Pinnoite

Pinnoite is a magnesium borate mineral with formula: MgB2O(OH)6[2][1] or MgB2O4·3(H2O).[3] It crystallizes in the tetragonal crystal system and occurs as colorless to yellow or light green radial fibrous clusters and rarely as short prismatic crystals.

Pinnoite
Pinnoite clusters from a salt dome in the Atyrau Oblast, Kazakhstan
General
CategoryBorate mineral
Formula
(repeating unit)
MgB2O(OH)6
Strunz classification6.BB.05
Crystal systemTetragonal
Crystal classPyramidal (4)
H-M symbol: (4)
Space groupP42
Unit cella = 7.617 Å, c = 8.19 Å; Z = 4
Identification
ColorColorless, light yellow, yellow green
Crystal habitShort prismatic crystals uncommon; radial fibrous clusters
FractureUneven
Mohs scale hardness3.5
LusterVitreous
DiaphaneityTranslucent
Specific gravity2.27
Optical propertiesUniaxial (+)
Refractive indexnω = 1.565 nε = 1.575
Birefringenceδ = 0.010
References[1][2][3]

Pinnoite was first described in 1884 for an occurrence in the Stassfurt potash deposit, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany and named for the mine counselor Oberbergrat Pinno of Halle, Germany.[2][1] It occurs in marine evaporite deposits and as efflorescence associated with mineral springs. It occurs with boracite and kaliborite.[2] It also occurs in the borax mines of Death Valley in California, the Da Quidam saline lake of the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau in Tibet and in Socacastro, Salta Province, Argentina.[2][1]

References

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