Synthesis and Study of Diaboleïte

R. E. Winchell1 and H. E. Wenden
Department of Mineralogy, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio
1Present address: Department of Geology, California State College at Long Beach, Long Beach, California.

Summary: Diaboleïte has been synthesized between 25 and 100° C at atmospheric pressure and approximate water vapour partial pressures of 14·7 lb/in2. Under similar conditions at 170° C cumengéite appears to be the stable phase produced from a diaboleïte composition. Synthetic diaboleïte is much simpler morpho-logically than the natural mineral but the hemimorphic symmetry is more clearly demonstrated morphologically in the artificial specimens. A comparison of X-ray powder data for natural and synthetic diaboleïte shows almost exact detailed correspondence in line position and intensity between 0 and 180° 2θ. The cell dimensions obtained from X-ray powder data are a 5·869 ± 0·002 Å and c 5·495 ± 0·003 Å.

Mineralogical Magazine; September 1968 v. 36; no. 283; p. 933-939; DOI: 10.1180/minmag.1968.283.036.03
© 1968, The Mineralogical Society
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