Chloritoid

Chloritoid is a silicate mineral of metamorphic origin. It is an iron magnesium manganese alumino-silicate hydroxide with formula (Fe, Mg, Mn)
2
Al
4
Si
2
O
10
(OH)
4
. It occurs as greenish grey to black platy micaceous crystals and foliated masses. Its Mohs hardness is 6.5, unusually high for a platy mineral, and it has a specific gravity of 3.52 to 3.57. It typically occurs in phyllites, schists and marbles.

Chloritoid
Chloritoid crystal group on matrix from Nuristan Province, Afghanistan (size:6.3 x 3.5 x 3.0 cm)
General
CategoryNesosilicates
Formula
(repeating unit)
(Fe,Mg,Mn)
2
Al
4
Si
2
O
10
(OH)
4
Strunz classification9.AF.85
Dana classification52.03.03.01
Crystal system1A polytype: triclinic
2M polytype: monoclinic
Crystal class1A polytype: pinacoidal (1)
2M polytype: prismatic (2/m)
Unit cell1A polytype: a = 9.46 Å,
b = 5.50 Å, c = 9.15 Å;
α = 97.05°, β = 101.56°,
γ = 90.10°
2M polytype: a = 9.50 Å,
b = 5.50 Å, c = 18.22 Å;
β = 101.9°; Z = 4
Identification
ColorDark gray, greenish gray, greenish black
Crystal habitTabular pseudohexagonal crystals; rosettes, commonly coarsely foliated with foliae typically curved or bent; also massive
TwinningCommon on {001}, polysynthetic may be lamellar
CleavagePerfect on {001}, distinct on {110}; parting on {010}
TenacityBrittle
Mohs scale hardness6.5
Lusterpearly on cleavage surfaces
StreakWhite, grayish, or very slightly greenish
DiaphaneityTranslucent
Specific gravity3.46 – 3.80
Optical propertiesBiaxial (+) or (–)
Refractive indexnα = 1.713 - 1.730 nβ = 1.719 - 1.734 nγ = 1.723 - 1.740
Birefringenceδ = 0.010
PleochroismX = olive-green to yellow; Y = grayish blue to blue; Z = colorless to pale greenish yellow
2V angleMeasured: 36° to 89°
Dispersionr > v; strong
References[1][2][3]

Both monoclinic and triclinic polytypes exist and both are pseudohexagonal.[1][2]

It was first described in 1837 from localities in the Ural Mountains region of Russia. It was named for its similarity to the chlorite group of minerals.[2][3]

References


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