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Chambersite
Current inventory:  0 gems
 

Chambersite

  
Chambersite is named after Chambers County, Texas where it was discovered.

Discovered in 1962;   IMA status: Valid (pre-IMA; Grandfathered)

 

Chemistry

 

 

Chemical Formula:

Mn3B7O13Cl

 

Manganese Borate Chloride

Molecular Weight:

483.93 gm

Composition:

Manganese

34.06 %

Mn

43.98 %

MnO

 

Boron

15.64 %

B

50.35 %

B2O3

 

Chlorine

7.33 %

Cl

7.33 %

Cl

 

 

 -  %

Cl

-1.65 %

-O=Cl2

 

Oxygen

42.98 %

O

 

 

 

 

100.00 %

 

100.00 %

= TOTAL OXIDE

 

 

Classification

   

   

Mineral Classification:

Borates

Strunz 8th Ed. ID:

5/L.04-30

Nickel-Strunz 10th Ed. ID:

6.GA.05

 

6 : BORATES
G : Heptaborates and other megaborates
A : Tekto-heptaborates

Related to:

Boracite Group. The manganese analog of Boracite and Ericaite.

Members of Group:

Boracite Group: Boracite, Chambersite, Congolite, Ericaite, Trembathite

Varieties:

None

Synonyms:

None

 

 

Crystal Data

   

   

Crystallography:

Orthorhombic - Pyramidal

Crystal Habit:

Crystals are pseudotetrahedral {111}, modified by {001}, {110}, and {111}, to 2 cm, paramorphous and composed of microscopically twinned aggregates of orthorhombic material inverted from the high-temperature form.

Twinning:

Rare as interpenetrant twins on [111] with twin plane {111} (pseudocubic).

 

 

Physical Properties

   

 

Cleavage:

None

Fracture:

Subconchoidal to Irregular/Uneven

Tenacity:

Brittle

Moh's Hardness:

7.0

Density:

3.49 (g/cm3)

Luminescence:

None

Radioactivity:

Not Radioactive

 

 

Optical Properties

   

   

Color:

Colorless, Lilac to dark Purple, Brownish Purple (may darken with exposure to sunlight)

Transparency:

Transparent to Opaque

Luster:

Vitreous (glassy)

Refractive Index:

1.732 - 1.744  Biaxial ( + )

Birefringence:

0.0120

Dispersion:

r > v

Pleochroism:

None

 

 

Occurances

   

   

Geological Setting:

In brine residues from extraction wells in salt domes.

Common Associations:

Halite, Anhydrite, Gypsum

Common Impurities:

None

Type Locality:

Barbers Hill Salt Dome (Barbers Hill), Mont Belvieu, Chambers Co., Texas, USA

Year Discovered:

1962

View mineral photos:

Chambersite Mineral Photos and Locations

 

 

More Information

   

   

 

Mindat.org
Webmineral.com

 

 


Chambersite is a rare borate mineral and is the manganese analogue of Boracite. It is an extremely rare mineral and faceted gems are almost non-existant. The tetrahedral shaped crystals are so small (up to 10mm on edge) that Chambersite gems are usually not 'cut' but the surfaces of the natural crystal shape are just polished. Most crystals are too small and/or too dark to be faceted. Chambersite was discovered in 1962 in a salt brine storage well at Barbers Hill Salt Dome (Barbers Hill), Mont Belvieu, Chambers County, Texas, USA. The only way to find the tiny crystals is by diving to depths of as much as 70 feet in the salt brine.

Distribution: In the USA, from the Barber’s Hill salt dome, Mont Belvieu, Chambers County, Texas (Type Locality) and the Venice salt dome, Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana. In the Jixian Mn–B deposits, Hebei Province, China. From Pomyarka, near Truskarets, Carpathian Mountains, Ukraine.
 

  
Chambersite gems for sale:

Chambersite-001

Gem:

Chambersite

Stock #:

CHAMB-001

Weight:

0.1125 ct

Size:

3.15 x 3.13 x 1.86 mm

Shape:

Trillion

Color:

Dark Purple

Clarity:

I2

Origin:

Venice Salt Dome, Louisiana, USA

Treatment:

None (natural)

Price:

SOLD (but we have others)

Pictures are of the actual gem offered for sale.
Gem images are magnified to show detail.

Chambersite-001

An extremely rare gem from the Venice Salt dome, Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana, USA


 


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