Serendibite

Harar
(repeating unit)(Ca,Na)2(Mg,Fe2+)3(Al,Fe3+)3[O2|(Si,Al,B)6O18]IMA symbolSer[1]Strunz classification9.DH.40Dana classification69.2.1a.6Crystal systemTriclinicCrystal classPinacoidal (1)
(same H-M symbol)Space groupP1IdentificationColorpale yellow, blue-green, greyish blue, blackTwinningPolysynthetic on {0–11} is commonCleavageNone observedFractureUncommon, conchoidalMohs scale hardness6.5 – 7LusterVitreousStreakWhiteDiaphaneityTransparent, Translucent,OpaqueSpecific gravity3.42 – 3.52 (measured) 3.47 (calculated)Optical propertiesBiaxial (+)Refractive index1.701 – 1.706PleochroismVisible,strong, color: green, blue, yellow, light blue, bluegreen, light yellow2V angleMeasured: 80°DispersionstrongReferences[2][3]

Serendibite is an extremely rare silicate mineral that was first discovered in 1902 in Sri Lanka by Dunil Palitha Gunasekera and named after Serendib, the old Arabic name for Sri Lanka.

The mineral is found in skarns associated with boron metasomatism of carbonate rocks where intruded by granite. Minerals occurring with serendibite include diopside, spinel, phlogopite, scapolite, calcite, tremolite, apatite, grandidierite, sinhalite, hyalophane, uvite, pargasite, clinozoisite, forsterite, warwickite and graphite.[3]

Crystal from Mogok, Myanmar, size: 1 cm x 0.7 cm x 0.7 cm

See also

References

  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. ^ Serendibite: Serendibite mineral information on Mindat
  3. ^ a b "The Handbook of Mineralogy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-09-28. Retrieved 2017-03-12.