Aegirine Mineral Data

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General Aegirine Information

Chemical Formula:

NaFe+++Si2O6

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 231.00 gm

Sodium 9.95 % Na 13.42 % Na₂O

Iron 24.18 % Fe 34.56 % Fe₂O₃

Silicon 24.32 % Si 52.02 % SiO₂

Oxygen 41.56 % O

______ ______

100.00 % 100.00 % = TOTAL OXIDE

Empirical Formula:

NaFe³⁺(Si₂O₆)

Environment:

Sodium rich igneous nepheline syenites.

IMA Status:

Valid Species (Pre-IMA) 1835

Locality:

Norway, Buskerud, Kongsberg. Magnet Cove, Hot Spring County, Arkansas. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

Named after the Teutonic god of the sea. Acmite is from the Greek "point" in allusion to the pointed crystals.

Name Pronunciation:

Aegirine

Synonym:

Acmite

Aegirine Image

Images:

Aegirine

Comments: Fully-terminated, prismatic crystal of aegirine.
Location: Khibiny Massif, Kola Peninsula, Russia. Scale: Crystal size 2.8 cm.
© John Veevaert

Images:

Aegirine Catapleiite

Comments: Clear crystals of catapleiite with an attached 1.8 cm prismatic crystal of dark aegirine.
Location: Mt. St. Hilaire, Quebec, Canada. Scale: 3.5 x 2.2 cm.
© John Veevaert

Images:

Aegirine Henrymeyerite

Comments: A nearly black crystal of henrymeyerite with dark green prismatic crystals of aegirine in quartz.
Location: Green River formation, Uintah County, Utah, USA. Scale: Picture size 3 mm.
© Thomas Witzke / Abraxas-Verlag

Images:

Aegirine Lourenswalsite

Comments: Light brownish rosettes of lourenswalsite with dark green crystals of aegirine and white feldspar.
Location: Diamond Jo quarry, Magnet Cove, Hot Springs Co., Arkansas, USA. Scale: Picture size 3 mm.
© Thomas Witzke / Abraxas-Verlag

Images:

Aegirine Pectolite

Comments: White, cottony pectolite tufts with acicular aegirine.
Location: 3M quarry, Little Rock, Pulaski County, Arkansas, USA. Scale: Not Given.
© Lou Perloff / Photo Atlas of Minerals

Images:

Aegirine Calcioburbankite

Comments: Tan crystal spray of calcioburbankite on dark green aegirine.
Location: Mont Saint Hilaire, Quebec, Canada. Scale: See Photo.
© Jeff Weissman / Photographic Guide to Mineral Species

Images:

Aegirine Manganotychite

Comments: Pale rose-tan granular manganotychite with black aegirine prism.
Location: Lovozero Massif, Kola Peninsula, Murmansk District, Russia. Scale: See Photo.
© Jeff Weissman / Photographic Guide to Mineral Species

Aegirine Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:b:c =1.0978:1:0.6018

Cell Dimensions:

a = 9.65, b = 8.79, c = 5.29, Z = 4; beta = 107.5° V = 427.95 Den(Calc)= 3.59

Crystal System:

Monoclinic - PrismaticH-M Symbol (2/m) Space Group: C 2/c

$Help on X Ray Diffraction:$ X Ray Diffraction:

By Intensity(I/I_o): 2.9(1), 6.369(0.9), 4.416(0.8),

Forms:

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Forms: ( 0 1 0) ( 1 1 0) ( 1 0 0) ( 6 6 1) ( 1 1 1)

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Crystal Structure:

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Cameron M , Sueno S , Prewitt C T , Papike J J , American Mineralogist , 58 (1973) p.594-618, High-temperature crystal chemistry of acmite, diopside, hedenbergite, jadeite,, spodumene, and ureyite, T = 24 C, pyroxene

View Additional jPOWD Structure files for Aegirine
[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9]

Physical Properties of Aegirine

Cleavage:

{???} Distinct, {???} Distinct

Color:

Green, Greenish black, Reddish brown, Black.

Density:

3.5 - 3.54, Average = 3.52

Diaphaneity:

Subtransparent to translucent to opaque

Fracture:

Brittle - Generally displayed by glasses and most non-metallic minerals.

Habit:

Acicular - Occurs as needle-like crystals.

Hardness:

6-6.5 - Orthoclase-Pyrite

Luminescence:

Non-fluorescent.

Luster:

Vitreous - Resinous

Streak:

yellowish gray

Optical Properties of Aegirine

Gladstone-Dale:

CI meas= 0.092 (Poor) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC)
CI calc= 0.109 (Poor) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.216,KPDmeas= 0.2203,KC= 0.2426
Ncalc = 1.85 - 1.87

Optical Data:

Biaxial (-), a=1.72-1.778, b=1.74-1.819, g=1.757-1.839, bire=0.0370-0.0610, 2V(Calc)=68-84, 2V(Meas)=60-90. Dispersion r > v.

Pleochroism (x):

olive green, pale green, pale bluish green, dark grass green, or deep green.

Pleochroism (y):

light bluish green, yellowish green, grass green, or emerald green.

Pleochroism (z):

yellowish green, honey yellow, or light yellow.

Calculated Properties of Aegirine

Electron Density:

Bulk Density (Electron Density)=3.44 gm/cc
note: Specific Gravity of Aegirine =3.52 gm/cc.

Fermion Index:

Fermion Index = 0.01
Boson Index = 0.99

Photoelectric:

PE_Aegirine= 8.29 barns/electron
U=PE_Aegirine x rElectron Density= 28.56 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

GRapi = 0 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)
Aegirine is Not Radioactive

Aegirine Classification

Dana Class:

65.01.03c.02 (65)Inosilicate Single-Width Unbranched Chains, W=1

(65.01)with chains P=2

(65.01.03c)C2/c clinopyroxenes (Na clinopyroxenes)

65.01.03c.01 Jadeite Na(Al,Fe)Si2O6 C 2/c 2/m

65.01.03c.02 Aegirine NaFeSi2O6 C 2/c 2/m

65.01.03c.03 Namansilite NaMn(Si2O6) C 2/c 2/m

65.01.03c.04 Kosmochlor NaCrSi2O6 C 2/c 2/m

65.01.03c.05 Natalyite Na(V,Cr)Si2O6 C 2/c 2/m

65.01.03c.06 Jervisite (Na,Ca,Fe)(Sc,Mg,Fe)Si2O6 C 2/c 2/m

Strunz Class:

09.DA.25 09 - SILICATES (Germanates)

09.D - Inosilicates* Structural terminology according to Liebau (1985)

09.DA -Inosilicates with 2-periodic single chains, Si2O6; pyroxene family

09.DA.25 Aegirine NaFeSi2O6 C 2/c 2/m

09.DA.25 Jadeite Na(Al,Fe)Si2O6 C 2/c 2/m

09.DA.25 Kosmochlor NaCrSi2O6 C 2/c 2/m

09.DA.25 Jervisite (Na,Ca,Fe)(Sc,Mg,Fe)Si2O6 C 2/c 2/m

09.DA.25 Namansilite NaMn(Si2O6) C 2/c 2/m

09.DA.25 Natalyite Na(V,Cr)Si2O6 C 2/c 2/m

Other Aegirine Information

References:

NAME( Sinkankas66) PHYS. PROP.(Enc. of Minerals,2nd ed.,1990) OPTIC PROP.(Heinrich65)

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Print or Cut-and-Paste your Aegirine Specimen Label here :

Aegirine

NaFe+++Si2O6
Dana No: 65.01.03c.02 Strunz No: 09.DA.25
Locality:

Notes: