Zabuyelite

Zabuyelite
Zabuyelite crystals found in spodumene
General
CategoryCarbonate mineral
Formula
(repeating unit)		Li2CO3
IMA symbolZab[1]
Strunz classification5.AA.05
Crystal systemMonoclinic
Crystal classPrismatic (2/m)
(same H-M symbol)
Space groupC2/c
Identification
Formula mass73.89 g/mol
ColorColorless
Cleavage{100} perfect; {011} good
TenacityBrittle
Mohs scale hardness3
StreakWhite
Specific gravity2.09
Optical propertiesBiaxial (–)
Refractive indexnα = 1.4285, nβ = 1.5672, nγ = 1.5743
Birefringenceδ = 0.1458
Pleochroismnone
2V angle25°
References[2][3][4]

Zabuyelite is the natural mineral form of lithium carbonate, with a formula Li2CO3. It was discovered in 1987 at Lake Zabuye, Tibet, after which it is named. It forms colorless vitreous monoclinic crystals.

It occurs as inclusions within halite in lithium rich evaporites and as solid phase in fluid inclusions in the mineral spodumene. Associated minerals include halite, gaylussite and northupite in the Tibet locality.[4]

In addition to the Tibetan salt lake it has been reported from Bikita and Kamativi in Zimbabwe, from Kings Mountain, Cleveland County, North Carolina, US and the Tanco pegmatite, Bernic Lake, Manitoba, Canada.[4]

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. ^ Zabuyelite at Webmineral
  3. ^ Zabuyelite at Mindat
  4. ^ a b c Zabuyelite at Handbook of Mineralogy

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