Girvasite
A valid IMA mineral species
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About Girvasite
Lake Girvas, Russia
Formula:
NaCa2Mg3(PO4)3(CO3)(H2O)6
Colour:
Creamy white, colorless
Lustre:
Vitreous, Silky
Hardness:
3½
Specific Gravity:
2.46
Crystal System:
Monoclinic
Name:
Named by S.N. Britvin, Y.A. Pakhomovskiy, A.N. Bogdanova, and Y.V. Sokolova in 1990 for Lake Girvas, northwest of the Kovdor massif, Kola Peninsula, Russia.
This page provides mineralogical data about Girvasite.
Unique Identifiers
Mindat ID:
1700
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:1:1700:4
GUID
(UUID V4):
(UUID V4):
a8e503e8-739a-4948-877c-bb1bf37c9edf
IMA Classification of Girvasite
Approved
First published:
1990
Classification of Girvasite
8.DO.05
8 : PHOSPHATES, ARSENATES, VANADATES
D : Phosphates, etc. with additional anions, with H2O
O : With CO3, SO4, SiO4
8 : PHOSPHATES, ARSENATES, VANADATES
D : Phosphates, etc. with additional anions, with H2O
O : With CO3, SO4, SiO4
43.5.17.1
43 : COMPOUND PHOSPHATES, ETC.
5 : Hydrated Compound Phosphates, etc·, Containing Hydroxyl or Halogen
43 : COMPOUND PHOSPHATES, ETC.
5 : Hydrated Compound Phosphates, etc·, Containing Hydroxyl or Halogen
22.4.7
22 : Phosphates, Arsenates or Vanadates with other Anions
4 : Phosphates, arsenates or vanadates with carbonate
22 : Phosphates, Arsenates or Vanadates with other Anions
4 : Phosphates, arsenates or vanadates with carbonate
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Gvs | 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 Girvasite
Vitreous, Silky
Transparency:
Transparent
Comment:
Silky for spherulites, vitreous for single crystals
Colour:
Creamy white, colorless
Comment:
Spherulites creamy white; single crystals colorless
Streak:
White
Hardness:
3½ on Mohs scale
Tenacity:
Very brittle
Cleavage:
Perfect
{001}
{001}
Density:
2.46(2) g/cm3 (Measured) 2.529(5) g/cm3 (Calculated)
Comment:
Measured in heavy liquids
Optical Data of Girvasite
Type:
Biaxial (-)
RI values:
nα = 1.541 nβ = 1.557 nγ = 1.565
2V:
Measured: 60° to 71°, Calculated: 68°
Max Birefringence:
δ = 0.024
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:
Low
Dispersion:
weak
Chemistry of Girvasite
Mindat Formula:
NaCa2Mg3(PO4)3(CO3)(H2O)6
Crystallography of Girvasite
Crystal System:
Monoclinic
Class (H-M):
2/m - Prismatic
Space Group:
P21/b
Setting:
P21/c
Cell Parameters:
a = 6.4784(2) Å, b = 12.2313(3) Å, c = 21.3494(6) Å
β = 89.624(2)°
β = 89.624(2)°
Ratio:
a:b:c = 0.53 : 1 : 1.745
Unit Cell V:
1,691.67 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:
4
Morphology:
Crystals elongate [100] and up to 1 mm long and 0.07 mm across.
Crystal Structure
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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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0012487 | Girvasite | Sokolova E V, Yegorov-Tismenko Y K (1990) Crystal structure of girvasite Doklady Akademii Nauk SSSR 331 1372-1376 | 1990 | 0 | 293 |
CIF Raw Data - click here to close
X-Ray Powder Diffraction
Powder Diffraction Data:
| d-spacing | Intensity |
|---|---|
| 10.72 Å | (100) |
| 3.57 Å | (80) |
| 3.42 Å | (26) |
| 3.08 Å | (32) |
| 2.817 Å | (26) |
| 2.108 Å | (32) |
| 2.016 Å | (35) |
Geological Environment
Paragenetic Mode(s):
| Paragenetic Mode | Earliest Age (Ga) |
|---|---|
| Near-surface Processes | |
| 22 : Hydration and low-𝑇 subsurface aqueous alteration (see also #23) | |
| High-𝑇 alteration and/or metamorphism | |
| 31 : Thermally altered carbonate, phosphate, and iron formations | |
| Stage 4b: Highly evolved igneous rocks | >3.0 |
| 36 : Carbonatites, kimberlites, and related igneous rocks |
Type Occurrence of Girvasite
General Appearance of Type Material:
Creamy white spherulites, rarely single prismatic crystals.
Place of Conservation of Type Material:
Geology Museum, Kola Branch, Academy of Sciences, Apatity, Russia, 5948.
Mining Institute, St. Petersburg, Russia, 2025/1.
A.E. Fersman Mineralogical Museum, Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia, 87981.
Mining Institute, St. Petersburg, Russia, 2025/1.
A.E. Fersman Mineralogical Museum, Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia, 87981.
Geological Setting of Type Material:
Dolomitic carbonatite
Associated Minerals at Type Locality:
Reference:
Britvin, S.N., Pakhomovskiy, Y.A., Bogdanova, A.N., Sokolova, Y.V. (1990) Girvasite - A new carbonate-phosphate of sodium, calcium and magnesium from carbonates of the Kovdor massif. Mineralogiceskij Zhurnal: 12: 79-83.
Synonyms of Girvasite
Other Language Names for Girvasite
Common Associates
Associated Minerals Based on Photo Data:
| 3 photos of Girvasite associated with Bakhchisaraitsevite | Na2Mg5(PO4)4 · 7H2O |
Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat Grouping
| 8.DO. | Whiterockite | CaMgMn3+3O2(PO4)2(CO3)F · 5H2O |
| 8.DO.10 | Voggite | Na2Zr(PO4)(CO3)(OH) · 2H2O |
| 8.DO.15 | Peisleyite | Na2Al9[(P,S)O4]8(OH)6 · 28H2O |
| 8.DO.20 | Perhamite | Ca3Al7.7Si3P4O23.5(OH)14.1 · 8H2O |
| 8.DO.20 | Krásnoite | Ca3Al7.7Si3P4O23.5(OH)12.1F2 · 8H2O |
| 8.DO.25 | Saryarkite-(Y) | Ca(Y,Th)Al5(SiO4)2(PO4,SO4)2(OH)7 · 6H2O |
| 8.DO.30 | Micheelsenite | (Ca2Y)Al(PO3OH)(CO3)(OH)6 · 12H2O |
| 8.DO.40 | Parwanite | (Na,K)(Mg,Ca)4Al8(PO4)8(CO3)(OH)7 · 30H2O |
| 8.DO.45 | Skorpionite | Ca3Zn2(PO4)2(CO3)(OH)2 · H2O |
| 8.DO.50 | Jörgkellerite | (Na,◻)3Mn3+3(PO4)2(CO3)(O,OH)2 · 5H2O |
| 8.DO.55 | Juansilvaite | Na5Al3[AsO3(OH)]4[AsO2(OH)2]2(SO4)2 · 4H2O |
| 8.DO.60 | Vanderheydenite | Zn6(PO4)2(SO4)(OH)4 · 7H2O |
Fluorescence of Girvasite
None
Other Information
IR Spectrum:
Absorption features in the infrared spectrum are at 3450, 3200, 1640, 1520, 1435, 1110, 1090, 1035,980, 880, 750, 715, 635, 615, 600, 575, and 560 cm-1.
Thermal Behaviour:
There is a strong endothermic peak at 370 °C and a weak one at 580°C, the first corresponding to loss of H20, which is also lost at 700-750°C. C02 is gradually lost between 400 and 1000°C.
Notes:
Readily soluble in cold 10% HCl.
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 Girvasite
mindat.org URL:
https://www.mindat.org/min-1700.html
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References for Girvasite
Reference List:
Localities for Girvasite
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.
Chile | |
| XRD by Joachim Lorenz +1 other reference |
Russia (TL) | |
| World of Stones 95:5-6 +2 other references |
| Mikhailova et al. (2016) |
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Kovdor Massif, Murmansk Oblast, Russia