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INOSILICATES..
Chain silicates
Single Chain Double Chain
Pyroxenes Amphiboles
Pyroxenoids
HYDROUS PYROXENOIDS
In this series Na + H substitute for one of divalent cations.
Pectolite
Serandite
Extent of compositional fields for Pyroxenoids in system
CaSiO3- FeSiO3- MnSiO3 at T ~600 C and P~6Kb
All of these Pyroxenoids have extensive fields of solid solution.
Wollastonite
Wollastonite is one of the most important mineral within pyroxenoid group. It
has been named by J. Leman in honor of William Hyde Wollaston (an English
Mineralogist).
Formula : CaSiO3
Physical Properties
Colorless, white or grey in color ,white streak
Lustre- vitreous to pearly.
Hardness is 5 to 5.5
Crystal habit: lamellar, radiating, fibrous aggregates
Density:2.86-3.09
Perfect cleavage.
Uneven fracture
Diagnostic feature: characterised by its two
perfect cleavages of 84.
Optical Properties:
• Biaxial negative
• Relief- Moderate positive
• Habit- bladed/fibrous
• Non pleochroic
• Shows parallel extinction
Structure
Wollastonite occurs in three structural
Varieties: wollastonite-Tc ,Wollastonite-2M
And pseudowollastonite all are constructed
Of tetrahedral chains with a repeat distance
of 3 tetrahedra
Composition
For pure CasiO3,
CaO : 48.3% and SiO2: 51.7%
Para wollastonite is a low T form while Pseudowollastonite is a high
T form.
Alteration: Pectolite, Calcite or other Ca rich minerals may replace
wollastonite
Wollastonite occurs chiefly as a contact metamorphic mineral in
crystalline limestone. Its associated with calcite diopside,tremolite and
epidote.
Rhodonite..
Formula: MnSiO3
Commonly occurs as cleavable to
compact masses with a rose red color.
The name comes from Greek word rhodos,
meaning rosy.
Luster: vitreous
Hardness: 5.5- 6
Perfect cleavage
In thin section rhodonite is pink to liliac in colour,
Shows weak pleochroism and is biaxial positive mineral
Diagnostic feature is pink color, sharp acicular
fragments and two directions of perfect cleavage.
Zn varieties are known as FOWLERITE.
Pyroxmangite (Mn,Fe)SiO3 is structurally similar to
Rhodonite but with a unit repeat of seven tetrahedra in SiO3
chain.
Pyroxferroite (Fe,Ca)SiO3is isostructural with
Pyroxmangite and is common in lunar lavas.
Bustamite(Mn,Ca,Fe)SiO3has similar structure to
Wollastonite.
Pectolite..
Formula : NaCa2Si3O8(OH)
White to gray mineral
Hardness: 4.5 to 5
Luster: silky
Crystal habit: spheroidal, columnar
Biaxial (+)
Diagnostic feature: characterised by
Differences
Pyroxenes have straight chain while the chains of pyroxenoids are kinked.
Repeat distance in pyroxenes is fixed( 5.2 A) while it varies in pyroxenoids.
Pyroxenes crystallise in Orthorhombic and Monclinic system while pyroxenoids