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Chrysotile Mineral Data

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General Chrysotile Information

Help on Chemical  Formula: Chemical Formula: Mg3Si2O5(OH)4
Help on Composition: Composition: Molecular Weight = 277.11 gm
   Magnesium  26.31 %  Mg   43.63 % MgO
   Silicon    20.27 %  Si   43.36 % SiO2
   Hydrogen    1.45 %  H    13.00 % H2O
   Oxygen     51.96 %  O
             ______        ______ 
             100.00 %      100.00 % = TOTAL OXIDE
Help on Empirical Formula: Empirical Formula: Mg3(Si2O5)(OH)4
Help on Environment: Environment: Clinochrysotile, orthochrysotile, and parachrysotile are now polytypes of chrysotile.
Help on IMA Status: IMA Status: Valid Species (Pre IMA) 1956 (Dana # Added)
Help on Locality: Locality: Link to MinDat.org Location Data.
Help on Name Origin: Name Origin: Named in 1834 from the Greek chrysos - "gold" and tilos - "fiber."
Help on Synonym: Synonym: Asbestos
  Clinochrysotile
  Orthochrysotile
  Parachrysotile
 

Chrysotile Image

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  Chrysotile

Comments: Polished slab of chrysotile asbestos minerals showing the fibrous, chatoyant crystal patterns.
Location: Globe, Globe-Miami District, Gila Co., Arizona, USA. Scale: 8x7x1 cm.
© John Betts - Fine Minerals

Chrysotile Crystallography

Help on Axial Ratios: Axial Ratios: a:b:c =0.5825:1:1.6049
Help on Cell Dimensions: Cell Dimensions: a = 5.313, b = 9.12, c = 14.637, Z = 4; beta = 93.167° V = 708.15 Den(Calc)= 2.60
Help on Crystal System: Crystal System: Monoclinic - Prismatic H-M Symbol (2/m) Space Group: A2/m
Help on X Ray Diffraction: X Ray Diffraction: By Intensity(I/Io): 7.32(1), 3.65(0.7), 4.57(0.5),
 

Physical Properties of Chrysotile

Help on Color: Color: Green.
Help on Density: Density: 2.53
Help on Diaphaneity: Diaphaneity: Translucent
Help on Habit: Habit: Acicular - Occurs as needle-like crystals.
Help on Hardness: Hardness: 2.5 - Finger Nail
Help on Luster: Luster: Silky
Help on Streak: Streak: white
 

Optical Properties of Chrysotile

Help on Gladstone-Dale: Gladstone-Dale: CI meas= -0.015 (Superior) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC)
CI calc= 0.012 (Superior) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.219,KPDmeas= 0.2251,KC= 0.2217
Ncalc = 1.56 - 1.58
Help on Optical Data: Optical Data: Biaxial (?), a=1.569, g=1.57, bire=0.0010
 

Calculated Properties of Chrysotile

Help on Electron Density: Electron Density: Bulk Density (Electron Density)=2.63 gm/cc
note: Specific Gravity of Chrysotile =2.60 gm/cc.
Help on Fermion Index: Fermion Index: Fermion Index = 0.03
Boson Index = 0.97
Help on Photoelectric: Photoelectric: PEChrysotile = 1.39 barns/electron
U=PEChrysotile x rElectron Density= 3.65 barns/cc.
Help on Radioactivity: Radioactivity: GRapi = 0 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)
Chrysotile is Not Radioactive
 

Chrysotile Classification

Help on  Dana Class: Dana Class: 71.01.02d.00 (71)Phyllosilicate Sheets of Six-Membered Rings
  (71.01)with 1:1 layers
  (71.01.02d)Serpentine group (Chrysotile subgroup)
 
71.01.02d.00 Chrysotile! Mg3Si2O5(OH)4 A2/m 2/m
 
71.01.02d.01 Clinochrysotile? Mg3Si2O5(OH)4 Cc, C 2/m Mono
 
71.01.02d.02 Orthochrysotile? Mg3Si2O5(OH)4 Unk Ortho
 
71.01.02d.03 Parachrysotile? Mg3Si2O5(OH)4 Unk Ortho
 
71.01.02d.04 Pecoraite Ni3Si2O5(OH)4 C 2/m 2/m
Help on  Strunz Class: Strunz Class: 09.ED.15 09 - SILICATES (Germanates)
  09.E - Phyllosilicates
  09.ED -Phyllosilicates with kaolinite layers
 
09.ED.15 Clinochrysotile? Mg3Si2O5(OH)4 Cc, C 2/m Mono
 
09.ED.15 Berthierine (Fe,Fe,Al,Mg)2-3(Si,Al)2O5(OH)4 Cm m
 
09.ED.15 Brindleyite (Ni,Mg,Fe)2Al(SiAl)O5(OH)4 C 2 2
 
09.ED.15 Amesite Mg2Al(SiAl)O5(OH)4 C1 1
 
09.ED.15 Antigorite (Mg,Fe)3Si2O5(OH)4 Cm m
 
09.ED.15 Caryopilite (Mn,Mg,Zn,Fe)3(Si,As)2O510(OH,Cl)4 Cm or C 2/m Mono
 
09.ED.15 Fraipontite (Zn,Al)3(Si,Al)2O5(OH)4 Cm m
 
09.ED.15 Cronstedtite Fe2Fe(SiFe)O5(OH)4 P 31m 3m
 
09.ED.15 Chrysotile Mg3Si2O5(OH)4 A2/m 2/m
 
09.ED.15 Nepouite Ni3Si2O5(OH)4 Ccm21 mm2
 
09.ED.15 Greenalite (Fe,Fe)2-3Si2O5(OH)4 Unk Mono
 
09.ED.15 Kellyite (Mn,Mg,Al)3(Si,Al)2O5(OH)4 P 63 6
 
09.ED.15 Maufite? (Mg,Ni)Al4Si3O13•4(H2O)(?) Mono ? Mono
 
09.ED.15 Lizardite Mg3Si2O5(OH)4 P1 1
 
09.ED.15 Orthochrysotile? Mg3Si2O5(OH)4 Unk Ortho
 
09.ED.15 Manandonite Li2Al4[(Si2AlB)O10](OH)8 C1 1
 
09.ED.15 Pecoraite Ni3Si2O5(OH)4 C 2/m 2/m
 
09.ED.15 Parachrysotile? Mg3Si2O5(OH)4 Unk Ortho
 

Other Chrysotile Information

Help on References: References: NAME( Dana8) PHYS. PROP.(Enc. of Minerals,2nd ed.,1990) OPTIC PROP.(Enc. of Minerals,2nd ed.,1990)
Help on See Also: See Also: Links to other databases for Chrysotile :
1 - Am. Min. Crystal Structure Database
2 - Amethyst Galleries' Mineral Gallery
3 - Athena
4 - GeoScienceWorld
5 - Google Images
6 - Google Scholar
7 - HyperPhysics
8 - MinDAT
9 - Mineralienatlas (Deutsch)
10 - Online Mineral Museum
11 - QUT Mineral Atlas
12 - Ruff.Info

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Chrysotile

Mg3Si2O5(OH)4
Dana No: 71.01.02d.00 Strunz No: 09.ED.15
Locality:

 

Notes:

 

 
   
 


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