Mordenite
- Arduinit
- Ashtonit
- Flokit
- Pseudonatrolith
- Ptilolith
- Steeleit
- Steelit
- ( Na2, Ca, K2 ) 4 ( Al8Si40 ) O96 · 28H2O
- (Na, Ca, K) 6 [ AlSi5O12 ] 8:28 H2O
Mordenite is a rarely occurring mineral from the mineral class of " silicates and Germanates ". It crystallizes in the orthorhombic crystal system with the chemical composition ( Na2, Ca, K2 ) 4 ( Al8Si40 ) O96 · 28H2O, where indicated in the parentheses sodium, calcium and potassium and aluminum and silicon can be represented each other in the formula (substitution, Diadochie ), but are always in the same proportions to the other components of the mineral.
Mordenite usually develops prismatic to fibrous crystals feinnadelig - to about 2.5 cm in size spherical mineral aggregates in white, yellowish or pale pink color with white stroke color. Even colorless crystals are known.
Special Features
Occasionally shows mordenite under UV light, a weak white fluorescence.
Etymology and history
Was first discovered mordenite in one of the outcrops of the North Mountain Basalt along the Bay of Fundy near Morden in Kings County in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia. The mineral was described in 1864 by Henry How, who named the mineral after its type locality.
A Cross and Eakins in 1886 and described as Ptilolith (English Ptilolite ) designated Mineral turned in later analyzes as identical with mordenite out. The name was therefore discredited and since then has been synonymous with mordenite.
Classification
In the now outdated but still in use 8th edition of the mineral classification by Strunz the mordenite belonged to the mineral class of " silicates and Germanates " and there to the general ward of the " framework silicates ( tectosilicates ) " where he along with boggsite, dachiardite - Ca, dachiardite - Well, Direnzoit, edingtonite, ferrierite -K, ferrierite -Mg, ferrierite -Na, Gottardiit, laumontite, Mutinait, Terranovait the subgroup of " Faserzeolithe II " with the system no. VIII/J.22 formed within the zeolite group.
The 9th edition used since 2001 and valid by the International Mineralogical Association (IMA ) of the Strunz'schen Mineral classification assigns the mordenite also in the class of " silicates and Germanates " there, however, in the department of " framework silicates ( tectosilicates ) with zeolitic H2O; Family of zeolites " one. This division, however, is further subdivided according to the crystal structure, so that the mineral is found in accordance with its construction in the subsection " chains of five rings ", where it forms the unnamed group 9.GD.35 only together with Maricopait.
The mainly common in English-speaking classification of minerals according to Dana assigns the mordenite in the class of " silicates and Germanates " and there in the department of " framework silicates: Zeolite Group." Here he is with epistilbite, Maricopait, dachiardite - Ca, Na - dachiardite, ferrierite -Mg, ferrierite -K, Na - ferrierite, boggsite, Gottardiit, Terranovait, Mutinait and Direnzoit in the group named after him, " Mordenite and related species " with the system number. 77.01.06 found within the sub-division of "Real zeolites ".
Education and Locations
Mordenite formed either in corridors and veins of igneous rocks, as hydration of volcanic glasses or in sedimentary rocks. Accompanying minerals include various zeolites, calcite, kaolinite and glauconite.
As a rather rare mineral formation mordenite can indeed be abundant in part to different sites, overall it is not very common. Worldwide, so far (as of 2010) about 330 localities known as. Apart from its type locality, the mineral murders occurred in Canada still at Cape Blomidon and Harbour Ville ( Bay of Fundy ) and in the quarry Arlington in Kings County and at Margaretville in Annapolis County in the province of Nova Scotia on. In addition, the mineral " Demix -Varennes " still found in the province of Québec, more precisely in the quarry at Saint- Amable and some quarries near Montréal.
In Austria, mordenite Among other findings during tunnel construction for the South motorway (A2 ) near Klagenfurt in Carinthia, at Feller digging in Zederhaustal in Salzburg and at the Stradner Kogel, the construction of the dance mountain tunnel to the White Sulm and in the quarry Aldrian at Oberhaag in Styria.
Other localities lie among others in the Antarctic, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Bulgaria, China, Costa Rica, Denmark, Ecuador, France, Greece, Greenland, Iceland, India, Italy, Japan, Canada, Mexico, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Portugal, on Reunion Island, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Spain, South Africa, Turkey, Ukraine, the United Kingdom ( UK), the United States of America ( USA) and Cyprus.
Even in rock samples of the " Ninety East Ridge " from the Indian Ocean mordenite was found.
Crystal structure
Mordenite crystallizes in the orthorhombic space group Cmc21 with the lattice parameters a = 18.11 Å; b = 20.46 Å and c = 7.52 Å, and one formula unit per unit cell.