The Borate Minerals are minerals which contain a borate anion group. The borate (BO<sub>3</sub>) units may be polymerised similar to the SiO<sub>4</sub> unit of the silicate mineral class. This results in B<sub>2</sub>O<sub>5</sub>, B<sub>3</sub>O<sub>6</sub>, B<sub>2</sub>O<sub>4</sub> anions as well as more complex structures which include hydroxide or halogen anions. The [B(O,OH)<sub>4</sub>]<sup>âÂÂ</sup> anion exists as well.
Many borate minerals, such as borax, colemanite, and ulexite, are salts: soft, readily soluble, and found in evaporite contexts. However, some, such as boracite, are hard and resistant to weathering, more similar to the silicates.
There are over 100 different borate minerals. Borate minerals include:
- Kernite Na<sub>2</sub>B<sub>4</sub>O<sub>6</sub>(OH)<sub>2</sub>÷3H<sub>2</sub>O
- Borax Na<sub>2</sub>B<sub>4</sub>O<sub>5</sub>(OH)<sub>4</sub>÷8H<sub>2</sub>O
- Ulexite NaCaB<sub>5</sub>O<sub>6</sub>(OH)<sub>6</sub>÷5H<sub>2</sub>O
- Colemanite CaB<sub>3</sub>O<sub>4</sub>(OH)<sub>3</sub>÷H<sub>2</sub>O
- Boracite Mg<sub>3</sub>B<sub>7</sub>O<sub>13</sub>Cl
- Painite CaZrAl<sub>9</sub>O<sub>15</sub>(BO<sub>3</sub>)
NickelâÂÂStrunz Classification -06- Borates
IMA-CNMNC proposes a new hierarchical scheme (Mills et al., 2009). This list uses it to modify the Classification of NickelâÂÂStrunz (mindat.org, 10 ed, pending publication). Note that although NickelâÂÂStrunz division letters were traditionally based on the number of boron atoms in a mineral's chemical formula (06.A are monoborates, 06.B are diborates, etc.), the IMA has reclassified borate minerals based on the polymerisation of the borate anion.
Abbreviations:
- REE: rare-earth element (Sc, Y, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Pm, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu)
- PGE: platinum-group element (Ru, Rh, Pd, Os, Ir, Pt)
- * : discredited (IMA/CNMNC status)
- ? : questionable/doubtful (IMA/CNMNC status)
Regarding 03.C Aluminofluorides, 06 Borates, s (04.H V<sup>[5,6]</sup> Vanadates), 09 Silicates:
- neso-: insular (from Greek , "island")
- soro-: grouped (from Greek , "heap, pile, mound")
- cyclo-: rings of (from Greek , "circle")
- ino-: chained (from Greek , "fibre", [from Ancient Greek ])
- phyllo-: sheets of (from Greek , "leaf")
- tekto-: three-dimensional framework (from Greek , "of building")
NickelâÂÂStrunz code scheme NN.XY.##x:
- NN: NickelâÂÂStrunz mineral class number
- X: NickelâÂÂStrunz mineral division letter
- Y: NickelâÂÂStrunz mineral family letter
- <nowiki>##</nowiki>x: NickelâÂÂStrunz mineral/group number; x an add-on letter
Class: borates
- 06. Alfredstelznerite
- 06.A Monoborates
- 06.AA BO<sub>3</sub>, without additional anions; 1(D): 05 Sassolite; 15 Nordenskioldine, 15 Tusionite; 35 Jimboite, 35 Kotoite; 40 Takedaite
- 06.AB BO<sub>3</sub>, with additional anions; 1(D) + OH, etc.: 05 Hambergite, 10 Berborite, 15 Jeremejevite; 20 Warwickite, 20 Yuanfuliite; 25 Karlite; 30 Azoproite, 30 Bonaccordite, 30 Fredrikssonite, 30 Ludwigite, 30 Vonsenite; 35 Pinakiolite; 40 Blatterite, 40 Orthopinakiolite, 40 Takeuchiite, 40 Chestermanite; 45 Hulsite, 45 Magnesiohulsite, 45 Aluminomagnesiohulsite; 50 Hydroxylborite, 50 Fluoborite; 55 Shabynite, 55 Wightmanite; 60 Gaudefroyite, 65 Sakhaite, 70 Harkerite; 75 IMA2008-060, 75 Pertsevite; 80 Jacquesdietrichite, 85 Painite
- 06.AC B(O,OH)<sub>4</sub>, without and with additional anions; 1(T), 1(T)+OH, etc.: 05 Sinhalite; 10 Pseudosinhalite; 15 Béhierite, 15 Schiavinatoite; 20 Frolovite; 25 Hexahydroborite; 30 Henmilite; 35 Bandylite; 40 Teepleite; 45 Moydite-(Y); 50 Carboborite; 55 Sulfoborite; 60 Luneburgite; 65 Seamanite; 70 Cahnite
- 06.H Unclassified Borates
- 06.HA Unclassified borates: 05 Chelkarite; 10 Braitschite-(Ce); 15 Satimolite; 20 Iquiqueite; 25 Wardsmithite; 30 Korzhinskite; 35 Halurgite; 40 Ekaterinite; 45 Vitimite; 50 Canavesite; 55 Qilianshanite
Subclass: nesoborates
Subclass: inoborates
Subclass: phylloborates
Subclass: tektoborates
See also
References
External links