Hexahydrite
A variety of Minerals
What is Hexahydrite?
Magnesium sulfate or magnesium sulphate (in British English) is a chemical compound, a salt with the formula MgSO4, consisting of magnesium cations Mg (20.19% by mass) and sulfate anions SO4. It is a white crystalline solid, soluble in water but not in ethanol. Magnesium sulfate is usually encountered in the form of a hydrate MgSO4·nH2O, for various values of n between 1 and 11. The most common is the heptahydrate MgSO4·7H2O, known as Epsom salt, which is a household chemical with many traditional uses, including bath salts. The main use of magnesium sulfate is in agriculture, to correct soils deficient in magnesium (an essential plant nutrient). The monohydrate is favored for this use; by the mid 1970s, its production was 2.3 million tons per year. The anhydrous form and several hydrates occur in nature as minerals, and the salt is a significant component of the water from some springs.
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Geochemistry
Anhydrous magnesium sulfate is commonly used as a desiccant in organic synthesis owing to its affinity for water and compatibility with most organic compounds. During work-up, an organic phase is treated with anhydrous magnesium sulfate. The hydrated solid is then removed with filtration, decantation, or distillation (if the boiling point is low enough). Other inorganic sulfate salts such as sodium sulfate and calcium sulfate may be used in the same way.
Key Characteristics
Characteristics of Hexahydrite
Magnesium sulfate relaxation is the primary mechanism that causes the absorption of sound in seawater at frequencies above 10 kHz (acoustic energy is converted to thermal energy). Lower frequencies are less absorbed by the salt, so that low frequency sound travels farther in the ocean. Boric acid and magnesium carbonate also contribute to absorption.
Quick Facts
Physical Properties
- Color
- Colourless, white, pale greenish white; colourless in transmitted light.
- Hardness (Mohs)
- 2 - 2.5
- Density
- 1.745 g/cm³
- Streak
- White
Chemical Properties
- Chemical Formula
- MgSO4 · 6H2O
- Elements
- H, Mg, O, S
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