Scawtite

Summary

Scawtite is a hydrous calcium silicate mineral with carbonate, formula: Ca7(Si3O9)2CO3·2H2O. It crystallizes in the monoclinic crystal system as thin plates or flat prisms.[3]

Scawtite
General
CategorySilicate mineral
Formula
(repeating unit)
Ca7(Si3O9)2CO3·2H2O
IMA symbolScw[1]
Strunz classification9.CK.15
Dana classification64.2.1.1
Crystal systemMonoclinic
Crystal classPrismatic (2/m)
(same H-M symbol)
Space groupC2/m
Unit cella = 10.12 Å, b = 15.18 Å
c = 6.62 Å; β = 100.55°; Z = 2
Identification
ColorColorless
Crystal habitPlaty - micaceous, parallel to radiating clusters
CleavagePerfect on {001}, poor on {010}
Mohs scale hardness4–5
LusterVitreous
DiaphaneityTransparent
Specific gravity2.77
Optical propertiesBiaxial (+)
Refractive indexnα = 1.597 - 1.603 nβ = 1.606 - 1.609 nγ = 1.618 - 1.621
Birefringenceδ = 0.021
2V angleMeasured from 74° to 78°
References[2][3][4]

Scawtite was first described in 1929 for an occurrence at Scawt Hill in Northern Ireland.[3]

Scawtite occurs as in skarns and hydrothermal veins in limestone. Associated minerals include melilite, spurrite, tobermorite, thomsonite, larnite, grossular, bultfonteinite, calcite, analcime, foshagite and hillebrandite.[2]

References edit

  1. ^ Warr, L.N. (2021). "IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols". Mineralogical Magazine. 85 (3): 291–320. Bibcode:2021MinM...85..291W. doi:10.1180/mgm.2021.43. S2CID 235729616.
  2. ^ a b Scawtite in the Handbook of Mineralogy
  3. ^ a b c Scawtite on Mindat.org
  4. ^ Scawtite data on Webmineral