SURSASSITE
Class : Silicates
Subclass : Sorosilicates
Crystal system : Monoclinic
Chemistry : Mn2Al3(SiO4)(Si2O7)(OH)3
Rarity : Rare
Sursassite is a rare silicate from weakly metamorphic manganese deposits. Its name comes from its discovery locality : Sursass (Switzerland). Sursassite occurs as veinlets of fibrous crystals and as botryoidal masses with a radiate texture, of a copper-red to red-brown color.
Main photo : Sursassite from Molinello Mine, Liguria, Italy © Fabrizio Castellaro
Sursassite in the World
Twinning
No twinning known for this mineral species.
Fakes and treatments
No fakes listed for this mineral species.
Hardness : Undetermined
Density : 3.25
Fracture : Undetermined
Streak : Brown-yellow
TP : Translucent to transparent
RI : 1.736 to 1.766
Birefringence : 0.030
Optical character : Biaxial -
Pleochroism : None
Fluorescence : None
Solubility : -
Magnetism : NoneRadioactivity : None