Ground Kenyaite in a sample container

Kenyaite is a mineral and is a peculiar sodium silicate having a layered structure.[1] It has a chemical formula of Na2Si22O41(OH)8 • 6H2O,[2][3] which means it is made up of variations of different materials including sodium, silicon, hydrogen, and oxygen.[4] The chemical composition of kenyaite is subject to change: when the interlayer of water has different variations; it undergoes different physical conditions; by partial to full exchange of the sodium ions by protons when kenyaite comes into contact with water. This is typical for intracrystalline reactive materials.[5]

Name

The name kenyaite derives from Kenya as this is the location where it was first discovered.[1]

Physical properties

Kenyaite is white in colour and can range from being transparent to translucent.[3] It has a hardness of roughly 4 on Mohs scale of mineral hardness.[2] Kenyaite has a white streak and a density of 3.18. This mineral has a molecular mass of 1,563.99 gm/mol.[4] The mineral habits within kenyaite can be described as concretionary and nodular.[4] These nodules range in size and shape.[2]

Reactions

Kenyaite has been shown to form from the leaching of magadiite, and also from evaporating saline brines in playa evaporite alkaline lake deposits.[4] It can be transformed into quartz when kenyaite decomposes.[5]

Distribution of Deposits

Kenyaite is found in different parts of the globe including, near Trinity Lake, California, Kafra, Niger, and Lake Magadi in Kenya.[3]

References

  1. ^ a b McAtee, J.L; House, R.; Eugster, H.P (1968). "Magadiite from Trinity County, California" (PDF). The American Mineralogist. 53: 2061–2069.
  2. ^ a b c Shtenberg, M.V.; Popov, V.A.; Lebedeva, S.M.; Zainullina, R.T.; Rassomakhin, M.A. (24 April 2019). "Vibrational Spectroscopy of Kenyaite and Magadiite in the Southern Urals". Minerals: Structure, Properties, Methods of Investigation. Springer Proceedings in Earth and Environmental Sciences. Springer, Cham: 237–243. doi:10.1007/978-3-030-00925-0_35. ISBN 978-3-030-00924-3. S2CID 198388894.
  3. ^ a b c Anthony, John W.; Bideaux, Richard A.; Bladh, Kenneth W.; Nichols, Monte C. (1995). "Kenyaite" (PDF). Handbook of Mineralogy. Mineral Data Publishing.
  4. ^ a b c d Barthelmy, Dave. "Kenyaite Mineral Data". Mineralogy Database. Retrieved 22 November 2021.
  5. ^ a b Beneke, Klaus; Lagaly, Gerhard (1983). "Kenyaite--synthesis and properties" (PDF). American Mineralogist. 68: 818–826.
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