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Natrosilite
Current inventory:  0 gems
 

Natrosilite

  
Natrosilite is named for NATRium (sodium), and SILicon in the composition.

Discovered in 1974; IMA status: Valid (IMA Approved 1975)

 

Chemistry

 

 

Chemical Formula:

Na2Si2O5

 

Sodium Silicate

Molecular Weight:

182.15 gm

Composition:

Sodium

25.24 %

Na

34.03 %

Na2O

 

Silicon

30.84 %

Si

65.97 %

SiO2

 

Oxygen

43.92 %

O

 

 

 

 

100.00 %

 

100.00 %

= TOTAL OXIDE

 

 

Classification

   

   

Mineral Classification:

Silicates (Germanates)

Strunz 8th Ed. ID:

8/H.05-10

Nickel-Strunz 10th Ed. ID:

9.EE.40

 

9 : SILICATES (Germanates)
E : Phyllosilicates
E : Single tetrahedral nets of 6-membered rings connected by octahedral nets or octahedral bands

Related to:

n/a

Varieties:

None

Synonyms:

ICSD 34688, IMA1974-043, PDF 29-1261

 

 

Crystal Data

   

   

Crystallography:

Monoclinic - Prismatic

Crystal Habit:

Thick tabular pseudohexagonal crystals, to 6 cm; granular. 

Twinning:

None

 

 

Physical Properties

   

 

Cleavage:

Perfect on {100} (micaceous); distinct on {001}; poor on {011}

Fracture:

n/a

Tenacity:

Brittle

Moh's Hardness:

n. d.

Density:

2.48 (g/cm3)

Luminescence:

None

Radioactivity:

Not Radioactive

Other:

Soluble in water.

 

 

Optical Properties

   

   

Color:

Colorless; anomalous blue interference colors in thin section

Transparency:

Transparent to translucent

Luster:

Pearly

Refractive Index:

1.507 - 1.521  Biaxial ( + )

Birefringence:

0.014

Dispersion:

None; r < v

Pleochroism:

None

 

 

Occurances

   

   

Geological Setting:

In pegmatites in nepheline syenites in differentiated alkalic massifs (Kola Peninsula, Russia); in sodalite xenoliths associated with an intrusive alkalic gabbro-syenite complex (Mont Saint-Hilaire, Canada).

Common Associations:

Microcline, Analcime, Natrolite, Lomonosovite, Ussingite, Vuonnemite (Lovozero massif, Russia); Aenigmatite, Aegirine, Sodalite, Cancrinite, Eudialyte (Khibiny massif, Russia); revdite (Mont Saint-Hilaire, Canada).

Common Impurities:

K, H2O

Type Locality:

Karnasurt Mt, Lovozero Massif, Kola Peninsula, Murmanskaja Oblast', Northern Region, Russia

Year Discovered:

1974 (IMA Approved 1975)

View mineral photos:

Natrosilite Mineral Photos and Locations

 

 

More Information

   

   

 

Mindat.org
Webmineral.com

 

 


Natrosilite is a rare silicate mineral that is colorless or white, transparent to translucent, with pearly luster and is soluble in water. Gems are very rare and mainly for collector's of the unusual or collectors of water soluble gems. Natrosilite is named for NATRium (sodium), and SILicon in the composition.

The only source for gem quality specimens is the Palitra pegmatite, Kedykverpakhk Mt, Lovozero Massif, Kola Peninsula, Murmanskaja Oblast', Northern Region, Russia. There is also an occurance of Natrosilite at the Poudrette quarry, Mont Saint-Hilaire, La Vallée-du-Richelieu RCM, Montérégie, Québec, Canada but the specimens are far too small for gems.

Natrosilite distribution: on Mt. Karnasurt, Lovozero massif, and in the Khibiny massif, Kola Peninsula, Russia. At Mont Saint-Hilaire, Quebec, Canada.
 

  
Natrosilite gems for sale:

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