Kieserite

Formula:  MgSO4 . H2O

Origin of name:  For Dietrich G. Kieser (1770-1826), German academy president in Jena

 

Crystal system:  Monoclinic

Crystal class:  2/m

Twinning: On {001} contact, polysynthetic about [110]

Unit cell: a = 6.9, b = 7.71, c = 7.54, β = 116.17°

 

Colour:  Colourless, white, grayish white, yellowish

Diaphaneity:  Transparent to translucent

Luster:  Vitreous - dull

Habit:  Crystals bipyramidal; massive, coarse to fine granular

Hardness:  3.5

Specific gravity:  2.57

Cleavage:  5; {110}  and {111} perfect, {111}, {101} and {001} imperfect

Tenacity: Friable to firm, uneven fracture

Streak: White

 

Synonyms/varieties:

 

Comments:  Slowly soluble in water

 

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