Goosecreekite

Goosecreekite is one of the rarest of this Zeolite band of minerals that includes over 40 minerals and these minerals which are gem-type Analcime, Barrerite, Chabazite, Epistilbite, Gmelinite-Na, Goosecreekite, Mordenite, Natrolite, Pollucite, Scolecite, Stellerite, Stilbite, Thomsonite and Yugawaralite. Goosecreekite is amongst the many unusually called minerals. It really is named after the New Goose Creek Quarry in Loudoun County, Virginia, United States Of America. Goosecreekite is found in the vesicles or bubbles of volcanic stone as are most other Zeolites. Goosecreekite is definitely a unusual mineral and very unusual as being a gem that is faceted.

Goosecreekite is found in only three locations: the kind locality at the New Goose Creek Quarry, Leesburg, Loudoun County, Virginia, USA; exceptional crystals are observed at the Pandulena Quarry, Nasik, Maharashtra, Asia; and the OberbaumÄuhle Quarry, Windischeschenbach, Bavaria, Germany.

Chemical Formula: CaAl2Si6O16 · 5(H2O)
Hydrated Calcium Aluminum Silicate
Molecular Weight: 608.62 gm
Composition: 
Calcium 6.59 % Ca 9.21 % CaO
Aluminum 8.87 % Al 16.75 % Al2O3
Silicon 27.69 % Si 59.23 % SiO2
Hydrogen 1.66 % H 14.80 % H2O
Oxygen 55.20 % O
  100.00 % 100.00 % = TOTAL OXIDE
 

 

Crystallography: Monoclinic – Sphenoidal
Crystal Habit: As equant euhedral crystals, highly curved, to 4 cm; in polycrystalline aggregates.
Twinning: None

 

Cleavage: [010] Perfect
Fracture: Irregular/Uneven
Tenacity: Brittle
Moh’s Hardness: 4.5
Density: 2.21 (g/cm3)
Luminescence: None
Radioactivity: Not Radioactive

 

Color: Colorless, White
Transparency: Transparent
Luster: Vitreous to Pearly on crystal faces
Refractive Index: 1.495 – 1.502  Biaxial ( – )
Birefringence: 0.007
Dispersion: Relatively Weak
Pleochroism: None