Stillwellite-(Ce)

Stillwellite-(Ce) is a rare-earth boro-silicate mineral with formula: (Ce,La,Ca)BSiO5.

Stillwellite-(Ce)
Stillwellite-(Ce)-33971.jpg
1.3 cm stillwellite-(Ce) crystal in matrix
General
CategorySilicate mineral
Formula
(repeating unit)
(Ce,La,Ca)BSiO5
Strunz classification9.AJ.25
Dana classification54.02.03.02
Crystal systemTrigonal
Crystal classPyramidal (3)
H-M symbol: (3)
Space groupP31
Identification
ColorRed-brown to pale pink
Crystal habitFlat rhombohedral crystals, massive
TwinningObserved on {100}
CleavageImperfect
FractureConchoidal
Mohs scale hardness6.5
LusterResinous
StreakWhite
DiaphaneityTransparent to translucent
Specific gravity4.57–4.6
Optical propertiesUniaxial (+)
Refractive indexnω = 1.765, nε = 1.780
Birefringenceδ = 0.015
Other characteristicsRadioactive.svg Radioactive
References[1][2][3]

LocationEdit

It occurs as a metasomatic replacement of metamorphosed limestones in the Mary Kathleen mine, Australia and in alkalic pegmatites associated with syenite in an alkaline massif in Tajikistan.[1] It occurs in association with allanitegarneturaninite in the Australian deposit; with calcitemonazitebastnasitethoriteuranothorite and thorianite in the Desmont mine, Wilberforce, OntarioCanada; and with pyrochloretienshanitesogdianite, thorite, caesium kupletskitereedmergneritesteacyitepectolite and quartz in the Tajikistan deposit.[1] It has also been reported from Mont Saint-HilaireQuebec, Canada and from MinevilleEssex County, New York. Other occurrences include the Inagli massif, YakutiaRussia, around LangesundsfjordNorway, in the Ilimaussaq intrusive complex, southern Greenland and the Vico volcano, LazioItaly.[1]

DiscoveryEdit

It was first described in 1955 for an occurrence at the type locality is the Mary Kathleen Mine, 55 km (34 mi) east of Mount Isa, Queensland, Australia. It was named for Australian mineralogist Frank Leslie Stillwell (1888–1963). 


This article uses material from the Wikipedia article
 Metasyntactic variable, which is released under the 
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Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License
.