Hanksite - Encyclopedia
Class : Sulfates, chromates, molybdates
Subclass : Anhydrous sulfates
Crystal system : Hexagonal
Chemistry : KNa22(SO4)9(CO3)2Cl
Rarity : Rare
Hanksite is a sulfate from the evaporitic deposits of salt lakes. It is a complex sulfate which contains CO3 groups and chlorine. It was named in honor of Henry Garber Hanks, the first Californian mineralogist. Hanksite occurs in beautiful short prismatic crystals with isoscelohedra, frequently large (10 cm), or tabular, horizontally striated. It is colorless, sometimes yellowish, greenish or grayish following the inclusion of clay particles. In its deposits, hanksite rubs shoulders with other minerals of evaporitic origin such as borax or halite. It is an additional source of sodium.
Main photo : Searles Lake Hanksite, San Bernardino County, California, USA
Hanksite in the World
Twinning
No twins known for this mineral species.
Fakes and treatments
No fakes recorded for this mineral species. The mineralogical specimens are oiled to protect them from an overly humid atmosphere and thus ensure their conservation.
Hardness : 3 to 3.5
Density : 2.56
Fracture : Irregular
Streak : White
TP : Translucent to transparent
RI : 1.461 to 1.481
Birefringence : 0.020
Optical character : Uniaxial -
Pleochroism : None
Fluorescence : Light yellow, blue
Solubility : Nitric acid, hydrochloric acid, water
Magnetism : NoneRadioactivity : None