Natrosilite
Current inventory:  0 gems
 

  
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.
 

  
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