Hodgkinsonite

Hodgkinsonite

Hodgkinsonite from Franklin Mine, Franklin, New Jersey USA. The translucent and lustrous crystals reach 8 mm and the main crystal here is doubly terminated.
General
Category Nesosilicate
Strunz classification 09.AE.20
Unit cell

a = 11.76Å, b = 5.31Å, c = 8.18Å

β = 95.42°, Z = 4
Identification
Crystal system Monoclinic
Mohs scale hardness 4½ - 5
Optical properties Biaxial (-)
Refractive index nα = 1.720 nβ = 1.741 nγ = 1.746
Birefringence δ = 0.026
Dispersion r < v moderate

Hodgkinsonite is a rare zinc manganese silicate mineral Zn2MnSiO4(OH)2. It crystallizes in the monoclinic system and typically forms radiating to acicular prismatic crystals with variable color from pink, yellow-red to deep red. Hodgkinsonite was discovered in 1913 by H. H. Hodgkinson, for whom it is named in Franklin, New Jersey, and it is only found in that area.[1]

References

  1. Mineral Galleries. Accessed August 22, 2008.

External links

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