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Dielectric
Dielectric
CONSTANT OF MINERAL
POWDERS
115
116
JOURNAL MINERALOGICAL
tt7
SOCIETV OF AMERICA
e20
Actinolite
Aegirite
Albite
Almandite
Alunite
Amblygonite
Analcite
Andalusite
Andesine
Andradite
Anglesite
Anhydrite
Anorthite
Anthophyllite
Anthracite
Apatite
Apophyllite
Aragonite
Argentite
Arsenic
Arsenopyrite
Augite
6.82
o77
6.02
6.25
I .l+
6 .5 3
6.44
8 .2 8
o.J/
6 1(
7.O2
6.09
6.88
8.4+
over 33.7, under 81
< 1U
6.70
7. 4 4
over 81
10.23
over 81
6.72
Axinite
Azurite
Barite
Bauxite
Beryl
Biotite
Bismuth
Borax
Bornite
Braunite
Bronzite
Brucite
Bytownite
Calcite
Cassiterite
Celestite
Celsian
Cerrusite
Cerargyrite
Chabazite
Chalcedony
Chalcocite
6.15
5 .5 9
7.86
1 0 .8 5
J.
/J
9.28
over 81
6.55
over 81
over81
/.JJ
5. /d
6.36
27.75
6.94
5.74
5.47
10.01
8.70
8.08
over 81
118
TEE AMEMCAN
M I N ERALOGIST
Tasrr 1 (Continued.)
e2o
Chalcopyrite
Chromite
Chrysocolla
Chrysotile
Cinnabar
Clinozoisite
Chlorite
Cobaltite
Colemanite
Copper
Corundum
Covellite
Crocidolite
Crocoite
Cryolite
Cuprite
Cyanite
Datolite
Diallage
Diamond
Diaspore
Diopside
Dolomite
Enargite
Enstatite
Epidote
Fluorite
Franklinite
Galena
Garnierite
Gibbsite
Glauconite
Gold
Gdthite
Graphite
Grossularite
Gypsum
Halite
Hedenbergite
Hematite
Hornblende
Hiibnerite
Hypersthene
Ilmenite
Iolite
Kaolinite
Labradorite
Laumontite
over 81
11.03
11.32
near 33.7, under 81
8.43
8.51
8 .6 3
over 33.7, under8l
5.24
over 81
5 .3 5
over 81
6.65
9.62
8 .1 3
16.20
7.r8
6.50
7. 4 r
4 .5 8
6 .r 7
7.16
6.4.)
over 81
8.23
6 .1 7
7. 1 r
9.37
over 81
10.90
8.37
11.65
over 81
1t.70
over81
7.64
6 .8 3
7. 3 3
8.99
over 81
7. 3 7
6.89
6 .8 5
over 33.7, under 81
6.97
1 1 .1 8
6.98
7.66
c20
Lepidolite
Leucite
Limonite
Magnesite
Magnetite
Malachite
1\{anganite
Marcasite
Microcline
Molybdenite
Monazite
Muscovite
Natrolite
Nephelite
Niccolite
Oligoclase
Olivine
Opal
Orpiment
Orthoclase
Pectolite
Penninite
Phlogopite
Prehnite
Proustite
Pyrargyrite
Pyrite
Pyrolusite
Pyromorphite
Pyrrhotite
/ ..'to
6.78
6.95
6.99
over 33.7, under 81
6.23
over 81
over 33.7, under 81
6.92
over 81
7.98
10.00
7 .s 8
6.82
slightly under 33.7
6.37
6.77
6.74
7 .1 8
6.20
6 . 7|
8.50
7.00
6.52
near 33.7, under 81
near 33.7, under 81
over 33.7, under 81
over 81
5 .8 7
over 81
6 .5 3
Quartz
7)t
Realgar
Rhodochrosite
6.77
Rhodonite
Ripidolite
Rutile
Sanidine
Scheelite
Serpentine
Siderite
Sillimanite
SiIver
Smaltite
Smithsonite
Sodalite
Sphalerite
SpineI
Spodumene
7. r o
10.32
5 .8 5
7. 2 2
t1.48
6.78
9.29
over 81
over 8l
5.02
6.81
5.29
6.77
8.40
JOURNAL MINERALOGICAL
tt9
SOCIETY OF AMENTCA
Tenrn 1 (Continued.)
ez}
Staurolite
Stibnite
Stilbite
Strontianite
Sulphur
Talc
Tetrahedrite
Titanite
Topaz
Tourmaline
6.80
11.15
8.r2
7.03
3.62
9.4r
near81
5 .6 3
6.09
s.17
c20
7 .03
Tremolite
6.14
Vesuvianite
6.20
Wemerite
5.55
Willemite
5.42
Witherite
12.51
Wolframite
6.17
Wollastonite
6.29
Wulfenite
near 33.7, under 81
Zir'cite
6.09
Zircon
I2O
It is most peculiar that some minerals, usually consideredas being electrical conductors, should have given values below 81. The minerals
listed as over 81 were strongly attracted to the needles and usually
arced between the points. For some mineral powders having values of e
somewhat above 33.7 but below 81 no exact results could be obtained
becauseof their extreme activity even when the voltage was reduced to
110.
With few exceptions, our values do not agree, even remotely, with
those given in the International Critical Tables (op. cit'). The reason for
such disparity is due to the very high frequencies used by most of the
other investigators. Whether the size of the sample has a further bearing
upon the variations is unknown but it should be noted that the data
given is for fine mineral powders and not for sizeablecrystals.
Suuruenv
Data are given for the dielectric constants of 160 mineral powders determined by the use of an alternating current of 60 cycles at 220 volts.
While the values given are not specific enough by themselves to be used
for diagnostic purposes, they are useful in the separation of mixed mineral powders and give the correct order of magnitude for work of this
kind. When there is an appreciable difierence between the dielectric
constants of two or more minerals, their separation from a mixed powder
can be accomplishedin a short time. The minerals can be separated, one
by one, by merely altering the dielectric constant of the liquid in which
the mixture is immersed.