Galaxite - Encyclopedia

GALAXITE

    Class : Oxides and hydroxides
    Subclass : Oxides
    Crystal system : Cubic
    Chemistry : MnAl2O4
    Rarity : Rare

Galaxite is a rare mineral belonging to the group of aluminous spinels. It crystallizes in areas poor in silica and rich in carbonates of metamorphic manganese deposits. It owes its name to the Galax plant commonly found in Alleghany County, North Carolina, where it was discovered. Galaxite usually occurs in rounded grains, in octahedra often modified by multiple truncations, rarely in cubes, with a maximum size of 1 mm. It is dark brownish to black in color.

Main photo : Galaxite from Bald Knob, Sparta, Alleghany County, North Carolina, USA © Jeff Weissman

Galaxite in the World

Galaxite is known in representative specimens at Bald Knob, near Sparta and Galax (North Carolina), as well as at Langban (Sweden). The island of Honshu (Japan) is home to several galaxite locations (Taguchi, Noda-Tamagawa, etc...).

Galaxite in France

In France, galaxite is reported in Bonneval-sur-Arc and Bessans, near St-Jean-de-Maurienne (Savoie).

Twinning

A twin is known on {111}.

Fakes and treatments

No fakes recorded for this mineral species.


Hardness : 7.5
Density : 4.03
Fracture : Conchoidal
Streak : Reddish brown

TP : Opaque
RI : -
Birefringence : 0
Optical character : None
Pleochroism : None
Fluorescence : None

Solubility : Sulfuric acid


Magnetism : Paramagnetic
Radioactivity : None

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