Aradite

Where it forms, where it's found

Geological setting: In paralavas enclosed in pyrometamorphic rocks.
Type locality: Aradite type locality
Tamar Regional Council
Beersheba Subdistrict
Southern District
Israel
31.2000°, 35.2333°

3recorded occurrences

Source · OpenStreetMap

Physical

Transparency: Transparent
Colour: Colorless
Streak: White
Fracture: Irregular/Uneven

Optical

Optical type: Uniaxial (-)
Refractive index: 1.78 – 1.784
Surface relief: High
Principal indices: n_ω 1.784 · n_ε 1.780

Michel-Lévy diagramhighlighted lineδ = 0.0040

Attainable Michel-Lévy rangeΔ ∈ [0, t·δ_max]40 nm1st order

Δ = 0Δ_max

Section thickness10 μmStage rotation0°

Thin-section mosaic70 grains · random 3D orientations

PPL

pleochroism per grain

XPL

independent extinctions · rotate the stage

Interference simulatorsingle grain · PPL ↔ XPL

PPL

pleochroism only · colour blends on rotation

XPL

interference colour · extinct every 90°

Retardation40 nm

Order1st order

XPL colour

Crystallography

Crystal system: Trigonal
Space group: #86
Cell parameters: a = 7.1300(1) Å · c = 26.2033(9) Å
Unit cell volume: 1153.63 Å³
Z: 3

Crystal structure

Chemical composition

Constituent elements: Mass composition breakdown
Element Atoms At. mass g/mol Mass g/mol Mass share
8OOxygen Oxygen 16 15.999 255.984
30.71%
20CaCalcium Calcium 6 40.078 240.468
28.84%
23VVanadium Vanadium 3 50.942 152.826
18.33%
56BaBarium Barium 1 137.327 137.327
16.47%
14SiSilicon Silicon 1 28.085 28.085
3.37%
9FFluorine Fluorine 1 18.998 18.998
2.28%
Total 833.688 100.00%
Mass share = atoms × atomic mass ÷ molar mass × 100
From IMA formula

Mass composition breakdown
Element	Atoms	At. mass g/mol	Mass g/mol	Mass share
8OOxygen	Oxygen	16	15.999	255.984	30.71%
20CaCalcium	Calcium	6	40.078	240.468	28.84%
23VVanadium	Vanadium	3	50.942	152.826	18.33%
56BaBarium	Barium	1	137.327	137.327	16.47%
14SiSilicon	Silicon	1	28.085	28.085	3.37%
9FFluorine	Fluorine	1	18.998	18.998	2.28%
	Total	833.688	100.00%

Synonyms

Aradiet
Araditt
IMA2013-047

In other languages

German: Aradit · IMA 2013-047
Italian: aradite

Classification

Strunz

10th ed.

8.BN

8Phosphates, Arsenates, VanadatesClass
8.BPhosphates, etc., with additional anions, without H₂ODivision
8.BNWith only large cations, (OH, etc.):RO₄ = 0.33:1Group
8.BNAraditeSpecies

Group, growth & confusion

3 members

2 minerals

Literature, links & citation

Citations

2013Williams, P. A., Hatert, F., Pasero, M., Mills, S. J. (2013) New minerals and nomenclature modifications approved in 2013. CNMNC Newsletter No.17. Mineralogical Magazine, 77 (7) 2997-3005 doi:10.1180/minmag.2013.077.7.09DOI: 10.1180/minmag.2013.077.7.09
2015Williams, P. A., Hatert, F., Pasero, M., Mills, S. J. (2015) New minerals and nomenclature modifications approved in 2014 and 2015. Newsletter No 23. Mineralogical Magazine, 79 (1) 51-58 doi:10.1180/minmag.2015.079.1.05DOI: 10.1180/minmag.2015.079.1.05
2015Galuskin, E. V., Gfeller, F., Galuskina, I. O., Pakhomova, A., Armbruster, T., Vapnik, Y., Włodyka, R., Dzierżanowski, P., Murashko, M. (2015) New minerals with a modular structure derived from hatrurite from the pyrometamorphic Hatrurim Complex. Part II. Zadovite, BaCa₆[(SiO₄)(PO₄)](PO₄)₂F and aradite, BaCa₆[(SiO₄)(VO₄)](VO₄)₂F, from paralavas of the Hatrurim Basin, Negev Desert, Israel. Mineralogical Magazine, 79 (5) 1073-1087 doi:10.1180/minmag.2015.079.5.04 DOI: 10.1180/minmag.2015.079.5.04
2016(2016) Aradite. Handbook of Mineralogy. Mineralogical Society of America
2016Belakovskiy, Dmitriy I.; Cámara, Fernando; Gagne, Olivier C.; Uvarova, Yulia (2016) New mineral names. American Mineralogist, 101 (7). 1709-1716 doi:10.2138/am-2016-nmn101714DOI: 10.2138/am-2016-nmn101714

Cite this entry

@misc{mineral2026,
  author    = {Mineral Index editorial board},
  title     = {Aradite — Mineral Index},
  year      = {2026},
  url       = {https://mineralindex.org/minerals/aradite-43920},
  note      = {Accessed 2026-05-11}
}