Riebeckite

mineral

Oct 11, 2023 - 11:37
 0  12

riebeckite, a sodium-iron silicate mineral [Na2Fe2+3Fe3+2Si8O22(OH)2] in the amphibole family. It forms part of a solid-solution series that includes both magnesioriebeckite (formed when iron is replaced by magnesium) and glaucophane (formed when iron is replaced by magnesium and aluminum).

Riebeckite is a moderately hard mineral with a glassy lustre. It forms prismatic crystals that are dark blue or black in colour. A fibrous variety, crocidolite, is of metamorphic origin and is commonly called blue asbestos.

The mineral is associated with acidic igneous rocks such as granites and syenites. Common deposits are found in Arizona, Colorado, and Massachusetts, U.S.; Greenland; Portugal; Nigeria; South Africa; and portions of western Australia. For detailed physical properties, see amphibole (table).

Amphiboles
name colour lustre Mohs hardness specific gravity
actinolite colourless to gray; darkens with increased Fe through green to black silky; oily 2.9–3.2 2.9–3.2
anthophyllite white, gray, green, or various shades of brown vitreous 5½–6 2.9–3.2
arfvedsonite dark bluish green to greenish black or black vitreous 34460 3–3.5
basaltic hornblende brown to black glassy 34460 3.2–3.3
common hornblende pale to dark green glassy 34460 3–3.4
cummingtonite dark green; brown silky 34460 3.1–3.6
glaucophane gray or lavender-blue vitreous 6 3.1–3.3
richterite brown, yellow, brownish red, pale to dark green vitreous 34460 3–3.4
riebeckite dark blue or black vitreous 5 3–3.4
name habit or form fracture or cleavage refractive indices crystal system
actinolite fibrous massive one perfect cleavage of 56 degrees

alpha = 1.600–1.672

beta = 1.614–1.686

gamma = 1.627–1.693

monoclinic
anthophyllite fibrous or lamellar masses; bladed and prismatic crystal aggregates one perfect cleavage of 54 degrees

alpha = 1.587–1.642

beta = 1.602–1.655

gamma = 1.613–1.661

orthorhombic
arfvedsonite long prisms; prismatic aggregates one perfect cleavage of 56 degrees

alpha = 1.612–1.700

beta = 1.625–1.709

gamma = 1.630–1.710

monoclinic
basaltic hornblende massive one perfect cleavage of 56 degrees

alpha = 1.622–1.690

beta = 1.672–1.730

gamma = 1.680–1.760

monoclinic
common hornblende massive one good cleavage of 56 degrees

alpha = 1.615–1.705

beta = 1.618–1.714

gamma = 1.632–1.730

monoclinic
cummingtonite fibrous or lamellar massive one good cleavage of 55 degrees

alpha = 1.643–1.688

beta = 1.658–1.711

gamma = 1.663–1.731

monoclinic
glaucophane fibrous or columnar massive one good cleavage of 58 degrees

alpha = 1.606–1.661

beta = 1.622–1.667

gamma = 1.627–1.670

monoclinic
richterite elongated crystals one perfect cleavage of 56 degrees

alpha = 1.605–1.685

beta = 1.618–1.700

gamma = 1.627–1.712

monoclinic
riebeckite longitudinally striated prismatic crystals; fibrous massive one good cleavage of 56 degrees

alpha = 1.645–1.701

beta = 1.662–1.711

gamma = 1.668–1.717

monoclinic

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