Brucite
Brucite, Mg(OH)2, is a member of the oxides and hydroxides family. It has a monoclinic crystal system with tabular habit. It is not an important mineral in soils, per se, but it presents a model system for a trioctahedral sheet structure that is not attached to a silicate tetrahedral sheet as in the trioctahedral phyllosilicates. Its dioctahedral corollary is gibbsite, Al(OH)3
Highlighting Features
Magnesium (Mg) atoms Oxygen (O) atoms Single Mg octahedron Single unit cell All atomsCrystallographic Data
Composition
Mg(OH)2
Classification
Trioctahedral Hydroxide
Structural parameters
a=3.073, b=3.073, c=4.496 Å
alpha=90, beta=90, gamma=120°
Space Group: P-3m
atom |
x/a |
y/b |
z/c |
H | 0.389 | 0.778 | 0.435 |
O | 0.3333 | 0.6667 | 0.232 |
Mg | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 |
Reference
Parise, J.B., K. Leinenweber, D.J. Weidner, K. Tan, and R.B. Von Dreele. 1994. Pressure-induced H bonding: neutron diffraction study of brucite, Mg (OD)2, to 9.3 GPa. American Mineralogist. 79:193-196.
Parise J.B., K. Leinenweber, D.J. Weidner, K. Tan, and R.B. Von Dreele. 1994. Pressure-induced H bonding: neutron diffraction study of brucite, Mg (OD)2, to 9.3 GPa. American Mineralogist79:193-196