Catapleiite
Current inventory:  1 gem
 

  
Catapleiite is named from the Greek words kata, for with, and pleios, for many, because it is always accompanied by many other rare minerals such as Aegirine, Analcime, Arfvedsonite, Eudialyte, Leifite and Sérandite to name a few.

Discovered in 1850;   IMA status:  Valid (pre-IMA; Grandfathered) (IMA approved 19)

Chemistry

Chemical Formula:

Na₂ZrSi₃O₉·2(H₂O)

Hydrated Sodium Zirconium Silicate

Molecular Weight:

414.57 gm

Composition:

Sodium

5.55 %

Na

7.48 %

Na₂O

Calcium

8.70 %

Ca

12.17 %

CaO

Zirconium

22.00 %

Zr

29.72 %

ZrO₂

Silicon

20.32 %

Si

43.48 %

SiO₂

Hydrogen

0.97 %

H

8.69 %

H₂O

Oxygen

42.45 %

O

100.00 %

100.00 %

= TOTAL OXIDE

Classification

Mineral Classification:

Silicates (Germanates)

Strunz 8th Ed. ID:

8/E.04-10

Nickel-Strunz 10th Ed. ID:

9.CA.15

9 : SILICATES (Germanates)
C : Cyclosilicates
A : [Si₃O₉]₆- 3-membered single rings (dreier-Einfachringe), without insular complex anions

Related to:

Catapleiite Group. Catapleiite-Caliocatapleiite Series. The sodium analogue of Calciocatapleiite. The monoclinic dimorph of Gaidonnayite.

Members of Group:

Catapleiite Group: Catapleiite, Caliocatapleiite, Gaidonnayite, Georgechaoite, Loudounite, Bobtraillite

Varieties:

None

Synonyms:

None

Crystal Data

Crystallography:

Monoclinic - Prismatic

Crystal Habit:

Crystals pseudohexagonal, thin tabular, to 15 cm; as rosettes of crystal plates.

Twinning:

Polysynthetically twinned at 30º, 60º, and 90º.

Physical Properties

Cleavage:

Perfect on {100}, Imperfect on {101} and {102}

Fracture:

Conchoidal

Tenacity:

Brittle

Moh's Hardness:

5.5 - 6.0

Density:

2.65 - 2.90 (g/cm³)

Luminescence:

Fluorescent; green under SW UV and LW UV

Radioactivity:

Not Radioactive

Optical Properties

Color:

Colorless, White, light Yellow to Yellowish Brown, pale Brown, Grayish Blue, Violet; Colorless in thin section

Transparency:

Transparent to Translucent

Luster:

Weakly vitreous or dull

Refractive Index:

1.582 - 1.639  Biaxial (+); may be Uniaxial (+)

Birefringence:

0.0360

Dispersion:

Moderate; r < v

Pleochroism:

None

Occurances

Geological Setting:

In syenites and nepheline syenites; in pegmatites, typically the result of metasomatic alteration of eudialyte.

Common Associations:

Zircon, Leucophanite, Rinkite, Eudialyte, Epididymite, Låvenite, Astrophyllite, Sodalite, Natrolite, Analcime, Aegirine

Common Impurities:

Ca, Fe

Type Locality:

Låven, Langesundsfjorden, Larvik, Vestfold, Norway

Year Discovered:

1850

View mineral photos:

Catapleiite Mineral Photos and Locations

More Information

Mindat.org
Webmineral.com

Catapleiite is a very rare Zirconium mineral that is rarely available as a faceted gem. There are only a few sources of Catapleiite around the world but the main source of facetable crystals is Mt. Saint Hilaire, Quebec, Canada. Crystals are small so gems are very small.

Catapleiite is available rom Låven Island and other localities around the Langesundsfjord, and at Bratthagen, Norway. In the USA, at Magnet Cove, Hot Springs County, and from Granite Mountain, near Little Rock, Pulaski County, Arkansas; in the Rocky Boy stock, Bearpaw Mountains, Hill County, Montana; at Wind Mountain, Otero County, New Mexico. In Canada, in Quebec, large crystals at Mont Saint-Hilaire, from the Miron quarry, Montreal, and near Saint-Amable; along the Ice River valley, 25 km south of Field, British Columbia. In the Ilímaussaq intrusion, at Narssârssuk, and the Kangderdlugssuaq Fjord, Greenland. From the Norra Kärr complex, near Gränna, Sweden. In Russia, in the Khibiny and Lovozero massifs, Kola Peninsula, and the Inagli massif, 30 km west of Aldan, Yakutia. On the Los Islands, Guinea.
 

  
Catapleiite gems for sale: