TINZENITE

    Class : Silicates
    Subclass : Sorosilicates
    Crystal system : Triclinic
    Chemistry : (Ca,Mn,Fe)3Al2BSi4O15(OH)
    Rarity : Very rare

Tinzenite is a very rare mineral of the axinite group, encountered in contact metamorphism, alpine clefts and manganese ophiolites. Its genesis seems to depend on the action of pneumatolytic fluids from hyper-acid magmatic rocks. It was named after its discovery location : Tinzen (Grisons, Switzerland). Tinzenite is generally well crystallized in very flattened parallelepipeds with sharp edges (hence its name) with some striated faces, sometimes in lamellae with rounded contours, or massive and grainy. Bright in luster, tinzenite is red-orange to yellow in color, sometimes orange-greenish.

Main photo : Tinzenite and calcite from Wessel Mine, South Africa © Rob Lavinsky

Tinzenite from Cassagna Mine, Liguria, Italy © Eugene & Sharon Cisneros
Tinzenite from Parsettens, Grisons, Switzerland © Remo Zanelli
Tinzenite from Parsettens, Grisons, Switzerland © Stephan Wolfsried
Tinzenite from Molinello Mine, Liguria, Italy © Elmar Lackner

Tinzenite in the World

The most beautiful tinzenite crystals are found in the alpine fissures of Tinzen (Tinizong) in the Swiss Grisons. It is also known in the ophiolites of Chiavari (Liguria, Italy), at Akatore Creek (New Zealand) and at N'Chwaning II Mine (South Africa) where the crystals are centimetric. 

Tinzenite in France

In France, tinzenite is known in the Aure Valley (Hautes-Pyrénées).

Twinning

No twinning known for this mineral species.

Fakes and treatments

No fakes listed for this mineral species.


Hardness : 6.5 to 7
Density : 3.35 to 3.43
Fracture : Irregular to conchoidal
Streak : White

TP : Translucent to transparent
RI : 1.690 to 1.705
Birefringence : 0.015
Optical character : Biaxial -
Pleochroism : Low
Fluorescence : None

Solubility : -

Magnetism : NoneRadioactivity : None

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