Pectolite

Pectolite is a white to gray mineral, NaCa₂Si₃O₈(OH), sodium calcium hydroxide inosilicate. 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. There is also a whitish form of the mineral from Alaska that is sometimes marketed as 'Alaska jade'.

Occurrence

It was first described in 1828 at Mount 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.

See also

• Serandite – the manganese analogue

References

External links

• Mineral galleries

1. Larimar
2. List of minerals
3. Silicate mineral
4. List of gemstones by species
5. Schizolite
6. Wollastonite
7. Oilfield scale inhibition
8. Copper silicate
9. Crystal habit
10. Serandite
11. Charles T. Prewitt
12. Carletonite
13. List of mineral symbols
14. Fouling
15. Villiaumite
16. Whin Sill
17. Baoruco Mountain Range
18. Stillwellite-(Ce)
19. Inesite
20. Narsarsukite