Larnite

Larnite
General
Category Nesosilicates
Formula
(repeating unit)
Ca2SiO4
Strunz classification 9.AD.05
Crystal system Monoclinic
Crystal class Prismatic (2/m)
H-M symbol: (2/m)
Space group Monoclinic
Space group: P21/n
Unit cell a = 5.5, b = 6.74
c = 9.29 [Å]; β = 94.59°; Z = 4
Identification
Color White to gray
Crystal habit Flattened anhedral grains; massive
Twinning Common, polysynthetic parallel to {100}
Cleavage Good on {100}, imperfect on {010}
Mohs scale hardness 6
Luster Vitreous
Streak White
Diaphaneity Transparent to translucent
Specific gravity 3.28–3.33
Optical properties Biaxial (+)
Refractive index nα = 1.707 nβ = 1.715 nγ = 1.730
Birefringence δ = 0.023
2V angle 74° calculated
Dispersion r > v
References [1]

Larnite is a calcium silicate mineral with formula: Ca2SiO4.

It was first described from an occurrence at Scawt Hill, Larne, Northern Ireland in 1929 by Cecil Edgar Tilley and named for the location.[1] At the type locality it occurs with wollastonite, spurrite, perovskite, merwinite, melilite and gehlenite. It occurs in contact metamorphosed limestones and chalks adjacent to basaltic intrusives.[1]

Dicalcium silicate is chemically, β–Ca2SiO4, sometimes represented by the formula 2CaO·SiO2. When used in the cement industry, the mineral is usually referred to as belite.

References

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 10/3/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.