Portlandite

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Portlandite
Portlandite, Ettringite - Mineralogisches Museum Bonn.jpg
Portlandite and ettringite
General
Category Oxide mineral
Formula Ca(OH)2
IMA symbol Por [1]
Strunz classification 4.FE.05
Dana classification 06.02.01.04
Brucite group
Crystal system Trigonal
Crystal class Hexagonal scalenohedral (3m)
H-M symbol: (3 2/m)
Space group P3m1
Unit cell a = 3.589 Å, c = 4.911 Å; Z = 1
Identification
ColorColorless, white to greenish white
Crystal habit Hexagonal plates; commonly fibrous, powdery, massive.
Cleavage Perfect on {0001}
Tenacity Sectile with flexible cleavage plates
Mohs scale hardness2
Luster Pearly on cleavages
Diaphaneity Transparent
Specific gravity 2.23
Optical propertiesUniaxial (−)
Refractive index nω = 1.574 nε = 1.547
Birefringence δ = 0.027
Solubility Soluble in water producing an alkaline solution
Alters toAlters to CaCO3 on exposure to CO2 bearing waters
References [2] [3] [4] [5] [6]

Portlandite is a hydroxide-bearing mineral typically included in the oxide mineral class. It is the naturally occurring form of calcium hydroxide (Ca(OH)2) and the calcium analogue of brucite (Mg(OH)2).

Occurrence

Portlandite occurs in a variety of environments. At the type location in Northern Ireland, it occurs as an alteration of calc–silicate rocks by contact metamorphism of larnitespurrite. It occurs as fumarole deposits in the Vesuvius area. In Jebel Awq, Oman, it occurs as precipitates from an alkaline spring emanating from ultramafic bedrock. In the Chelyabinsk coal basin of Russia it is produced by combustion of coal seams and similarly by spontaneous combustion of bitumen in the Hatrurim Formation of the Negev desert in Israel and the Maqarin area, Jordan. [3] It also occurs in the manganese mining area of Kuruman, Cape Province, South Africa in the Kalahari Desert where it occurs as large crystals and masses. [4] [3]

It occurs in association with afwillite, calcite, larnite, spurrite, halite, brownmillerite, hydrocalumite, mayenite and ettringite. [3]

It was first described in 1933 for an occurrence at Scawt Hill, Larne, County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It was named portlandite because the chemical calcium hydroxide is a common hydration phase of Portland cement. [4] [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. "Mineralienatlas - Fossilienatlas". www.mineralienatlas.de.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 "Handbook of Mineralogy" (PDF).
  4. 1 2 3 "Portlandite: Mineral information, data and localities". www.mindat.org.
  5. "Portlandite Mineral Data". www.webmineral.com.
  6. Pallache, Charles; Berman, Harry; Frondel, Clifford (1944). The System of Mineralogy of James Dwight Dana and Edward Salisbury Dana (7 ed.). Wiley. pp. 641–642. ISBN   9780471192398.{{cite book}}: ISBN / Date incompatibility (help)