Arfvedsonite

Arfvedsonite is a sodium amphibole mineral with composition: Na₃(Fe,Mg)₄FeSi₈O₂₂(OH)₂: sodium, iron, magnesium, inosilicate, hydroxide. It crystallizes in the monoclinic prismatic crystal system and typically occurs as greenish black to bluish grey fibrous to radiating or stellate prisms. It has a specific gravity of 3.44 to 3.45 and a Mohs hardness of 5.5 to 6. Refractive indices are nα=1.652 - 1.699, nβ=1.660 - 1.705, and nγ=1.666 - 1.708.

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It is rather rare and occurs in alkalic igneous mineral occurring in nepheline syenite intrusions and agpaitic pegmatites and agpaitic (peralkaline) granites as the Golden Horn batholith in Okanogan county, Washington (type locality for zektzerite). Occurrences include Mont Saint-Hilaire, Quebec, Canada; the Ilimaussaq Intrusion in Southern Greenland; and in pegmatites of the Kola Peninsula, Russia. Its mineral association includes nepheline, albite, aegirine, riebeckite, katophorite, and quartz.

Arfvedsonite was discovered in 1923 and named for the Swedish chemist Johan August Arfwedson (1792-1841).

See also

• List of minerals
• List of minerals named after people

References

• Deer, W.A., R.A. Howie, and J. Zussman (1963) Rock-forming Minerals, v. 2, Chain Silicates, p. 364-374
• Mineral Data Publishing, 2001 PDF
• Mindat with locality data
• Webmineral data
• Mineral Galleries