Green mineral formed from the oxidation of nickel-rich rock.
IMA Status:
Approved IMA 1966
Locality:
It was first described from the Gaspe Peninsula in Quebec, but has been reported from elsewhere, including western Australia. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.
Uneven - Flat surfaces (not cleavage) fractured in an uneven pattern.
Hardness:
4-5 - Fluorite-Apatite
Luster:
Vitreous - Dull
Streak:
yellow green
Optical Properties of Gaspeite
Gladstone-Dale:
CI meas= -0.002 (Superior) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC) CI calc= 0.047 (Good) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.1846,KPDmeas= 0.1941,KC= 0.1937 Ncalc = 1.72 - 1.76
Optical Data:
Uniaxial (-), e=1.61, w=1.83, bire=0.2200.
Calculated Properties of Gaspeite
Electron Density:
Bulk Density (Electron Density)=3.64 gm/cc note: Specific Gravity of Gaspeite =3.71 gm/cc.
Fermion Index:
Fermion Index = 0.01 Boson Index = 0.99
Photoelectric:
PEGaspeite = 14.72 barns/electron U=PEGaspeite x rElectron Density= 53.54 barns/cc.
Radioactivity:
GRapi = 0 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units) Gaspeite is Not Radioactive