Chibaite

(repeating unit)SiO2•n(CH4, C2H6, C3H8, i-C4H10) (n ≤ 3/17)IMA symbolCib[1]Strunz classification4.DACrystal systemIsometricSpace groupF2/d3Unit cella = 19.3742 V=7,272.29 Å3IdentificationColourwhiteMohs scale hardness7LusterVitreousSpecific gravity1.933Optical propertiesisotropicRefractive index1.470

Chibaite is a rare silicate mineral. It is a silica clathrate with formula SiO
2•n(CH
4,C
2H
6,C
3H
8,i-C
4H
10) (n = 3/17 (max)). The mineral is cubic (diploidal class, m3) and the silica hosts or traps various hydrocarbon molecules, such as methane, ethane, propane and isobutane.[2][3]

Chibaite was first described for specimens collected from Arakawa, Minamibōsō, Chiba Prefecture, Honshu Island, Japan. The mineral was approved by the IMA in 2009.[2][3]

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. ^ a b Chibaite on Mindat.org
  3. ^ a b "The Discovery of Chibaite, Elements, June 2012, section: Japan Association of Mineralogical Sciences p. 230" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2021-01-19. Retrieved 2014-03-19.
  • Gatta, C. B., Chibaite, American Mineralogist, New Mineral Names, Volume 97, pp 2064–2072, 2012


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