Moissanite Mineral Data

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General Moissanite Information

Chemical Formula:

SiC

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 40.10 gm

Silicon 70.04 % Si

Carbon 29.96 % C

______

100.00 %

Empirical Formula:

SiC

Environment:

Found in lunar samples and meteorites. Widely used as an abrasive. Clear, synthetic material marketed as a gem under the mineral name.

IMA Status:

Valid Species (Pre-IMA) 1905

Locality:

Canyon Diablo meteorite, Meteor Crater, Coconino County, Arizona, USA. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

Named for Henri Moissan (1852-1907), French chemist.

Name Pronunciation:

Moissanite + Pronunciation

Synonym:

Carborundum

Moissanite Image

Images:

Moissanite

Comments: Gemmy, platy crystal of moissanite shown with largest (001) face. The arrow indicates a drop-shaped, black metallic inclusion. (AmMin, 88:1818).
Location: Found in a cobble at a beach along the Turkish coast of the Mediterranean Sea, around 150 km NW from Izmir, and is most likely derived from Tertiary volcanic rocks outcropping in the area. Scale: Scale bar 300 µ-m.
© American Mineralogist

Images:

Moissanite Silicon

Comments: Backscattered electron image of metallic inclusion in moissanite (SiC). The gray shading in the BSE mage consists mainly of pure silicon (Si metal). The brighter areas are composed of Fe-silicide. (AmMin, 88:1818).
Location: Found in a cobble at a beach along the Turkish coast of the Mediterranean Sea, around 150 km NW from Izmir, and is most likely derived from Tertiary volcanic rocks outcropping in the area. Scale: Scalebar 200 µ-m.
© American Mineralogist

Moissanite Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:c = 1:1.63291

Cell Dimensions:

a = 3.081, c = 5.031, Z = 2; V = 41.36 Den(Calc)= 3.22

Crystal System:

Hexagonal - Dihexagonal PyramidalH-M Symbol (6mm) Space Group: P 6₃mc

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

By Intensity(I/I_o): 2.36(1), 2.67(0.8), 2.52(0.5),1.54(0.4), 1.42(0.3), 1.31(0.2), 1.83(0.2), 1.29(0.1),

Crystal Structure:

Mouse
drag1 - LMB Manipulate Structure
drag2 - RMB Resize/Rotate
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H - Help Screen
I - Data Info
A - Atoms On/Off
P - Polyhedra On/Off
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Wyckoff R W G , Crystal Structures , 1 (1963) p.85-237, Second edition. Interscience Publishers, New York, New York, Note: wurtzite structure

Physical Properties of Moissanite

Cleavage:

{0001} Indistinct

Color:

Blue, Colorless, Green, Green yellow, Yellow.

Density:

3.218 - 3.22, Average = 3.21

Diaphaneity:

Transparent to Opaque

Fracture:

Conchoidal - Fractures developed in brittle materials characterized by smoothly curving surfaces, (e.g. quartz).

Habit:

Inclusions - Generally found as inclusions in other minerals.

Habit:

Microscopic Crystals - Crystals visible only with microscopes.

Hardness:

9.5 - Silicon Carbide

Luster:

Metallic

Streak:

greenish gray

Optical Properties of Moissanite

Dichroism (e):

weak blue.

Dichroism (w):

weaker blue.

Optical Data:

Uniaxial (+), w=2.654, e=2.967, bire=0.3130.

Calculated Properties of Moissanite

Electron Density:

Bulk Density (Electron Density)=3.21 gm/cc
note: Specific Gravity of Moissanite =3.22 gm/cc.

Fermion Index:

Fermion Index = 0.03
Boson Index = 0.97

Photoelectric:

PE_Moissanite= 2.39 barns/electron
U=PE_Moissanite x rElectron Density= 7.67 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

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

Moissanite Classification

Dana Class:

01.03.08.01 (01)Native Elements

(01.03)with semi-metallic and non-metallic elements

(01.03.08)Dana Group

01.03.08.01 Moissanite SiC P 6₃mc 6mm

Strunz Class:

01.DA.05 01 - ELEMENTS (Metals and intermetallic alloys; metalloids and nonmetals; carbides, silicides, nitrides, phosphides)

01.D - Nonmetallic Carbides and Nitrides

01.DA -Nonmetallic carbides

01.DA.05 Moissanite SiC P 6₃mc 6mm

Other Moissanite Information

References:

NAME( Dana8) PHYS. PROP.(Dana8) OPTIC PROP.(Dana8)

See Also:

Links to other databases for Moissanite :
1 - Am. Min. Crystal Structure Database
2 - Amethyst Galleries' Mineral Gallery
3 - Athena
4 - GeoScienceWorld
5 - Google Images
6 - Google Scholar
7 - Handbook of Mineralogy (MinSocAm)
8 - Handbook of Mineralogy (UofA)
9 - MinDAT
10 - Mineralienatlas (Deutsch)
11 - Online Mineral Museum
12 - QUT Mineral Atlas
13 - Ruff.Info
14 - Tradeshop.com - The Rainbow of Gems
15 - WWW-MINCRYST

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Ask about Moissanite here :
Ask-A-Mineralogist from the Mineralogical Society of America
Mindat.org's Discussion Groups
Original Rockhounds Discussion Group
Rockhounds Discussion Group on Yahoo Groups
Mineral Discussion Forum from Fabre Minerals - also available in Español

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

Moissanite

SiC
Dana No: 01.03.08.01 Strunz No: 01.DA.05
Locality:

Notes: