Aluminite

{{For|the igneous rock type "websterite"|Websterite}}

{{infobox mineral

| name = Aluminite

| category = Sulfate mineral

| image = Aluminite - Newhaven, Sussex, England.jpg

| imagesize = 260px

| alt =

| caption = Aluminite from Newhaven, Sussex, England

| formula = Al₂SO₄(OH)₄·7H₂O

|IMAsymbol=A{{Cite journal|last=Warr|first=L.N.|date=2021|title=IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols|journal=Mineralogical Magazine|volume=85|issue=3|pages=291–320|doi=10.1180/mgm.2021.43|bibcode=2021MinM...85..291W|s2cid=235729616|doi-access=free}}

| molweight =

| strunz = 7.DC.05

| dana =

| system = Monoclinic

| class = Prismatic (2/m)
(same H-M symbol)

| symmetry = P2₁/c

| unit cell = a = 7.44, b = 15.583
c = 11.7 [Å]; β = 110.18°; Z = 4

| color = White to grayish white

| colour =

| habit = Needles and fibrous masses

| twinning =

| cleavage = None

| fracture = Irregular/uneven

| tenacity = Friable

| mohs = 1 - 2

| luster = Dull to earthy

| streak = White

| diaphaneity = Translucent, opaque if massive

| gravity = 1.66–1.82

| density =

| polish =

| opticalprop = Biaxial (+)

| refractive = n_α = 1.459 n_β = 1.464 n_γ = 1.470

| birefringence = δ = 0.011

| pleochroism =

| 2V = Measured: 90°, calculated: 86°

| dispersion =

| extinction =

| length fast/slow =

| fluorescence =

| absorption =

| melt =

| fusibility =

| diagnostic =

| solubility =

| impurities =

| alteration =

| other =

| references = {{Cite web |url=http://rruff.geo.arizona.edu/doclib/hom/aluminite.pdf |title=Handbook of Mineralogy |access-date=2012-06-10 |archive-date=2012-04-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120426221857/http://rruff.geo.arizona.edu/doclib/hom/aluminite.pdf |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |url=http://www.mindat.org/min-154.html |title=Mindat w/ locations |access-date=2005-09-05 |archive-date=2009-11-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091109185047/http://www.mindat.org/min-154.html |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |url=http://webmineral.com/data/Aluminite.shtml |title=Webmineral |access-date=2005-09-05 |archive-date=2013-01-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130117114225/http://webmineral.com/data/Aluminite.shtml |url-status=live }}

}}

Aluminite is a hydrous aluminium sulfate mineral with formula: Al₂SO₄(OH)₄·7H₂O. It is an earthy white to gray-white monoclinic mineral which almost never exhibits crystal form. It forms botryoidal to mammillary clay-like masses. It has a very soft Mohs hardness of 1–2 and a specific gravity of 1.66–1.82.

File:Aluminite outcrop at Newhaven Cliffs.JPG, England.]]

It forms in clay and lignite deposits as an oxidation product of pyrite and marcasite along with aluminium silicates. It also occurs in volcanic sublimates, in native sulfur deposits and rarely in caves. It occurs in association with basaluminite, gibbsite, epsomite, gypsum, celestine, dolomite and goethite.

It was first described in 1807 from Halle, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany and named for its aluminium content. It is also known as alley stone, halite and websterite (named after Orcadian geologist Thomas Webster).

Aluminite is used by tile and masonry workers to reduce the setting time of mortars.{{cn|date=June 2012}}