Aerinite
Aerinite is a very rare, chemically complex, carbonate-bearing silicate. It is typically discovered as sky blue masses of cryptocrystalline fibers that is almost impossible become formed or faceted as cabochons. Aerinite is additionally found as darker blue, iron-rich, compact masses from the Soriana Quarry, Estopiñán del Castillo, Huesca, Aragón, Spain. This darker product is solid and compact sufficient to be faceted although it is typically opaque. These gems have actually appealing dark-blue color and good luster that is vitreous.
Aerinite is found at only an extremely localities that are few: at Caserras, Juseu, and Estopiñan, Huesca Province; Tartaren, Lerida Province; and other less-well-defined localities in Spain. From Saint-Pandelon, Landes, France. In Morocco, at Ourika. From the Gunsight Mountains, Pima County, Arizona, United States Of America.
| Chemical Formula: | Ca4(Al;Fe3+;Mg;Fe2+)10Si12O35(CO3)(OH)12 •12H2O |
| Hydrated Calcium Aluminum Iron Magnesium Silicate Carbonate Hydroxide | |
| Molecular Weight: | 1,944.10 gm |
| Composition: | Sodium | 0.59 % | Na | 0.80 % | Na2O |
| Calcium | 10.51 % | Ca | 14.71 % | CaO | |
| Magnesium | 1.25 % | Mg | 2.07 % | MgO | |
| Aluminum | 8.47 % | Al | 16.00 % | Al2O3 | |
| Iron | 6.89 % | Fe | 5.17 % | FeO / 4.11% Fe2O3 | |
| Silicon | 17.34 % | Si | 37.09 % | SiO2 | |
| Hydrogen | 1.87 % | H | 16.68 % | H2O | |
| Carbon | 0.74 % | C | 2.72 % | CO2 | |
| Oxygen | 52.34 % | O | |||
| 100.00 % | 100.00 % | = TOTAL OXIDE | |||
| Crystallography: | Trigonal – Ditrigonal Pyramidal |
| Crystal Habit: | As masses of cryptocrystalline fibers; earthy, compact. |
| Twinning: | None |
| Cleavage: | None |
| Fracture: | Unknown |
| Tenacity: | Brittle |
| Moh’s Hardness: | 3.0 |
| Density: | 2.48 (g/cm3) |
| Luminescence: | None |
| Radioactivity: | Not Radioactive |
| Color: | Sky Blue to Greenish-Blue, dark Blue |
| Transparency: | Semi-Transparent to Opaque |
| Luster: | Vitreous |
| Refractive Index: | 1.510 – 1.580 Biaxial ( – ) |
| Birefringence: | 0.070 |
| Dispersion: | None |
| Pleochroism: | Intense; X = bright blue; Y = Z = pale beige |
