 6 : P63 |
| Kottenheimite | Ca 3Si(SO4)2(OH)6 · 12H2O | Hex. 6/m : P63/m |
| Micheelsenite | (Ca2Y)Al(PO3OH)(CO3)(OH)6 · 12H2O | Hex. 6 : P63 |
| Siwaqaite | Ca6Al2(CrO4)3(OH)12 · 26H2O | Trig. 3m : P31c |
| Sturmanite | Ca6Fe3+2(SO4)2.5[B(OH)4](OH)12 · 25H2O | Trig. 3m : P31c |
| Tatarinovite | Ca3Al(SO4)[B(OH)4](OH)6 · 12H2O | Hex. 6 : P63 |
| Thaumasite | Ca3(SO4)[Si(OH)6](CO3) · 12H2O | Hex. 6 : P63 |
| 'UM2008-07-CO:AlBCaHSSi' | Ca6(Al,Si)2(CO3,SO4)2[B(OH)4](OH,O)12 · 26H2O | |
| 'Unnamed (possible Mn(IV) analogue of Sturmanite)' | Ca6Mn4+2(SO4)2[B(OH)4](OH)10O2 · nH2O |
Common Associates
Associations Based on Photo Data:
| 2 photos of Carraraite associated with Conichalcite | CaCu(AsO4)(OH) |
Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat Grouping
| 7.DG. | Mathesiusite | K5(UO2)4(SO4)4(VO5) · 4H2O |
| 7.DG.05 | Darapskite | Na3(SO4)(NO3) · H2O |
| 7.DG.10 | Clinoungemachite | (Na, K, Fe, SO4) |
| 7.DG.10 | Humberstonite | Na7K3Mg2(SO4)6(NO3)2 · 6H2O |
| 7.DG.10 | Ungemachite | K3Na8Fe(SO4)6(NO3)2 · 6H2O |
| 7.DG.15 | Chiyokoite | Ca3Si(CO3)[B(OH)4]O (OH)5 · 12H2O |
| 7.DG.15 | Kottenheimite | Ca 3Si(SO4)2(OH)6 · 12H2O |
| 7.DG.15 | Hielscherite | Ca3Si(SO4)(SO3)(OH)6 · 11H2O |
| 7.DG.15 | Jouravskite | Ca3Mn4+(SO4)(CO3)(OH)6 · 12H2O |
| 7.DG.15 | Thaumasite | Ca3(SO4)[Si(OH)6](CO3) · 12H2O |
| 7.DG.15 | Bentorite | Ca6Cr2(SO4)3(OH)12 · 26H2O |
| 7.DG.15 | Ettringite | Ca6Al2(SO4)3(OH)12 · 26H2O |
| 7.DG.15 | Birunite | Ca18(SiO3)8.5(CO3)8.5SO4 · 15H2O(?) |
| 7.DG.15 | Siwaqaite | Ca6Al2(CrO4)3(OH)12 · 26H2O |
| 7.DG.15 | Buryatite | Ca3(Si,Fe3+,Al)(SO4)B(OH)4(OH,O)6 · 12H2O |
| 7.DG.15 | Charlesite | Ca6(Al,Si)2(SO4)2[B(OH)4](OH,O)12 · 26H2O |
| 7.DG.15 | Tatarinovite | Ca3Al(SO4)[B(OH)4](OH)6 · 12H2O |
| 7.DG.15 | Imayoshiite | Ca3Al(CO3)[B(OH)4](OH)6 · 12H2O |
| 7.DG.15 | Sturmanite | Ca6Fe3+2(SO4)2.5[B(OH)4](OH)12 · 25H2O |
| 7.DG.20 | Rapidcreekite | Ca2(SO4)(CO3) · 4H2O |
| 7.DG.25 | Tatarskite | Ca6Mg2(SO4)2(CO3)2(OH)4Cl4 · 7H2O |
| 7.DG.30 | Nakauriite | Cu8(SO4)4(CO3)(OH)6 · 48H2O |
| 7.DG.35 | Chessexite | (Na,K)4Ca2(Mg,Zn)3Al8(SO4)10(SiO4)2 · 40H2O |
| 7.DG.40 | Fuenzalidaite | K6(Na,K)4Na6Mg10(SO4)12(IO3)12 · 12H2O |
| 7.DG.40 | Carlosruizite | K6(Na,K)4Na6Mg10(SeO4)12(IO3)12 · 12H2O |
| 7.DG.45 | 'Chelyabinskite' | (Ca,Mg)3(SO4,CO3)2[Si(OH)6] · 9H2O (?) |
| 7.DG.55 | Ramazzoite | [Mg8Cu12(PO4)(CO3)4(OH)24(H2O)20][(H0.33SO4)3(H2O)36] |
| 7.DG.60 | Witzkeite | Na4K4Ca(NO3)2(SO4)4 · 2H2O |
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 Carraraite
mindat.org URL:
https://www.mindat.org/min-7038.html
Please feel free to link to this page.
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References for Carraraite
Localities for Carraraite
Showing 4 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.
Canada | |
| RRUFF database D. Doell |
Italy | |
| Orlandi et al. (2009) |
| Orlandi (2004) +2 other references |
| Orlandi et al. (2000) +2 other references |
Quick NavTopAbout CarraraiteUnique IdentifiersIMA Classification Classification Mineral SymbolsPhysical Properties Optical Data Chemistry Crystallography Crystal StructureX-Ray Powder DiffractionGeological EnvironmentType Occurrence SynonymsOther LanguagesRelationshipsCommon AssociatesStrunz-MindatOther InformationInternet Links References Localities Locality List
Gioia quarries, Casette, Massa, Massa-Carrara Province, Tuscany, Italy