APPLICATIONS: | Mineral specimens. |
ASSOCIATED MINERALS: | Quartz, feldspars, nepheline, micas and aegirine. |
CHEMICAL STRUCTURE: | (K,Na)3(Fe,Mn)7Ti2(SiO3)8(O,OH)7, Potassium Sodium Iron Manganese Titanium Silicate Hydroxide. |
CLASS: | Silicates. |
CLEAVAGE: | Perfect in one direction. |
COLOR: | Golden yellow or yellowish brown, but also greenish brown specimens are found. |
CRYSTRAL HABITS: | Small tabular or bladed crystals often grouped in star like aggregates. Also, found in lamellar masses. |
CRYSTAL SYSTEM: | Triclinic, bar 1. |
FIELD INDICATORS: | Brittleness, cleavage, color, luster and localities. |
FRACTURE: | Uneven. |
GENERAL INFORMATION: | Color is often patchy or heterogenous in distribution. |
GEOGRAPHY: | Kola Penensula, Khibina, Russia; Colorado, USA and Mt St. Hilaire, Quebec, Canada. |
GROUP: | Astrophyllite. |
HARDNESS: | 3. |
LUSTER: | Vitreous or submetallic to metallic, can be pearly on cleavage surfaces. |
TRANSPARENCY: | Translucent to opaque. |
SPECIFIC GRAVITY: | 3.3 - 3.4. |
STREAK: | Yellowish white. |
SUBCLASS: | Inosilicates. |
