Priceite
A valid IMA mineral species - grandfathered
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About Priceite
Thomas Price
Formula:
Ca2B5O7(OH)5 · H2O
Colour:
White; colourless in transmitted light
Lustre:
Earthy
Hardness:
3 - 3½
Specific Gravity:
2.42
Crystal System:
Monoclinic
Name:
Named in honor of Thomas Price (1837 Brecon, Breconshire, Wales - 13 October 1912), a metallurgist, chemist and assayer who first analyzed the mineral. He began his career as an assayer and professor in Swansea. In 1862 he moved to San Francisco and worked for the San Francisco Refinery, taught chemistry and toxicology at Toland Medical College, and later was an international consultant for mining companies.
Type Locality:
Occurs as nodules or irregular masses; soft and chalky, to hard, compact and tough with porcellanous texture and sub-conchoidal fracture. Rarely also as small colourless crystals.
Unique Identifiers
Mindat ID:
3281
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:1:3281:6
GUID
(UUID V4):
(UUID V4):
bbda98bf-922a-4d89-b9c5-5960a0a9c176
IMA Classification of Priceite
Approved, 'Grandfathered' (first described prior to 1959)
Classification of Priceite
6.EB.25
6 : BORATES
E : Pentaborates
B : Ino-pentaborates
6 : BORATES
E : Pentaborates
B : Ino-pentaborates
25.5.1.1
25 : ANHYDROUS BORATES CONTAINING HYDROXYL OR HALOGEN
5 : Pentaborates
25 : ANHYDROUS BORATES CONTAINING HYDROXYL OR HALOGEN
5 : Pentaborates
9.3.18
9 : Borates
3 : Borates of Ca and Sr
9 : Borates
3 : Borates of Ca and Sr
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Pce | 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 Priceite
Earthy
Transparency:
Transparent
Colour:
White; colourless in transmitted light
Hardness:
3 - 3½ on Mohs scale
Fracture:
Irregular/Uneven, Conchoidal
Density:
2.42 g/cm3 (Measured)
Optical Data of Priceite
Type:
Biaxial (-)
RI values:
nα = 1.571 - 1.573 nβ = 1.590 - 1.591 nγ = 1.593 - 1.594
2V:
Measured: 32° to 44°, Calculated: 42° to 44°
Birefringence:
0.022
Max Birefringence:
δ = 0.022
Image shows birefringence interference colour range (at 30µm thickness)
and does not take into account mineral colouration.
and does not take into account mineral colouration.
Surface Relief:
Moderate
Dispersion:
r < v strong
Chemistry of Priceite
Mindat Formula:
Ca2B5O7(OH)5 · H2O
Elements listed:
Crystallography of Priceite
Crystal System:
Monoclinic
Class (H-M):
2/m - Prismatic
Space Group:
P21/b
Cell Parameters:
a = 11.623 Å, b = 6.976 Å, c = 12.35 Å
β = 110.7°
β = 110.7°
Ratio:
a:b:c = 1.666 : 1 : 1.77
Unit Cell V:
936.72 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:
4
Morphology:
Nodules and irregular masses. Compact and tough, chalky to hard.
Crystal Structure
Load
Unit Cell | Unit Cell Packed
2x2x2 | 3x3x3 | 4x4x4
Unit Cell | Unit Cell Packed
2x2x2 | 3x3x3 | 4x4x4
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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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0005789 | Priceite | Wallwork K S, Pring A, Taylor M R, Hunter B A (2002) The structure of priceite, a basic hydrated calcium borate, by ab initio powder-diffraction methods The Canadian Mineralogist 40 1199-1206 |  | 2002 | 0 | 293 | |
| 0018466 | Priceite | Sun W, Huang Y-X, Li Z, Pan Y, Mi J-X (2011) Hydrothermal synthesis and single-crystal X-ray structure refinement of three borates: sibirskite, parasibirskite and priceite The Canadian Mineralogist 49 823-834 | 2011 | synthetic | 0 | 173 |
CIF Raw Data - click here to close
X-Ray Powder Diffraction
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Radiation - Copper Kα
Data courtesy of RRUFF project at University of Arizona, used with permission.
Powder Diffraction Data:
| d-spacing | Intensity |
|---|---|
| 10.92 Å | (100) |
| 3.63 Å | (100) |
| 5.46 Å | (80) |
| 3.49 Å | (70) |
| 2.72 Å | (60) |
| 2.18 Å | (50) |
| 4.29 Å | (40) |
| 5.99 Å | (20) |
| 2.88 Å | (20) |
| 2.33 Å | (20) |
| 2.16 Å | (20) |
| 1.94 Å | (20) |
| 1.82 Å | (20) |
Comments:
Data from Kramer & Allen Am. Min. vol.41 (1956) [JCPDS card 9-147]
Geological Environment
Paragenetic Mode(s):
| Paragenetic Mode | Earliest Age (Ga) |
|---|---|
| Stage 3b: Earth’s earliest hydrosphere | >4.45 |
| 14 : Hot springs, geysers, and other subaerial geothermal minerals | |
| Near-surface Processes | |
| 25 : Evaporites (prebiotic) |
Geological Setting:
Evaporite deposits.
Type Occurrence of Priceite
General Appearance of Type Material:
Compact and as roundish masses to several hundred pounds (100 kg ?)
Geological Setting of Type Material:
Hot spring (?)
Associated Minerals at Type Locality:
Synonyms of Priceite
Other Language Names for Priceite
Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat Grouping
| 6.EB.05 | Larderellite | (NH4)B5O7(OH)2 · H2O |
| 6.EB.05 | Yarzhemskiite | K[B5O7(OH)2] · H2O |
| 6.EB.10 | Ezcurrite | Na4B10O17 · 7H2O |
| 6.EB.15 | Probertite | NaCa[B5O7(OH)4] · 3H2O |
| 6.EB.20 | Tertschite | Ca4B10O19 · 20H2O |
Other Information
Notes:
Insoluble in water. Readily soluble in acids.
Alters to colemanite and calcite.
Alters to colemanite and calcite.
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 Priceite
mindat.org URL:
https://www.mindat.org/min-3281.html
Please feel free to link to this page.
Please feel free to link to this page.
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References for Priceite
Reference List:
Larsen, Esper S. (1917) Proof that priceite is a distinct mineral species. American Mineralogist, 2 (1) 1-2
Kramer, Henry, Allen, Robert D. (1956) A restudy of bakerite, priceite, and veatchite. American Mineralogist, 41 (9-10) 689-700
Wallwork, K. S., Pring, A., Taylor, M. R., Hunter, B. A. (2002) The structure of priceite, a basic hydrated calcium borate, by ab initio powder-diffraction methods. The Canadian Mineralogist, 40 (4) 1199-1206 doi:10.2113/gscanmin.40.4.1199
Sun, W., Huang, Y.-X., Li, Z., Pan, Y., Mi, J.-X. (2011) Hydrothermal synthesis and single-crystal X-ray structure refinement of three borates: sibirskite, parasibirskite and priceite. The Canadian Mineralogist, 49 (3) 823-834 doi:10.3749/canmin.49.3.823
Localities for Priceite
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.
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Kohnstein Quarry, Niedersachswerfen, Harztor, Nordhausen District, Thuringia, Germany