Grice, Joel D., Gault, Robert A., Van Velthuizen, Jerry (1996) Penobsquisite: A new borate mineral with a complex framework structure. The Canadian Mineralogist, 34 (3) 657-665

Classification of PenobsquisiteHide

Strunz-mindat (2025):

6.GB.10

6 : BORATES
G : Heptaborates and other megaborates
B : Phyllo-nonborates, etc.

Mineral SymbolsHide

As of 2021 there are now IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols (abbreviations) for each mineral species, useful for tables and diagrams.

Symbol	Source	Reference
Pnb	IMA–CNMNC	Warr, L.N. (2021). IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols. Mineralogical Magazine, 85(3), 291-320. doi:10.1180/mgm.2021.43

Physical Properties of PenobsquisiteHide

Lustre:

Vitreous

Transparency:

Transparent, Translucent

Colour:

Pale yellow

Streak:

White

Hardness:

3 on Mohs scale

Tenacity:

Brittle

Cleavage:

None Observed

Fracture:

Conchoidal

Density:

2.26(3) g/cm³ (Measured) 2.27 g/cm³ (Calculated)

Optical Data of PenobsquisiteHide

Type:

Biaxial (+/-)

RI values:

n_α = 1.550(2) n_β = 1.554(2) n_γ = 1.592(2)

2V:

Measured: 33° (2), Calculated: 37°

Max. Birefringence:

δ = 0.042
Based on recorded range of RI values above.

Interference Colours:
The colours simulate birefringence patterns seen in thin section under crossed polars. They do not take into account mineral colouration or opacity.

Michel-Levy Bar The default colours simulate the birefringence range for a 30 µm thin-section thickness. Adjust the slider to simulate a different thickness.

Grain Simulation You can rotate the grain simulation to show how this range might look as you rotated a sample under crossed polars.

Thickness: 30 µm

Rotation:

Surface Relief:

Moderate

Dispersion:

None.

Optical Extinction:

Y = b; Z ∧ C = 16.6° in obtuse angle beta.

Pleochroism:

Not Visible

Chemistry of PenobsquisiteHide

Mindat Formula:

Ca₂Fe²⁺[B₉O₁₃(OH)₆]Cl · 4H₂O

Element Weights:

Element	% weight
O	56.539 %
B	14.950 %
Ca	12.316 %
Fe	8.580 %
Cl	5.447 %
H	2.168 %

Calculated from ideal end-member formula.

Elements listed:

B, Ca, Cl, Fe, H, O - search for minerals with similar chemistry

Crystallography of PenobsquisiteHide

Crystal System:

Monoclinic

Class (H-M):

2 - Sphenoidal

Space Group:

P2₁

Setting:

P2₁

Cell Parameters:

a = 11.620(3) Å, b = 9.407(2) Å, c = 8.726(1) Å
β = 95.58(2)°

Ratio:

a:b:c = 1.235 : 1 : 0.928

Unit Cell V:

949.31 Å³ (Calculated from Unit Cell)

Morphology:

Unusual morphology. Equidimensional to tabular on {100}, often slightly elongate on [010], triangular in shape.

Forms observed include pinacoids {100}, {101} and {l01}, and the sphenoids {111}, {110}, {l10}, {212} and {112}.

Twinning:

None observed

Crystal StructureHide

Load
Unit Cell | Unit Cell Packed
2x2x2 | 3x3x3 | 4x4x4

View
CIF File Best | x | y | z | a | b | c

Rotation
Stop | Start

Labels
Console Off | On | Grey | Yellow

Data courtesy of the American Mineralogist Crystal Structure Database. Click on an AMCSD ID to view structure

ID	Species	Reference	Link	Year	Locality	Pressure (GPa)	Temp (K)
0005500	Penobsquisite	Grice J D, Gault R A, Van Velthuizen J (1996) Penobsquisite: A new borate mineral with a complex framework structure The Canadian Mineralogist 34 657-665		1996		0	293

CIF Raw Data - click here to close

data_global
_chemical_name_mineral 'Penobsquisite'
loop_
_publ_author_name
'Grice J D'
'Gault R A'
'Van Velthuizen J'
_journal_name_full 'The Canadian Mineralogist'
_journal_volume 34 
_journal_year 1996
_journal_page_first 657
_journal_page_last 665
_publ_section_title
;
 Penobsquisite: A new borate mineral with a complex framework structure
;
_database_code_amcsd 0005500
_chemical_formula_sum 'Ca2 Fe Cl B9 O23 H15'
_cell_length_a 11.620
_cell_length_b 9.407
_cell_length_c 8.726
_cell_angle_alpha 90
_cell_angle_beta 98.58
_cell_angle_gamma 90
_cell_volume 943.158
_exptl_crystal_density_diffrn      2.295
_symmetry_space_group_name_H-M 'P 1 21 1'
loop_
_space_group_symop_operation_xyz
  'x,y,z'
  '-x,1/2+y,-z'
loop_
_atom_site_label
_atom_site_fract_x
_atom_site_fract_y
_atom_site_fract_z
_atom_site_U_iso_or_equiv
Ca1   0.63456   0.28302   0.47322   0.01020
Ca2   0.65876   0.48751   0.09093   0.01080
Fe   0.93944   0.59614  -0.07485   0.01340
Cl   0.98111   0.00000   0.29606   0.02320
B1   0.89660   0.34040   0.31220   0.01060
B2   0.61140   0.58060  -0.30440   0.00900
B3   0.46160   0.73600   0.16480   0.01060
B4   0.15750   0.65380   0.18010   0.00930
B5   0.88310   0.34420   0.02690   0.00910
B6   0.46850   0.23600   0.09940   0.01100
B7   0.07290   0.40100   0.20080   0.01100
B8   0.72250   0.36780  -0.19770   0.00830
B9   0.54390   0.58870  -0.59040   0.01040
O1   0.82880   0.32930   0.16970   0.01080
O2   0.01100   0.37060   0.33260   0.01270
O-H3   0.83800   0.32580   0.43850   0.01740
O4   0.67680   0.46280  -0.32440   0.00970
O5   0.55510   0.64790  -0.43190   0.01230
O6   0.60530   0.62770  -0.15770   0.01510
O7   0.53280   0.68730   0.06400   0.01350
O8   0.62700   0.32440  -0.11040   0.01110
O9   0.52340   0.19890  -0.31740   0.01270
O10   0.76790   0.24440  -0.26910   0.01030
O11   0.14850   0.52180   0.23880   0.01380
O12   0.09840   0.69880   0.03780   0.01130
O13   0.80830   0.43440  -0.08260   0.00890
O14   0.99170   0.42210   0.05940   0.00970
O-h15   0.58630   0.24370   0.19140   0.01730
O-h16   0.42130   0.37820   0.09720   0.03080
O-h17   0.85600   0.77060  -0.17760   0.01580
O-h18   0.65330   0.54990   0.35540   0.01360
O-h19   0.48070   0.45310   0.40030   0.01490
OW20   0.71050   0.03620   0.46480   0.02220
OW21   0.71590   0.99510   0.14200   0.04820
OW22   0.87140   0.67980   0.44260   0.03510
OW23   0.83110   0.66890   0.12940   0.02650
H3   0.88200   0.34700   0.52000   0.05000
H15   0.62000   0.16600   0.16200   0.05000
H16   0.40900   0.39500   0.18200   0.05000
H17   0.19900   0.28300   0.18600   0.05000
H18   0.71300   0.59700   0.40500   0.05000
H19   0.42600   0.46200   0.43400   0.05000
H20   0.76800   0.03700   0.54700   0.05000
H20a   0.72400   0.01000   0.39000   0.05000
H21   0.22900   0.51100  -0.13100   0.05000
H21a   0.32300   0.45600  -0.06600   0.05000
H22   0.08800   0.12100   0.49700   0.05000
H22a   0.11700   0.25700   0.54000   0.05000
H23   0.81700   0.75100   0.10900   0.05000
H23a   0.86100   0.67800   0.22200   0.05000

X-Ray Powder DiffractionHide

Powder Diffraction Data:

d-spacing	Intensity
8.65 Å	(30)
7.29 Å	(100)
5.32 Å	(20)
4.50 Å	(20)
2.958 Å	(30)
2.744 Å	(20)
2.113 Å	(30)

Comments:

Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan Mine, New Brunswick, Canada. The data are from the type description.

Geological EnvironmentHide

Paragenetic Mode(s):

Paragenetic Mode	Earliest Age (Ga)
Near-surface Processes
25 : Evaporites (prebiotic)

Type Occurrence of PenobsquisiteHide

Type Locality:

ⓘ Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan Mine (PCS Mine; Potash Corporation of America Mine), Penobsquis, Cardwell Parish, Kings Co., New Brunswick, Canada

General Appearance of Type Material:

Euhedral crystals to 1.5 mm, found as residue obtained from the dissolution of a halite drill-core.

Place of Conservation of Type Material:

Canadian Museum of Nature, Ottawa, catalogue number CMNMI 81524.

Geological Setting of Type Material:

Potash and halite deposit

Associated Minerals at Type Locality:

Halite

Reference:

Grice, Joel D., Gault, Robert A., Van Velthuizen, Jerry (1996) Penobsquisite: A new borate mineral with a complex framework structure. The Canadian Mineralogist, 34 (3) 657-665

Synonyms of PenobsquisiteHide

IMA1995-014

Other Language Names for PenobsquisiteHide

Dutch:Penobsquisiet

German:Penobsquisit

Russian:Пенобсквисит

Spanish:Penobsquisita

Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat Grouping Hide

6.GB.05	Studenitsite	NaCa₂[B₉O₁₄(OH)₄] · 2H₂O	Mon. 2/m : P2₁/b
6.GB.15	Preobrazhenskite	Mg₃B₁₁O₁₅(OH)₉	Orth. mmm (2/m 2/m 2/m) : Pbcm
6.GB.20	Walkerite	Ca₁₆(Mg,Li,◻)₂[B₁₃O₁₇(OH)₁₂]₄Cl₆ · 28H₂O	Orth. mm2 : Pba2

Fluorescence of PenobsquisiteHide

In UV light:

None observed.

Other InformationHide

Health Risks:

No information on health risks for this material has been entered into the database. You should always treat mineral specimens with care.

Internet Links for PenobsquisiteHide

mindat.org URL:

https://www.mindat.org/min-7223.html
Please feel free to link to this page.

Search Engines:

Look for Penobsquisite on Google

Look for Penobsquisite images on Google

Look for Penobsquisite on Bing

Look for Penobsquisite images on Bing

Look for Penobsquisite on DuckDuckGo

Look for Penobsquisite images on DuckDuckGo

Look for Penobsquisite in the Rock H. Currier Digital Library

External Links:

Look for Penobsquisite on Webmineral

Look for Penobsquisite on Wikipedia

Look for Penobsquisite on Mineralien Atlas

Raman and XRD data at RRUFF project

References and PDF downloads at RRUFF project

American Mineralogist Crystal Structure Database

Handbook of Mineralogy page PDF

Mineral Dealers:

Buy from D. Joyce minerals

References for PenobsquisiteHide

Reference List:

Grice, Joel D., Gault, Robert A., Van Velthuizen, Jerry (1996) Penobsquisite: A new borate mineral with a complex framework structure. The Canadian Mineralogist, 34 (3) 657-665

Grew, Edward S., Anovitz, Lawrence M., Grew, Edward S., Anovitz, Lawrence M. - Eds. (1996) Boron - Mineralogy, Petrology and Geochemistry. Reviews in Mineralogy Vol. 33. Mineralogical Society of America

Jambor, J.L., Roberts, A.C. (1997) New mineral names. American Mineralogist, 82, 207-210.

Grice, J. D., Gault, R. A., Van Velthuizen, J. (2005) Borate minerals of the Penobsquis and Millstream deposits, southern New Brunswick, Canada. The Canadian Mineralogist, 43 (5) 1469-1487 doi:10.2113/gscanmin.43.5.1469

(2005) Penobsquisite. Handbook of Mineralogy. Mineralogical Society of America

Localities for PenobsquisiteHide

This map shows a selection of localities that have latitude and longitude coordinates recorded. Click on the

symbol to view information about a locality. The

symbol next to localities in the list can be used to jump to that position on the map.

Locality ListHide

- This locality has map coordinates listed.

- This locality has estimated coordinates. ⓘ - Click for references and further information on this occurrence. ? - Indicates mineral may be doubtful at this locality.

- Good crystals or important locality for species.

- World class for species or very significant. (TL) - Type Locality for a valid mineral species. (FRL) - First Recorded Locality for everything else (eg varieties). ~~Struck out~~ - Mineral was erroneously reported from this locality. Faded * - Never found at this locality but inferred to have existed at some point in the past (e.g. from pseudomorphs).

All localities listed without proper references should be considered as questionable.


Canada (TL)
New Brunswick Kings Co. Cardwell Parish Penobsquis ⓘ Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan Mine (PCS Mine; Potash Corporation of America Mine) (TL)	Grice et al. (1996)
Hammond Parish Salt Springs evaporite deposit ⓘ Clover Hill deposit (Denison-Potacan mine; Potacan mine; Cassidy Potash mine)	Burns et al. (1992)

Penobsquisite

Unique IdentifiersHide

IMA Classification of PenobsquisiteHide

Classification of PenobsquisiteHide

Mineral SymbolsHide

Physical Properties of PenobsquisiteHide

Optical Data of PenobsquisiteHide

Chemistry of PenobsquisiteHide

Crystallography of PenobsquisiteHide

Crystal StructureHide

X-Ray Powder DiffractionHide

Geological EnvironmentHide

Type Occurrence of PenobsquisiteHide

Synonyms of PenobsquisiteHide

Other Language Names for PenobsquisiteHide

Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat GroupingHide

Fluorescence of PenobsquisiteHide

Other InformationHide

Internet Links for PenobsquisiteHide

References for PenobsquisiteHide

Localities for PenobsquisiteHide

Locality ListHide

Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat Grouping Hide