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Formula: Na3Mg(CO3)2Cl
Anhydrous carbonate containing halogen
Crystal System: Isometric
Specific gravity: 2.38
Hardness: 3½
Streak: White
Colour: Colourless, pale yellow, grey, brown
Solubility: Readily soluble in dilute acids with effervescence. Decomposed by hot water with the separation of
magnesium carbonate (Mindat).
Environments:
Northupite occurs in continental evaporite deposits and in oil shales. At Searles Lake, California, USA it is
associated with tychite,
pirssonite and rarely burkeite
and nahcolite, and at Borax Lake with
gaylussite
and pirssonite. In drill cores in the oil shales at Green River, Wyoming,
USA,
it occurs with shortite,
bradleyite, trona,
pirssonite and
gaylussite
(Dana).
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