Tamarugite

{{Short description|Sulfate mineral}}

{{Infobox mineral

| name = Tamarugite

| category = Sulfate mineral

| image = Tamarugite.jpg

| imagesize = 260

| alt =

| caption =

| formula = NaAl(SO₄)₂ · 6H₂O

| IMAsymbol = Tmr{{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.CC.10

| dana = 29.5.3.1

| system = Monoclinic

| class = Prismatic (2/m)

| symmetry = P2₁/a (no. 14)

| unit cell =

| color = Colorless

| habit = Prismatic, tabular

| twinning = Polysynthetic

| cleavage = {010} perfect

| fracture =

| tenacity =

| mohs = 3

| luster = Vitreous

| refractive =

| opticalprop = Biaxial (+), colorless (transmitted light)

| birefringence =

| 2V = 60° (measured), 48° (calculated)

| pleochroism =

| streak =

| gravity = 2.07

| density = 2.07 (measured)

| melt =

| fusibility =

| diagnostic =

| solubility = Soluble in water

| diaphaneity = Transparent

| other = Slightly astringent and sweet taste

| references = {{cite journal |last1=Mereiter |first1=Kurt |title=Redetermination of tamarugite, NaAl(SO 4 ) 2 ·6H 2 O |journal=Acta Crystallographica Section E |date=15 October 2013 |volume=69 |issue=10 |pages=i63–i64 |doi=10.1107/S1600536813025154|pmid=24098156 |pmc=3790334 |doi-access=free }}

}}

Tamarugite (NaAl(SO₄)₂·6H₂O) is a colorless monoclinic sulfate mineral.[http://webmineral.com/data/Tamarugite.shtml Webmineral.com - Tamarugite][http://www.mindat.org/min-3878.html Mindat.org - Tamarugite]

Deposits containing tamarugite are geographically dispersed with occurrences of the mineral on all seven continents (Antarctica, Oceania, North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa). The mineral's name comes from the Tamarugal Pampa locality in Chile. It is also known as lapparentite.