Mellite
Mellite is a very rare secondary mineral found associated with brown coal and lignite deposits. It is an organic compound as it is derived from coal. Its name is from the Greek word “melis” for “honey” in allusion to its typical color although it is also found colorless and in shades of brown.
Mellite is only found in a few locations including Germany, from Artern, Thuringia, and near Bitterfeld, Saxony-Anhalt. At Lusice, near Bílina, Valchov, and Boskovice, Czech Republic. Large crystals from the Csordakút mine, Tatabánya, Hungary. From Malevka, Bogoroditsk district, southeast of Tula, Russia.
| Mineral Classification: | Organic Compounds |
| Strunz 8th Ed. ID: | 9/A.02-10 |
| Nickel-Strunz 10th Ed. ID: | 10.AC.05 |
| 10 : ORGANIC COMPOUNDS A : Salts of organic acids C : Benzine Salts |
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| Related to: | Mellite – Abelsonite (?) Series |
| Crystallography: | Tetragonal – Ditetragonal Dipyramidal |
| Crystal Habit: | Crystals are dipyramidal, also prismatic, to 7.5 cm; as nodules and coatings, fine-grained massive. |
| Twinning: | None |
| Cleavage: | [023] Imperfect |
| Fracture: | Conchoidal |
| Tenacity: | Slightly Sectile |
| Hardness (Mohs): | 2.0 – 2.5 |
| Density: | 1.55 – 1.65 (g/cm3) |
| Luminescence: | Pale yellow to blue under LW and SW UV |
| Radioactivity: | Not Radioactive |
| Other: | Pyroelectric. Insoluble in water and alcohol but soluble in HNO3. |
