Constituent
Name
Natron
IMA name
Natron
Class
non-silicate mineral
Compound type
carbonate
Relevance
main - major
Arrangement
single phase
Mass fraction
1.0 $\pm$ 1e-05
Abundance comments
99.999%, < 15ppm trace metal
Formula
$Na_2CO_3 \bullet 10(H_2O)$
Chemical formula
Na2CO3•10(H2O)
Elemental formula
Na2 C O13 H20
Isotope mixture type
terrestrial abundance
  Formula Name Family Number min-max Isotope mole fraction State Relevance
$Na$ Sodium element 2 constituent element main
$C$ Carbon element 1 constituent element main
$O$ Oxygen element 13 constituent element main
$H$ Hydrogen element 20 constituent element main
Chemical functions
  Function Number
$(CO_3)^{2-}$ 1
Chemical bonds
  Bond Number
$\dddot - \dddot - C \dddot - O^{-2/3}$ 3
Oxides
Formula $Na_{2}O$ $CO_{2}$ $H_{2}O$
Mass fraction (%) 21.66 15.38 62.96

Strunz

Class
carbonates - nitrates (05)
Division
carbonates without additional anions, with H2O (05.C)
Family
with large cations (alkali and alkali-earth carbonates) (05.CB)
Code
05.CB.10

Dana

Major class
carbonates, nitrates, borates (V)
Class
hydrated carbonates (15)
Type
where A+(XO3)·x(H2O) (15.01)
Group
-Natron- group (15.01.02)
Code
15.01.02.01
Phase type
crystalline
Crystal system
monoclinic
Crystal class
prismatic
Crystal class symbol
2/m (C2h)
Crystal spacegroup
P2/m
Comments
also class domatic m (Cs), space group Cc
Texture
polycrystalline
Molar mass
286.14 $g/mol$
Density
1.478 $g/cm^3$
Refringence type
biaxial
Refringence sign
negative
Birefringence
0.035
Refraction index $n_{\alpha}$
1.405
Refraction index $n_{\beta}$
1.425
Refraction index $n_{\gamma}$
1.44
Dispersion V
r > v
Color
colorless, white, gray, yellow
Diaphaneity
transparent to translucent
Luster
vitreous