Mineral phase
IMA name
Cavansite
Type
Class
silicate mineral
Compound type
phyllosilicate
Chemical composition
Formula
$Ca(VO)Si_4O_{10} \bullet 4(H_2O)$
Chemical formula
Ca(VO)Si4O10•4(H2O)
Elemental formula
(Ca2+) V Si4 O15 H8
Isotope mixture type
terrestrial abundance
  Formula Name Family Number min-max Isotope mole fraction State Relevance
$Ca^{2+}$ Calcium cation element 1 constituent cation main
$V$ Vanadium element 1 constituent element main
$Si$ Silicon element 4 constituent element main
$O$ Oxygen element 11 constituent element main
$H_2O$ Water molecule 4 hydration main
Chemical functions
  Function Number
$R-OH$ 2
Chemical bonds
  Bond Number
$\geq Si-O-$ 16
$V-O$ 5
$-O-H$ 2
Oxides
Formula $CaO$ $V_{2}O_{5}$ $SiO_{2}$ $H_{2}O$
Mass fraction (%) 12.42 20.15 53.24 15.96

Strunz

Class
silicates (09)
Division
phyllosilicate (09.E)
Family
Single nets of tetrahedra with 4-, 5-, (6-), and 8-membered rings (09.EA)
Code
09.EA.50

Dana

Major class
silicates (VIII)
Class
phyllosilicate modulated layers (74)
Type
with joined strips (74.03)
Group
V phyllosilicates (74.03.07)
Code
74.03.07.01
Phase type
crystalline
Crystal system
orthorhombic
Crystal class
dipyramidal
Crystal class symbol
mmm (D2h)
Crystal spacegroup
Pnma
Comments
not standard space group given as Pcmn (No 62)
Molar mass
451.42 $g/mol$
Density
2.21 - 2.31 $g/cm^3$
State NTP
solid
Refringence type
biaxial
Refringence sign
positive
Birefringence
0.009
Refraction index $n_{\alpha}$
1.542
Refraction index $n_{\beta}$
1.544
Refraction index $n_{\gamma}$
1.551
Pure color
blue
Color
greenish blue, dark blue
Diaphaneity
transparent to translucent
Luster
vitreous
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