Mineral phase
IMA name
Bischofite
Type
Class
non-silicate mineral
Compound type
halide
Chemical composition
Formula
$MgCl_2 \bullet 6(H_2O)$
Chemical formula
MgCl2.6(H2O)
Elemental formula
Mg Cl2 O6 H12
Isotope mixture type
terrestrial abundance
  Formula Name Family Number min-max Isotope mole fraction State Relevance
$Mg$ Magnesium element 1 constituent element main
$Cl$ Chlorine element 2 constituent element main
$O$ Oxygen element 6 constituent element main
$H$ Hydrogen element 12 constituent element main
Composition comments
common impurities: Ca, $SO_3$ - Deliquescent: 33.5% (10°C), 33.1% (20°C), 32.4% (30°C)
Oxides
Formula $MgO$ $H_{2}O$ $Cl$
Mass fraction (%) 19.82 53.17 34.88

Strunz

Class
halides (03)
Division
simple halides, with H2O (03.B)
Family
M:X = 1:2 (03.BB)
Code
03.BB.15

Dana

Major class
halides (IV)
Class
anhydrous and hydrated halides (09)
Type
where A(X)2 (09.02)
Group
Bischofite group (09.02.09)
Code
09.02.09.01
Phase type
crystalline
Crystal system
monoclinic
Crystal class
prismatic
Crystal class symbol
2/m (C2h)
Crystal spacegroup
C2/m
Molar mass
203.30 $g/mol$
Density
1.56 $g/cm^3$
State NTP
solid
Refringence type
biaxial
Refringence sign
positive
Birefringence
0.0330
Refraction index $n_{\alpha}$
1.495
Refraction index $n_{\beta}$
1.507
Refraction index $n_{\gamma}$
1.528
Dispersion V
r > v, weak
Pure color
colorless
Color
colorless, white
Diaphaneity
transparent to translucent
Luster
vitreous
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