Chibaite
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| Chibaite | |
|---|---|
 White crystals of the rare silica-hydrocarbon minerals chibaite (IMA 2008-067) and bosoite (IMA 2014-023) from the type and only known locality worldwide for both species: Arakawa, Minamiboso City, Chiba Prefecture, Honshu Island, Japan. | |
| General | |
| Category | Minerals |
| Formula | SiO2•n(CH4, C2H6, C3H8, i-C4H10) (n ≤ 3/17) |
| IMA symbol | Cib[1] |
| Strunz classification | 4.DA |
| Crystal system | Isometric |
| Space group | F2/d3 |
| Unit cell | a = 19.3742 V=7,272.29 Å3 |
| Identification | |
| Colour | white |
| Mohs scale hardness | 7 |
| Luster | Vitreous |
| Specific gravity | 1.933 |
| Optical properties | isotropic |
| Refractive index | 1.470 |
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]
