Axinite

Object/Artifact

-

Crater Rock Museum

Name/Title

Axinite

Entry/Object ID

2014.1.30

Description

Chemical Composition: Al(OH)3 Crystal System: Hexagonal System Description: Common Name: Axinite Chemistry: Ca2(Mn, Fe, Mg)Al2(BO3OH)(SiO3)4 Group: Silicates Location:Unknown Description: Small specimen with dark lavender bladed crystals. Also twinning visible. Physical Charateristics: •Color is commonly a lilac brown but also yellow, yellow-orange, gray, pale blue and even black. •Luster is vitreous. •Transparency crystals are transparent to translucent. •Crystal System is triclinic; bar 1 •Crystal Habits include flattened wedge shaped crystals, often with a spatula or knife-like shaped edge. Also as granular and as parallel bladed aggregates. •Cleavage is good in one direction. •Fracture is conchoidal. •Hardness is 6 - 7.5 •Specific Gravity is approximately 3.0 - 3.4 (slightly above average for transparent minerals) •Streak is white. •Other Characteristics: crystals are heavily striated on some faces and manganese rich axinites have been known to be fluorescent red. •Associated Minerals are diopside, andradite, quartz, calcite, epidote, scheelite and prehnite. •Notable Occurrences include Madera Co., California and Franklin, New Jersey, USA; Baja California, Mexico; Bahia, Brazil; Switzerland; Obira, Japan; Cornwall, England and France. •Best Field Indicators are crystal habit, hardness, color and striations. Hardness: 7 Quartz Rock Type: Sedimentary

Collection

RAGM Mineral Collection

Acquisition

Accession

2014.1

Source or Donor

Crater Rock Museum (unknown donors)

Acquisition Method

Gift

Dimensions

Height

3 in

Width

1 in

Length

2-1/4 in

Location

Location

Display Case

FS-11

Room

Frieda Smith Hall

Building

Crater Rock Museum

Category

Permanent

Moved By

Curtis Gardner

Date

December 27, 2023