Natrite
A valid IMA mineral species
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About Natrite
Formula:
Na2CO3
Colour:
Colourless, grey-white, yellowish, rose to yellow-orange
Lustre:
Vitreous, Dull
Hardness:
3½
Specific Gravity:
2.54
Crystal System:
Monoclinic
Name:
Named in 1982 by Alexander Petrovich Khomyakov for the chemical composition.
Unique Identifiers
Mindat ID:
2849
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:1:2849:9
GUID
(UUID V4):
(UUID V4):
d5c5ff8f-159c-481a-a038-29bcda2a9947
IMA Classification of Natrite
Approved
IMA Formula:
Na2(CO3)
First published:
1982
Classification of Natrite
5.AA.10
5 : CARBONATES (NITRATES)
A : Carbonates without additional anions, without H2O
A : Alkali carbonates
5 : CARBONATES (NITRATES)
A : Carbonates without additional anions, without H2O
A : Alkali carbonates
11.1.2
11 : Carbonates
1 : Carbonates of the alkali metals and ammonium
11 : Carbonates
1 : Carbonates of the alkali metals and ammonium
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 |
---|---|---|
Nat | IMA–CNMNC | Warr, L.N. (2021). IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols. Mineralogical Magazine, 85(3), 291-320. doi:10.1180/mgm.2021.43 |
Pronunciation of Natrite
Pronunciation:
Play | Recorded by | Country |
---|---|---|
Jolyon Ralph | United Kingdom |
Physical Properties of Natrite
Vitreous, Dull
Transparency:
Transparent
Comment:
Becoming dull on exposure
Colour:
Colourless, grey-white, yellowish, rose to yellow-orange
Streak:
White
Hardness:
3½ on Mohs scale
Hardness:
VHN100=133 - 175 - Vickers
Cleavage:
Perfect
(001) perfect, (100), (110) less perfect
(001) perfect, (100), (110) less perfect
Density:
2.54 g/cm3 (Measured) 2.55 g/cm3 (Calculated)
Optical Data of Natrite
Type:
Biaxial (-)
RI values:
nα = 1.410 nβ = 1.535 nγ = 1.543
2V:
Measured: 28° , Calculated: 26°
Max Birefringence:
δ = 0.133
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:
r > v
Optical Extinction:
Y ≃ b.
Chemistry of Natrite
Mindat Formula:
Na2CO3
Elements listed:
Crystallography of Natrite
Crystal System:
Monoclinic
Class (H-M):
2/m - Prismatic
Space Group:
B2/m
Setting:
C2/m
Cell Parameters:
a = 8.905(4) Å, b = 5.237(3) Å, c = 6.045(2) Å
β = 101.35°
β = 101.35°
Ratio:
a:b:c = 1.7 : 1 : 1.154
Unit Cell V:
276.40 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:
4
Twinning:
Fine polysynthetic twins
Crystal Structure
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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) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
0005042 | Natrite | Arakcheeva A, Bindi L, Pattison P, Meisser N, Chapuis G, Pekov I (2010) The incommensurately modulated structures of natural natrite at 120 and 293 K from synchrotron X-ray data American Mineralogist 95 574-581 | 2010 | Mt. Koashva, Khibiny massif, Kola peninsula, Russia | 0 | 120 | |
0005043 | Natrite | Arakcheeva A, Bindi L, Pattison P, Meisser N, Chapuis G, Pekov I (2010) The incommensurately modulated structures of natural natrite at 120 and 293 K from synchrotron X-ray data American Mineralogist 95 574-581 | 2010 | Mt. Koashva, Khibiny massif, Kola peninsula, Russia | 0 | 293 | |
0005044 | Natrite | Arakcheeva A, Bindi L, Pattison P, Meisser N, Chapuis G, Pekov I (2010) The incommensurately modulated structures of natural natrite at 120 and 293 K from synchrotron X-ray data American Mineralogist 95 574-581 | 2010 | Mt. Koashva, Lovozero massif, Kola peninsula, Russia | 0 | 293 | |
0009928 | Natrite | Dusek M, Chapuis G, Meyer M, Petricek V (2003) Sodium carbonate revisited Acta Crystallographica B59 337-352 | 2003 | synthetic | 0 | 295 | |
0009929 | Natrite | Dusek M, Chapuis G, Meyer M, Petricek V (2003) Sodium carbonate revisited Acta Crystallographica B59 337-352 | 2003 | synthetic | 0 | 110 | |
0014917 | Natrite | Zubkova N V, Pushcharovsky D Y, Ivaldi G, Ferraris G, Pekov I V, Chukanov N V (2002) Crystal structure of natrite, gamma-Na2CO3 Neues Jahrbuch fur Mineralogie, Monatshefte 2002 85-96 | 2002 | Mt Koashva, Khibiny alkaline massif, Kola Peninsula, Russia | 0 | 293 |
CIF Raw Data - click here to close
X-Ray Powder Diffraction
Powder Diffraction Data:
d-spacing | Intensity |
---|---|
2.962 Å | (100) |
2.366 Å | (70) |
2.545 Å | (60) |
2.602 Å | (40) |
2.254 Å | (35) |
2.175 Å | (35) |
2.621 Å | (30) |
Comments:
Mt. Karnasurt, Kola Peninsula, Russia. Data from the type description.
Geological Environment
Paragenetic Mode(s):
Paragenetic Mode | Earliest Age (Ga) |
---|---|
Near-surface Processes | |
25 : Evaporites (prebiotic) | |
High-𝑇 alteration and/or metamorphism | |
31 : Thermally altered carbonate, phosphate, and iron formations | |
Stage 4b: Highly evolved igneous rocks | >3.0 |
35 : Ultra-alkali and agpaitic igneous rocks | |
Stage 7: Great Oxidation Event | <2.4 |
45b : [Other oxidized fumarolic minerals] |
Type Occurrence of Natrite
Co-Type Localities:
General Appearance of Type Material:
Grains and granular masses.
Place of Conservation of Type Material:
Geology Museum, Kola Branch, Academy of Sciences, Apatity, Russia, 5710/1.
Mining Institute, St. Petersburg, Russia, 1200/1.
A.E. Fersman Mineralogical Museum, Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia, 82761.
Mining Institute, St. Petersburg, Russia, 1200/1.
A.E. Fersman Mineralogical Museum, Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia, 82761.
Geological Setting of Type Material:
Alkaline massifs.
Associated Minerals at Type Locality:
Reference:
Khomyakov, A.P. (1982) Natrite, Na2CO3, a new mineral. Zapiski Vsesoyuznogo Mineralogicheskogo Obshchestva: 111(2): 220-225.
Synonyms of Natrite
Other Language Names for Natrite
Common Associates
Associated Minerals Based on Photo Data:
1 photo of Natrite associated with Alexkhomyakovite | K6(Ca2Na)(CO3)5Cl · 6H2O |
1 photo of Natrite associated with Villiaumite | NaF |
1 photo of Natrite associated with Thermonatrite | Na2CO3 · H2O |
Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat Grouping
5.AA.05 | Zabuyelite | Li2CO3 |
5.AA.10 | Gregoryite | (Na2,K2,Ca)CO3 |
5.AA.15 | Nahcolite | NaHCO3 |
5.AA.20 | Kalicinite | KHCO3 |
5.AA.25 | Teschemacherite | (NH4)HCO3 |
5.AA.30 | Wegscheiderite | Na5H3(CO3)4 |
Other Information
IR Spectrum:
The infrared spectrum of freshest material showed no bands of molecular water.
Thermal Behaviour:
Thermal analysis of carefully selected material showed a loss in weight over 20-900°C of about 1%.
Notes:
Soluble in H2O, yielding a strongly alkaline solution; surficially alters rapidly in air to thermonatrite.
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 Natrite
mindat.org URL:
https://www.mindat.org/min-2849.html
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References for Natrite
Reference List:
Localities for Natrite
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).
Struck out - Mineral was erroneously reported from this locality.
Faded * - Never found at this locality but inferred to have existed at some point in the past (e.g. from pseudomorphs).
All localities listed without proper references should be considered as questionable.
All localities listed without proper references should be considered as questionable.
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Italy | |
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Russia | |
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| Khomyakov, A. P., Nechelyustov, G. N., Sokolova, E., Bonaccorsi, E., Merlino, S., Pasero, M. (2002) Megakalsilite, a new polymorph of KAlSiO4 from the Khibina Alkaline Massif, Kola Peninsula, Russia: mineral description and crystal structure. The Canadian Mineralogist, 40 (3) 961-970 doi:10.2113/gscanmin.40.3.961 |
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South Africa | |
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USA | |
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Lovozero Massif, Murmansk Oblast, Russia