Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jun 14, 2026

Nesquehonite

Nesquehonite is a mineral of magnesium carbonate (MgCO3). It represents the trihydrate of magnesium carbonate, and has the total formula MgCO3·3H2O . It was described in 1890 by F. A. Genth and S. L. Penfield and is named after its type locality of Nesquehoning, Pennsylvania, where it was sampled from a coal mine. Nesquehonite can form from the related pentahydrate Lansfordite by dehydration at room temperature.

Last revised
Jun 14, 2026
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Nesquehonite
General
CategoryCarbonates
FormulaMgCO3·3H2O
IMA symbolNes1
Strunz classification5.CA.05
Dana classification13.1.5.1
Crystal systemMonoclinic
Space groupP21/m
Unit cella=7.705 Å, b=5.367 Å, c=12.121 Å, β=90.451°
Identification
ColourColourless
CleavagePerfect
Mohs scale hardness2.5
LusterVitreous (if fresh)
DiaphaneityTranslucent
Specific gravity1.824-1.854
Density1.6
Birefringence0.114

Nesquehonite is a mineral of magnesium carbonate (MgCO
3). It represents the trihydrate of magnesium carbonate, and has the total formula MgCO3·3H2O .2 It was described in 1890 by F. A. Genth and S. L. Penfield and is named after its type locality of Nesquehoning, Pennsylvania, where it was sampled from a coal mine.2 Nesquehonite can form from the related pentahydrate Lansfordite by dehydration at room temperature.

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