Spodumene
Formula: Li2O.Al2O3.4SiO2 or LiAl(Si2O6)
| DENS - Density (Specific Gravity) |
2.60 |
| MLPT - Melting Point (MP) |
1421C M |
The name is from the Greek spodos, meaning burnt to ash. Spodumene is a silicate mineral often referred to as lithium feldspar. Its mineral form is characterized by hard needle-like grains of brilliant white color. It is used in ceramics as a source of lithia.
Lithia is a very powerful flux, especially when used in conjunction with potash and soda feldspars. As one of only a few natural lithium source materials, spodumene is a valuable component in glass and ceramic/enamel glazes (Li2O reduces thermal expansion, melting temperature and viscosity of the glaze melt).
Spodumene is only slightly soluble (in contrast to lithium carbonate). Because spodumene is a natural combination of silica, alumina and lithia it melts better than a chemically equivalent mixture of lithium carbonate, kaolin and silica. Since almost all raw glazes contain kaolin and silica it is normally fairly easy to juggle recipe ingredients in a ceramic chemistry calculation program to introduce spodumene to replace lithium carbonate.
Some types of spodumene do contribute to the formation of bubbles in the glaze slurry. Spodumene is a little more readily fusible than petalite since it is higher in lithium.
Out Bound Links
In Bound Links
Pictures
Spodumene Rock
Spodumene Kunsite
XML for Import into INSIGHT
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<material name="Spodumene" descrip="" searchkey="" loi="0.00" casnumber="66057-55-4">
<oxides>
<oxide symbol="Li2O" name="Lithium Oxide, Lithia" status="U" percent="8.010" tolerance=""/>
<oxide symbol="Al2O3" name="Aluminum Oxide, Alumina" status="" percent="27.410" tolerance=""/>
<oxide symbol="SiO2" name="Silicon Dioxide, Silica" status="" percent="64.590" tolerance=""/>
</oxides>
</material> | 
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