|
Pectolite |
Chemical Formula |
NaCa2Si3O8(OH) |
Species |
Silicates |
Crystal System |
Triclinic |
Mohs Scale |
4-5 |
Specific Gravity |
2.84-2.90 |
Color |
Colorless, whitish, grayish, yellowish |
Streak |
White |
Luster |
Sub-Vitreous, Silky |
Refractive Index |
n = 1.594 - 1.610 n = 1.603 - 1.614 n = 1.631 - 1.642 |
Diaphaneity |
Transparent, Translucent |
Cleavage |
Perfecton and |
Fracture |
Irregular/Uneven |
Crystal Habit:Tabular to acicular, radiating fibrous, spheroidal, or columnar; massive |
Geological Setting:Primary mineral in nepheline syenites. Hydrothermal mineral in cavities in basalts and diabases. In serpentinites and peridotites. |
Pectolite is a white to gray mineral, NaCa
2Si
3O
8(OH), sodium calcium inosilicate hydroxide. It crystallizes in the triclinic system typically occurring in radiated or fibrous crystalline masses. It has a Mohs hardness of 4.5 to 5 and a specific gravity of 2.7 to 2.9. The gemstone variety, larimar, is a pale to sky blue.
Occurrence
It was first described in 1828 at Mt. Baldo, Trento Province, Italy and named from the Greek pektos – "compacted" and lithos – "stone".
It occurs as a primary mineral in nepheline syenites, within hydrothermal cavities in basalts and diabase and in serpentinites in association with zeolites, datolite, prehnite, calcite and serpentine. It is found in a wide variety of worldwide locations.