Dachiardite-K

Dachiardite-K
General
CategoryTectosilicate minerals
GroupZeolite group
FormulaK4(Si20Al4O48)·13H2O
IMA symbolDac-K[1]
Crystal systemMonoclinic
Unknown space group
Unit cella = 18.67, b = 7.51
c = 10.23 [Å], β = 107.79° (approximated)
Identification
ColorSnow-white
Crystal habitNeedle-like crystals in spherical aggregates
Cleavage(100), perfect
FractureStepped across
TenacityBrittle
Mohs scale hardness4
Density2.18 (measured), 2.17 (calculated; approximated) [g/cm3]
Optical propertiesBiaxial (+)
Refractive indexnα=1.48, nβ=1.48, nγ=1.48 (approximated)
PleochroismNo
2V angle65o (measured)
DispersionDistinct
References[2][3][4]

Dachiardite-K is a rare zeolite-group mineral with the formula K4(Si20Al4O48)•13H2O.[5][3] It is the potassium-analogue of dachiardite-Ca and dachiardite-Na, as suggested by the suffix "-K".[6][2][7] Dachiardite honors Italian geologist and mineralogist Antonio D'Achiardi. In 1906, his son and mineralogist Giovanni D'Achiardi described and named the mineral dachiardite after he discovered it in a granitic pegmatite.[8][9]

Occurrence and association

Dachiardite-K was discovered in opal-chalcedony veins in Eastern Rhodopes, Bulgaria. It is associated with barite, calcite, clinoptilolite-Ca, clinoptilolite-K, celadonite, dachiardite-Ca, dachiardite-Na, ferrierite-K, ferrierite-Mg, ferrierite-Na, mordenite, and smectite.[3]

References

  1. ^ Warr, L.N. (2021). "IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols". Mineralogical Magazine. 85 (3): 291–320. Bibcode:2021MinM...85..291W. doi:10.1180/mgm.2021.43. S2CID 235729616.
  2. ^ a b "Dachiardite-K: Dachiardite-K mineral information and data". Mindat.org. Retrieved 2016-03-04.
  3. ^ a b c Encheva, S., Petrov, P., Chukanov, N., and Pekov, I. (2015). "Dachiardite-K from the area of Austa village, Momchilgrad municipality, Eastern Rhodopes – a new mineral species of zeolite group". Bulgarian Geological Society, National Conference with international participation “GEOSCIENCES 2015”, 10-11 Dec 2015, Sofia, Bulgaria: 17–18. Retrieved 2 January 2026.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  4. ^ Chukanov, N.V., Encheva, S., Petrov, P., Chukanov, N., and Pekov, I. (2016). "Dachiardite-K, (K2Ca)(Al4Si20O48) · 13H2O, a new zeolite from Eastern Rhodopes, Bulgaria". Geol. Ore Deposits. 58: 666–673. doi:10.1134/S1075701516080079.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  5. ^ Chukanov, N.V., Encheva, S., Petrov, P., Pekov, I.V., Belakovskiy, D.I., Britvin, S.N., and Aksenov, S.M. (2015). "Dachiardite-K". IMA 2015-041. CNMNC Newsletter (27): 1224.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link); U. H ÅLENIUS 1 (Chairman, CNMNC), F. HATERT (Vice-Chairman, CNMNC), M. PASERO (Vice-Chairman, CNMNC) AND S. J. M ILLS (Secretary, CNMNC) (October 2015). "IMA Commission on New Minerals, Nomenclature and Classification (CNMNC) New minerals and nomenclature modifications approved in 2015". Mineralogical Magazine. 79 (5): 1224. doi:10.1180/minmag.2015.079.5.16.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  6. ^ "dachiardite". Merriam-Webster Dictionary. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
  7. ^ "Dachiardite-K" (PDF). Handbook of Mineralogy. Retrieved 2 January 2026.
  8. ^ Sartori, Franco (1985). "D'ACHIARDI, Giovanni". Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani (in Italian). Vol. 31. Retrieved 27 May 2024.
  9. ^ Berman, Harry (1925). "Notes on dachiardite". American Mineralogist. 10 (11): 421–428.