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Formula: KMg(SO4)Cl.3H2O
Hydrated sulphate containing halogen
Crystal System: Monoclinic
Specific gravity: 2.15 measured, 2.24 calculated
Hardness: 2½ to 3
Streak: White
Colour: Colourless; yellow, brownish, greyish-green, red, violet, blue; colourless in transmitted light
Environments
Evaporite deposits
Metamorphic environments
Kainite is a secondary mineral formed only in marine evaporite potash
deposits, often as a result of subsequent metamorphism, associated with sylvite,
halite, carnallite,
kieserite, polyhalite,
langbeinite and picromerite
(HOM, Dana).
Localities
The type locality, Leopoldshall, Stassfurt Potash deposit, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany, is a potash deposit of oceanic origin
(Mindat).
At the Carlsbad Potash Mining District, Eddy county, New Mexico, USA, kainite occurs in potash deposits associated with
sylvite and langbeinite
(Dana).
Alteration
Kainite is decomposed by water into epsomite and
sylvite
(Mindat).
KMg(SO4)Cl.3H2O + 4H2O → Mg(SO4).7H2O + KCl
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