Mazzite - Encyclopedia
Class : Silicates
Subclass : Tectosilicates
Crystal system : Hexagonal
Chemistry : K2CaMg2(Si,Al)36O72 28H2O
Rarity : Very rare
Mazzite belongs to the group of zeolites, of which it is one of the rarest representatives, known from only two sites in the world. It was described in 1974 from samples from Mont Sémiol near Montbrison (Loire, France), the type locality of another zeolite : offretite. It was named in honor of Fiorenzo Mazzi, Professor of Mineralogy at the University of Pavia (Italy). Mazzite forms fine colorless hexagonal needles ending in a pinacoid, generally millimetric but can exceptionally exceed a centimeter.
Main photo : Mazzite du Mont Semiol, Châtelneuf, Montbrison, Loire, France © Volker Betz
Mazzite in the World
Twinning
No twin known for this mineral species.
Fakes and treatments
No fakes recorded for this mineral species.
Hardness : 4 to 5
Density : 2.11
Fracture : Undetermined
Streak : White
TP : Transparent
RI : 1.499 to 1.506
Birefringence : 0.007
Optical character : Uniaxial -
Pleochroism : None
Fluorescence : None
Solubility : -
Magnetism : NoneRadioactivity : None