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Fluorellestadite
A valid IMA mineral species
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About Fluorellestadite
Formula:
Ca5(SiO4)1.5(SO4)1.5F
Colour:
Blue to pale bluish, light rose-red, yellow
Lustre:
Vitreous, Greasy
Hardness:
4½
Specific Gravity:
3.03
Crystal System:
Hexagonal
Member of:
Name:
In allusion to its composition, being the fluorine-dominant analogue of hydroxylellestadite and chlorellestadite. Named in honor of Dr. Ruben B. Ellestad (1900-1993), American analytical chemist of Minneapolis, and fluorine in the chemical composition. First described as a new mineral from Kopeisk, South Urals, Russia by Chesnokov et al. 1987). The name was originally fluorellestadite, changed to ellestadite-(F) by the IMA in 2008, and back to fluorellestadite by the IMA in 2010.
A mineral in the Ellestadite Group of the Apatite Supergroup. Formerly called ellestadite-(F). It is a relatively rare mineral found in calcsilicate skarns or metamorphosed limestones. It is also known from burned coal dumps.
The fluorine analogue of hydroxylellestadite and chlorellestadite.
The fluorine analogue of hydroxylellestadite and chlorellestadite.
Unique Identifiers
Mindat ID:
1575
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:1:1575:8
IMA Classification of Fluorellestadite
Approved
IMA Formula:
Ca5(SiO4)1.5(S6+O4)1.5F
Approval year:
1987
First published:
1987
Classification of Fluorellestadite
9.AH.25
9 : SILICATES (Germanates)
A : Nesosilicates
H : Nesosilicates with CO3, SO4, PO4, etc.
9 : SILICATES (Germanates)
A : Nesosilicates
H : Nesosilicates with CO3, SO4, PO4, etc.
52.4.9.3
52 : NESOSILICATES Insular SiO4 Groups and O,OH,F,H2O
4 : Insular SiO4 Groups and O, OH, F, and H2O with cations in [6] and/or >[6] coordination
52 : NESOSILICATES Insular SiO4 Groups and O,OH,F,H2O
4 : Insular SiO4 Groups and O, OH, F, and H2O with cations in [6] and/or >[6] coordination
17.10.22
17 : Silicates Containing other Anions
10 : Silicates with sulphate, molybdate or tungstate
17 : Silicates Containing other Anions
10 : Silicates with sulphate, molybdate or tungstate
Mineral Symbols
As of 2021 there are now IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols (abbreviations) for each mineral species, useful for tables and diagrams.
Please only use the official IMA–CNMNC symbol. Older variants are listed for historical use only.
Please only use the official IMA–CNMNC symbol. Older variants are listed for historical use only.
| Symbol | Source | Reference for Standard |
|---|---|---|
| Fel | IMA–CNMNC | Warr, L.N. (2021). IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols. Mineralogical Magazine, 85(3), 291-320. doi:10.1180/mgm.2021.43 |
| Fel | The Canadian Mineralogist (2019) | The Canadian Mineralogist (2019) The Canadian Mineralogist list of symbols for rock- and ore-forming minerals (December 30, 2019). download |
Physical Properties of Fluorellestadite
Vitreous, Greasy
Transparency:
Transparent, Translucent
Colour:
Blue to pale bluish, light rose-red, yellow
Comment:
At the TL thin needles are colorless
Streak:
White streak with a weak bluish tint
Hardness:
4½ on Mohs scale
Tenacity:
Very brittle
Cleavage:
Imperfect/Fair
On {0001}, imperfect.
On {0001}, imperfect.
Fracture:
Conchoidal
Density:
3.03(1) g/cm3 (Measured) 3.090 g/cm3 (Calculated)
Optical Data of Fluorellestadite
Type:
Uniaxial (-)
RI values:
nω = 1.655 nε = 1.650
Birefringence:
0.005
Max. Birefringence:
δ = 0.005
Based on recorded range of RI values above.
Based on recorded range of RI values above.
Interference Colours:
The colours simulate birefringence patterns seen in thin section under crossed polars. They do not take into account mineral colouration or opacity.
Michel-Levy Bar The default colours simulate the birefringence range for a 30 µm thin-section thickness. Adjust the slider to simulate a different thickness.
Grain Simulation You can rotate the grain simulation to show how this range might look as you rotated a sample under crossed polars. Each grain retains its interference colour (retardation) while its brightness falls to black at extinction and reaches a maximum between extinction positions.
The colours simulate birefringence patterns seen in thin section under crossed polars. They do not take into account mineral colouration or opacity.
Michel-Levy Bar The default colours simulate the birefringence range for a 30 µm thin-section thickness. Adjust the slider to simulate a different thickness.
Grain Simulation You can rotate the grain simulation to show how this range might look as you rotated a sample under crossed polars. Each grain retains its interference colour (retardation) while its brightness falls to black at extinction and reaches a maximum between extinction positions.
Surface Relief:
High (positive)
Relative to Canada balsam mounting medium (n ≈ 1.537).
Relative to Canada balsam mounting medium (n ≈ 1.537).
This shows the grain boundary and Becke line effect under plane-polarised
light, based on the contrast between this mineral's average refractive
index and the mounting medium. It does not take into account mineral
colouration.
In focus
Interference Figure:
This shows the idealized uniaxial interference figure - the conoscopic
(convergent-light, Bertrand-lens-in) view, for a grain cut with the optic axis
centred and vertical. The coloured rings are isochromatics, computed with the
same physics as the Michel-Lévy bar above; the dark cross is the isogyre.
For a genuinely uniaxial mineral viewed this way, that cross stays perfectly stationary if you rotate the stage - unlike a biaxial mineral, where it splits apart on rotation. That invariance is itself the standard diagnostic test for telling uniaxial and biaxial minerals apart at the microscope.
For a genuinely uniaxial mineral viewed this way, that cross stays perfectly stationary if you rotate the stage - unlike a biaxial mineral, where it splits apart on rotation. That invariance is itself the standard diagnostic test for telling uniaxial and biaxial minerals apart at the microscope.
Optical Extinction:
Parallel
Chemistry of Fluorellestadite
Mindat Formula:
Ca5(SiO4)1.5(SO4)1.5F
Element Weights:
Common Impurities:
Al,Fe,Mn,Mg,Na,K
Crystallography of Fluorellestadite
Crystal System:
Hexagonal
Class (H-M):
6/m - Dipyramidal
Space Group:
P63/m
Cell Parameters:
a = 9.53 Å, c = 6.91 Å
Ratio:
a:c = 1 : 0.725
Unit Cell V:
543.49 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Morphology:
Needles, as hexagonal prismatic, poorly terminated crystals up to 3 mm long, and as fine-grained aggregates.
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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0015322 | Fluorellestadite | Pajares I, De la Torre A G, Martinez-Ramirez S, Puertas F, Blanco-Varela M T, Aranda M A G (2002) Quantitative analysis of mineralized white Portland clinkers: The structure of fluorellestadite Powder Diffraction 17 281-286 | 2002 | synthetic | 0 | 293 |
CIF Raw Data - click here to close
X-Ray Powder Diffraction
Powder Diffraction Data:
| d-spacing | Intensity |
|---|---|
| 3.46 Å | (30) |
| 3.13 Å | (20) |
| 2.86 Å | (100) |
| 2.80 Å | (40) |
| 2.76 Å | (60) |
| 2.66 Å | (30) |
| 2.57 Å | (5) |
| 2.33 Å | (5) |
| 2.30 Å | (30) |
| 2.16 Å | (10) |
| 2.07 Å | (5) |
| 1.97 Å | (60) |
| 1.91 Å | (20) |
| 1.86 Å | (60) |
| 1.83 Å | (30) |
| 1.81 Å | (30) |
| 1.78 Å | (30) |
| 1.73 Å | (30) |
| 1.66 Å | (10) |
| 1.56 Å | (5) |
| 1.55 Å | (5) |
| 1.51 Å | (5) |
| 1.49 Å | (20) |
| 1.47 Å | (30) |
| 1.45 Å | (20) |
Comments:
ICDD 3-708
Geological Environment
Paragenetic Mode(s):
| Paragenetic Mode | Earliest Age (Ga) |
|---|---|
| High-? alteration and/or metamorphism | |
| 31 : Thermally altered carbonate, phosphate, and iron formations | |
| Stage 10a: Neoproterozoic oxygenation/terrestrial biosphere | <0.6 |
| 50 : Coal and/or oil shale minerals | <0.36 |
| Stage 10b: Anthropogenic minerals | <10 Ka |
| 54 : Coal and other mine fire minerals (see also #51 and #56) |
Type Occurrence of Fluorellestadite
Co-Type Localities:
General Appearance of Type Material:
Needles, as hexagonal prismatic, poorly terminated crystals up to 3 mm long, and as fine-grained aggregates.
Place of Conservation of Type Material:
In the Fersman Mineralogical Museum, Moscow, Russia.
Geological Setting of Type Material:
In burned fragments of petrified wood in coal dumps
Associated Minerals at Type Locality:
Synonyms of Fluorellestadite
Other Language Names for Fluorellestadite
Dutch:Fluorellestadiet
German:Fluorellestadit
Wilkeit
Wilkeit
Russian:Эллестадит-(F)
Simplified Chinese:硅硫磷灰石
Spanish:Fluorellestadita
Wilkeita
Wilkeita
Relationship of Fluorellestadite to other Species
Member of:
Other Members of Ellestadite Group:
| Chlorellestadite | Ca5(SiO4)1.5(SO4)1.5Cl | Hex. 6/m : P63/m |
| Hydroxylellestadite | Ca5(SiO4)1.5(SO4)1.5(OH) | Hex. 6/mmm(6/m2/m2/m) : P63/mcm |
| Mattheddleite | Pb5(SiO4)1.5(SO4)1.5(Cl,OH) | Hex. 6/m : P63/m |
Forms a series with:
Common Associates
Associations Based on Photo Data:
| 27 photos of Fluorellestadite associated with Calcite | CaCO3 |
| 9 photos of Fluorellestadite associated with Tobermorite | Ca5Si6O17 · 5H2O |
| 8 photos of Fluorellestadite associated with Ettringite | Ca6Al2(SO4)3(OH)12 · 26H2O |
| 8 photos of Fluorellestadite associated with Vesuvianite | Ca19Fe3+Al4(Al6Mg2)(◻4)◻[Si2O7]4[(SiO4)10]O(OH)9 |
| 6 photos of Fluorellestadite associated with Wollastonite | Ca3(Si3O9) |
| 5 photos of Fluorellestadite associated with Srebrodolskite | Ca2Fe3+2O5 |
| 4 photos of Fluorellestadite associated with Magnesioferrite | MgFe3+2O4 |
| 3 photos of Fluorellestadite associated with Rittmannite | {(Mn2+,Ca)}{Mn2+}{(Fe2+,Mn2+,Mg)2}{(Al,Fe3+)2}(PO4)4(OH)2 · 8H2O |
| 2 photos of Fluorellestadite associated with Cuspidine | Ca8(Si2O7)2F4 |
| 2 photos of Fluorellestadite associated with Magnetite | Fe2+Fe3+2O4 |
Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat Grouping
| 9.AH. | Fluorbritholite-(Nd) | Ca2Nd3(SiO4)3F |
| 9.AH.05 | Iimoriite-(Y) | Y2[SiO4][CO3] |
| 9.AH.10 | Tundrite-(Ce) | Na2Ce2Ti(SiO4)(CO3)2O2 |
| 9.AH.10 | Tundrite-(Nd) | Na2(Nd,Ce)2Ti(SiO4)(CO3)2O2 |
| 9.AH.15 | Galuskinite | Ca7(SiO4)3(CO3) |
| 9.AH.15 | Spurrite | Ca5(SiO4)2(CO3) |
| 9.AH.20 | Ternesite | Ca5(SiO4)2(SO4) |
| 9.AH.20 | Silicocarnotite | Ca5[(SiO4)(PO4)](PO4) |
| 9.AH.25 | Britholite-(Ce) | (Ce,Ca)5(SiO4)3OH |
| 9.AH.25 | Britholite-(Y) | (Y,Ca)5(SiO4)3OH |
| 9.AH.25 | Mattheddleite | Pb5(SiO4)1.5(SO4)1.5(Cl,OH) |
| 9.AH.25 | Fluorbritholite-(Ce) | (Ce,Ca)5(SiO4)3F |
| 9.AH.25 | Fluorbritholite-(La) | Ca2La3(SiO4)3F |
| 9.AH.25 | Fluorbritholite-(Y) | (Y,Ca)5(SiO4)3F |
| 9.AH.25 | Hydroxylellestadite | Ca5(SiO4)1.5(SO4)1.5(OH) |
| 9.AH.25 | 'Calciobritholite' | (Ca,Y)5(SiO4,PO4)3(OH) |
| 9.AH.25 | 'Britholite-(La)' | Ca2(La,Ce,Ca)3(SiO4,PO4)3(OH,F) |
| 9.AH.25 | Tritomite-(Ce) | Ce5(SiO4,BO4)3(OH,O) |
| 9.AH.25 | Tritomite-(Y) | Y5(SiO4,BO4)3(O,OH,F) |
| 9.AH.25 | Fluorcalciobritholite | (Ca,REE)5(SiO4,PO4)3F |
| 9.AH.25 | Chlorellestadite | Ca5(SiO4)1.5(SO4)1.5Cl |
| 9.AH.35 | Dargaite | BaCa12(SiO4)4(SO4)2O3 |
| 9.AH.35 | Nabimusaite | KCa12(SiO4)4(SO4)2O2F |
| 9.AH.40 | Stracherite | BaCa6(SiO4)2[(PO4)(CO3)]F |
| 9.AH.40 | Zadovite | BaCa6[(SiO4)(PO4)](PO4)2F |
| 9.AH.40 | Gazeevite | BaCa6(SiO4)2(SO4)2O |
| 9.AH.45 | Flamite | Ca8-x(Na,K)x(SiO4)4-x(PO4)x |
| 9.AH.50 | Byzantievite | Ba5(Ca,REE,Y)22(Ti,Nb)18(SiO4)4[(PO4),(SiO4)]4(BO3)9O22[(OH),F]43(H2O)1.5 |
| 9.AH.55 | Greenwoodite | (Ba,V3+O)2V3+9(Fe3+,Fe2+)2Si2O22 |
| 9.AH.60 | Kihlmanite-(Ce) | Ce2TiO2(SiO4)(HCO3)2(H2O) |
| 9.AH.65 | Tsangpoite | Ca5(PO4)2(SiO4) |
| 9.AH.70 | 'Enalite' | (Th,REE,Al) [(PO4),(SiO4),(OH)] |
Fluorescence of Fluorellestadite
No luminescence in ultraviolet light (360 nm)
Other Information
Notes:
Soluble and weakly effervescent in HCl, leaving a silica residuum that retains the original form.
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 Fluorellestadite
mindat.org URL:
https://www.mindat.org/min-1575.html
Please feel free to link to this page.
Please feel free to link to this page.
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Mineral Dealers:
References for Fluorellestadite
Reference List:
McConnell, Duncan (1937) The substitution of SiO4- and SO4-groups for PO4-groups in the apatite structure; ellestadite, the end-member. American Mineralogist, 22 (9). 977-986
Pajares, Isabel; De la Torre, Ángeles G.; Martínez-Ramírez, Sagrario; Puertas, Francisca; Blanco-Varela, María-Teresa; Aranda, Miguel A. G. (2002) Quantitative analysis of mineralized white Portland clinkers: The structure of Fluorellestadite. Powder Diffraction, 17 (4). 281-286 doi:10.1154/1.1505045
Burke, Ernst A. J. (2008) Tidying up mineral names: an IMA-CNMNC scheme for suffixes, hyphens and diacritical marks. The Mineralogical Record, 39 (2) 131-135
Pasero, Marco, Kampf, Anthony R., Ferraris, Cristiano, Pekov, Igor V., Rakovan, John, White, Timothy J. (2010) Nomenclature of the apatite supergroup minerals. European Journal of Mineralogy, 22 (2) 163-179 doi:10.1127/0935-1221/2010/0022-2022
Avdontceva, Margarita S., Zolotarev, Andrey A., Krivovichev, Sergey V., Krzhizhanovskaya, Maria G., Sokol, Ella V., Kokh, Svetlana N., Bocharov, Vladimir N., Rassomakhin, Mikhail A., Zolotarev, Anatoly A. (2021) Fluorellestadite from burned coal dumps: crystal structure refinement, vibrational spectroscopy data and thermal behavior. Mineralogy and Petrology, 115 (3) 271-281 doi:10.1007/s00710-021-00740-4
Localities for Fluorellestadite
Showing 54 localities.
symbol to view information about a locality.
The 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).
All localities listed without proper references should be considered as questionable.
Canada | |
| GOLD et al. (1986) |
China | |
| Zhengmin Cao and Weijiong Zhu (1993) |
Czech Republic | |
| Hršelová et al. (2013) |
France | |
| Eytier J.R. & Ch. et al. (2004) |
Georgia | |
| Galuskina et al. (2015) |
Germany | |
| Juroszek et al. (Ti 5 Fe) |
| Skrzyńska et al. (2023) | |
| Juroszek et al. (Ti 5 Fe) | |
| Hamm (1985) |
| Juroszek et al. (2024) | |
| Galuskin et al. (2016) | |
| in the collection of Christof Schäfer | |
| Witzke et al. (1998) |
| www.mineralienatlas.de (2009) +1 other reference | |
Hungary | |
| Kovács et al. (2003) |
Israel | |
| Juroszek et al. (2019) |
| Kahlenberg et al. (2019) | |
| Bartura (1974) |
| Galuskina et al. (2017) |
| Galuskin et al. (2016) +1 other reference | |
Italy | |
| Russo et al. (2022) |
| Cavarretta et al. (1987) |
| Stoppa et al. (2019) |
| Stoppa et al. (2019) |
Japan | |
| Yamada (2004) |
Jordan | |
| Khoury et al. (2015) +2 other references |
| Sokol +9 other references | |
| Khoury et al. (1985) |
Mexico | |
| Miranda-Gasca et al. (1998) +1 other reference |
Middle East | |
| Vapnik et al. (2006) | |
Palestine | |
| Galuskina et al. (2019) |
| Seryotkin et al. (2012) +1 other reference |
| Galuskina et al. (2014) |
Poland | |
| Ciesielczuk (2008) |
| Ł. Kruszewski PXRD and EPMA data |
Portugal | |
| Schnorrer-Köhler et al. (1991) |
Russia | |
| Sharygin (2015) |
| Zateeva et al. (2007) | |
| Cesnokov et al. (1998) | |
| Cesnokov et al. (1998) | |
| Chesnokov et al. (1987) +1 other reference |
| Avdontceva et al. (2021) |
| Avdontceva et al. (2021) |
Slovakia | |
| Koděra et al. (2009) |
Ukraine | |
| Шарыгин (2015) |
USA | |
| Pemberton (1983) +1 other reference |
| Eakle (1914) |
| Woodford et al. (1941) |
| Woodford et al. (1941) | |
| Woodford et al. (1941) | |
| Cooney (1956) +3 other references |
| Identification by Sidney A. Williams |
| Valley et al. (1980) |
Zambia | |
| Cech et al. (1973) +1 other reference |
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Lapanouse-de-Sévérac slag locality, Sévérac-d'Aveyron, Rodez, Aveyron, Occitanie, France