Cámaraite

Where it forms, where it's found

Type locality: Verkhnee Espe Massif (Verkhnee Espe deposit)
Akzhaylyautas Mts (Akzhailyautas Mts
Akjaylautas Mts
Akzhalautas Mts)
Tarbagatai Range
Abai Region
Kazakhstan
48.1000°, 81.4500°

1recorded occurrences

Source · OpenStreetMap

Physical

Transparency: Translucent
Colour: Orange-red to brownish-red
Paler than bafertisite
Streak: Pale yellow
Tenacity: brittle
Cleavage: Perfect
(001)
Density: 3.871 g/cm³

Optical

Optical type: Biaxial (+) · 2V measured = 93°
Pleochroism: Strong
X = light brown, Y = reddish-brown, Z = yellow-brown, with Z < X < Y
UV response: None

Crystallography

Crystal system: Triclinic
Cell parameters: a = 10.6965(7) Å · b = 21.478(2) Å · c = 21.478(2) Å
Cell angles: α = 99.345(1) ° · β = 92.315(2) ° · γ = 89.993(2) °
Ratio a:b:c: 1 : 2.008 : 2.008
Twinning: None observed
Parting: None observed
Type-locality form: Platey crystals to 15x8mm and star-shaped aggregates of crystals with different orientations, on fracture surfaces as intergrowths with jinshajiangite and bafertisite.
Comment: Non-standard space group C-1.

Crystal structure

Chemical composition

Constituent elements: Mass composition breakdown
Element Atoms At. mass g/mol Mass g/mol Mass share
8OOxygen Oxygen 36 15.999 575.964
29.77%
26FeIron Iron 8 55.845 446.760
23.09%
56BaBarium Barium 3 137.327 411.981
21.29%
14SiSilicon Silicon 8 28.085 224.680
11.61%
22TiTitanium Titanium 4 47.867 191.468
9.90%
9FFluorine Fluorine 3 18.998 56.994
2.94%
11NaSodium Sodium 1 22.990 22.990
1.19%
1HHydrogen Hydrogen 4 1.008 4.032
0.21%
Total 1934.869 100.00%
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	36	15.999	575.964	29.77%
26FeIron	Iron	8	55.845	446.760	23.09%
56BaBarium	Barium	3	137.327	411.981	21.29%
14SiSilicon	Silicon	8	28.085	224.680	11.61%
22TiTitanium	Titanium	4	47.867	191.468	9.90%
9FFluorine	Fluorine	3	18.998	56.994	2.94%
11NaSodium	Sodium	1	22.990	22.990	1.19%
1HHydrogen	Hydrogen	4	1.008	4.032	0.21%
	Total	1934.869	100.00%

Synonyms

Cámaraiet
IMA2009-011

In other languages

German: Cámarait · IMA 2009-011
Spanish: Cámaraite
Italian: cámaraite

Classification

Strunz

10th ed.

9.BE

9SilicatesClass
9.BSorosilicatesDivision
9.BESi₂O₇ groups, with additional anions; cations in octahedral [6] and greater coordinationGroup
9.BECámaraiteSpecies

Group, growth & confusion

7 members

Literature, links & citation

Citations

2009Williams, P.A., Hatert, F., Pasero, M. (2009) New minerals approved in 2009. in International Mineralogical Association, 1-34.
2009Sokolova, E., Abdu, Y., Hawthorne, F. C., Stepanov, A. V., Bekenova, G. K., Kotel’nikov, P. E. (2009) Cámaraite, Ba₃NaTi₄(Fe²⁺,Mn)₈(Si₂O₇)₄O₄(OH,F)₇. I. A new Ti-silicate mineral from the Verkhnee Espe Deposit, Akjailyautas Mountains, Kazakhstan. Mineralogical Magazine, 73 (5) 847-854 doi:10.1180/minmag.2009.073.5.847 DOI: 10.1180/minmag.2009.073.5.847
2009Cámara, F., Sokolova, E., Nieto, F. (2009) Cámaraite, Ba₃NaTi₄(Fe²⁺,Mn)₈(Si₂O₇)₄O₄(OH,F)₇. II. The crystal structure and crystal chemistry of a new group-II Ti-disilicate mineral. Mineralogical Magazine, 73 (5) 855-870 doi:10.1180/minmag.2009.073.5.855 DOI: 10.1180/minmag.2009.073.5.855
2010Piilonen, P. C., Poirier, G. (2010) New Mineral Names. American Mineralogist, 95 (8) 1357-1361 doi:10.2138/am.2010.565DOI: 10.2138/am.2010.565
2011(2011) Cámaraite. Handbook of Mineralogy. Mineralogical Society of America

Cite this entry

@misc{mineral2026,
  author    = {Mineral Index editorial board},
  title     = {Cámaraite — Mineral Index},
  year      = {2026},
  url       = {https://mineralindex.org/minerals/camaraite-39451},
  note      = {Accessed 2026-05-11}
}