Clinoferrosilite Mineral Data

General Clinoferrosilite Information

Chemical Formula:

(Fe++,Mg)2Si2O6

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 248.09 gm

Magnesium 4.90 % Mg 8.12 % MgO

Iron 33.77 % Fe 43.44 % FeO

Silicon 22.64 % Si 48.44 % SiO₂

Oxygen 38.69 % O

______ ______

100.00 % 100.00 % = TOTAL OXIDE

Empirical Formula:

Fe²⁺_1.5Mg_0.5Si₂O₆

Environment:

As acicular crystals in lithophysae in obsidian (Lake Naivasha, Kenya). Dimorphous with ferrosilite; forms a series with clinoenstatite.

IMA Status:

Valid Species (Pre-IMA) 1935

Locality:

From near Lake Naivasha, Rift Valley, Kenya. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

Named for its monoclinic crystal system and chemical identity with ferrosilite.

Synonym:

Clinohypersthene

ICSD 30675

PDF 17-548

Clinoferrosilite Image

Images:

Clinoferrosilite

Comments: Light green crystalline clinoferrosilite with dark green diopside.
Location: Bushveld Complex, Merensky Reef, Rustenberg, Northern Province, South Africa. Scale: See Photo.
© Jeff Weissman / Photographic Guide to Mineral Species

Clinoferrosilite Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:b:c =1.0347:1:0.5591

Cell Dimensions:

a = 9.53, b = 9.21, c = 5.15, Z = 4; beta = 107.633° V = 430.78 Den(Calc)= 3.83

Crystal System:

Monoclinic - Prismatic H-M Symbol (2/m) Space Group: P 2₁/c

$Help on X Ray Diffraction:$ X Ray Diffraction:

By Intensity(I/I_o): 3.03(1), 3.23(0.8), 3.35(0.8),

Physical Properties of Clinoferrosilite

Cleavage:

{110} Distinct

Color:

Brown, Colorless, Green.

Density:

4.068

Diaphaneity:

Transparent

Fracture:

Brittle - Generally displayed by glasses and most non-metallic minerals.

Hardness:

5-6 - Between Apatite and Orthoclase

Luster:

Vitreous (Glassy)

Streak:

white

Optical Properties of Clinoferrosilite

Gladstone-Dale:

CI meas= 0.042 (Good) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC)
CI calc= -0.018 (Superior) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.2022,KPDmeas= 0.1903,KC= 0.1987
Ncalc = 1.76 - 1.81

Optical Data:

Biaxial (+), a=1.764, b=1.767, g=1.792, bire=0.0280, 2V(Calc)=40, 2V(Meas)=25.

Calculated Properties of Clinoferrosilite

Electron Density:

Bulk Density (Electron Density)=3.74 gm/cc
note: Specific Gravity of Clinoferrosilite =3.83 gm/cc.

Fermion Index:

Fermion Index = 0.02
Boson Index = 0.98

Photoelectric:

PE_{Clinoferrosilite}= 11.05 barns/electron
U=PE_{Clinoferrosilite} x rElectron Density= 41.28 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

GRapi = 0 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)
Clinoferrosilite is Not Radioactive

Clinoferrosilite Classification

Dana Class:

65.01.01.02 (65)Inosilicate Single-Width Unbranched Chains, W=1

(65.01)with chains P=2

(65.01.01)P2/c clinopyroxenes

65.01.01.01 Clinoenstatite Mg2Si2O6 P 2₁/c 2/m

65.01.01.02 Clinoferrosilite (Fe,Mg)2Si2O6 P 2₁/c 2/m

65.01.01.03 Kanoite (Mn,Mg)2Si2O6 P 2₁/c 2/m

65.01.01.04 Pigeonite (Mg,Fe,Ca)(Mg,Fe)Si2O6 P 2₁/c 2/m

Strunz Class:

09.DA.10 09 - SILICATES (Germanates)

09.D - Inosilicates* Structural terminology according to Liebau (1985)

09.DA -Inosilicates with 2-periodic single chains, Si2O6; pyroxene family

09.DA.10 Clinoenstatite Mg2Si2O6 P 2₁/c 2/m

09.DA.10 Clinoferrosilite (Fe,Mg)2Si2O6 P 2₁/c 2/m

09.DA.10 Kanoite (Mn,Mg)2Si2O6 P 2₁/c 2/m

09.DA.10 Pigeonite (Mg,Fe,Ca)(Mg,Fe)Si2O6 P 2₁/c 2/m

Other Clinoferrosilite Information

References:

NAME( AntBidBlaNic2) PHYS. PROP.(Enc. of Minerals,2nd ed.,1990) OPTIC PROP.(Enc. of Minerals,2nd ed.,1990)

See Also:

Links to other databases for Clinoferrosilite :
1 - Am. Min. Crystal Structure Database
2 - Athena
3 - EUROmin Project
4 - Ecole des Mines de Paris
5 - GeoScienceWorld
6 - Google Images
7 - Google Scholar
8 - Handbook of Mineralogy (MinSocAm)
9 - Handbook of Mineralogy (UofA)
10 - MinDAT
11 - Mineralienatlas (Deutsch)
12 - Online Mineral Museum
13 - QUT Mineral Atlas
14 - Ruff.Info
15 - WWW-MINCRYST

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Print or Cut-and-Paste your Clinoferrosilite Specimen Label here :

Clinoferrosilite

(Fe++,Mg)2Si2O6
Dana No: 65.01.01.02 Strunz No: 09.DA.10
Locality:

Notes:

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