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Carbocernaite
A valid IMA mineral species
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About Carbocernaite
Formula:
(Ca,Na)(Sr,Ce,Ba)(CO3)2
Colour:
Colorless; white, yellow, yellowish green, rose, or brown if altered.
Lustre:
Vitreous
Hardness:
3
Specific Gravity:
3.53
Crystal System:
Orthorhombic
Name:
Named in 1961 by A. G. Bulakh, V. V. Kondrat'yeva, Ye. N. Baronova in allusion to its composition, containing essential CARBOnate, CERium, and sodium (Latin = NAtrium).
Represents a solid solution between two hypothetical end members CaSr(CO3)2 and NaREE(CO3)2. Crystals with midline composition are monoclinic.
Structurally related to paratooite-(La).
Structurally related to paratooite-(La).
Unique Identifiers
Mindat ID:
892
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:1:892:9
IMA Classification of Carbocernaite
Classification of Carbocernaite
5.AB.50
5 : CARBONATES (NITRATES)
A : Carbonates without additional anions, without H2O
B : Alkali-earth (and other M2+) carbonates
5 : CARBONATES (NITRATES)
A : Carbonates without additional anions, without H2O
B : Alkali-earth (and other M2+) carbonates
14.4.6.1
14 : ANHYDROUS NORMAL CARBONATES
4 : Miscellaneous
14 : ANHYDROUS NORMAL CARBONATES
4 : Miscellaneous
11.8.17
11 : Carbonates
8 : Carbonates of the rare earths
11 : Carbonates
8 : Carbonates of the rare earths
Mineral Symbols
As of 2021 there are now IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols (abbreviations) for each mineral species, useful for tables and diagrams.
Please only use the official IMA–CNMNC symbol. Older variants are listed for historical use only.
Please only use the official IMA–CNMNC symbol. Older variants are listed for historical use only.
| Symbol | Source | Reference for Standard |
|---|---|---|
| Cbc | IMA–CNMNC | Warr, L.N. (2021). IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols. Mineralogical Magazine, 85(3), 291-320. doi:10.1180/mgm.2021.43 |
| Cbc | The Canadian Mineralogist (2019) | The Canadian Mineralogist (2019) The Canadian Mineralogist list of symbols for rock- and ore-forming minerals (December 30, 2019). download |
Physical Properties of Carbocernaite
Vitreous
Transparency:
Transparent, Translucent
Comment:
Greasy on fractures.
Colour:
Colorless; white, yellow, yellowish green, rose, or brown if altered.
Streak:
White
Hardness:
3 on Mohs scale
Tenacity:
Brittle
Cleavage:
Poor/Indistinct
{100}, {021}, and {010}, poor
{100}, {021}, and {010}, poor
Density:
3.53 g/cm3 (Measured) 3.53 g/cm3 (Calculated)
Optical Data of Carbocernaite
Type:
Biaxial (-)
RI values:
nα = 1.569(2) nβ = 1.679(2) nγ = 1.708(2)
2V:
Measured: 52° , Calculated: 50°
Max. Birefringence:
δ = 0.139
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:
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 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.
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.
Dispersion:
r > v, marked
Optical Extinction:
X = b; Y = a; Z = c.
Chemistry of Carbocernaite
Mindat Formula:
(Ca,Na)(Sr,Ce,Ba)(CO3)2
Element Weights:
Crystallography of Carbocernaite
Crystal System:
Orthorhombic
Class (H-M):
mm2 - Pyramidal
Cell Parameters:
a = 6.41 Å, b = 7.27 Å, c = 5.19 Å
Ratio:
a:b:c = 0.882 : 1 : 0.714
Unit Cell V:
241.86 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Morphology:
Type material:
{100} prominent, {010}, {001}, {021}, {540}, {210} minor, {305}, {210} vicinal.
{100} prominent, {010}, {001}, {021}, {540}, {210} minor, {305}, {210} vicinal.
Comment:
Space group is Pb21m, but the midline chemical composition leads to monoclinic unit cell, space group Pm
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
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View
CIF File Best | x | y | z | a | b | c
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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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0014176 | Carbocernaite | Shi N, Ma Z, Peng Z (1982) The crystal structure of carbocernaite Kexue Tongbao 27 76-80 | 1982 | deposits of the Bayan Obo, Baotou, China | 0 | 293 |
CIF Raw Data - click here to close
X-Ray Powder Diffraction
Powder Diffraction Data:
| d-spacing | Intensity |
|---|---|
| 3.00 Å | (100) |
| 2.015 Å | (90) |
| 1.813 Å | (80) |
| 2.60 Å | (70b) |
| 2.29 Å | (70b) |
| 3.66 Å | (50) |
| 2.082 Å | (50) |
Geological Environment
Paragenetic Mode(s):
| Paragenetic Mode | Earliest Age (Ga) |
|---|---|
| Stage 4b: Highly evolved igneous rocks | >3.0 |
| 35 : Ultra-alkali and agpaitic igneous rocks | |
| 36 : Carbonatites, kimberlites, and related igneous rocks |
Type Occurrence of Carbocernaite
General Appearance of Type Material:
As grains and as crystals on walls of cavities.
Place of Conservation of Type Material:
A.E. Fersman Mineralogical Museum, Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia, 64100.
Geological Setting of Type Material:
In dolomite-calcite carbonatite veins 0.5-l m in width in pyroxenites and ijolites.
Associated Minerals at Type Locality:
Kirovskii apatite mine, Kukisvumchorr Mt, Murmansk Oblast, Russia