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Formula: Ba2Ca18(SiO4)6[(PO4)3(CO3)]F3O
Phosphate, arctite supergroup,
barium-bearing mineral
Crystal System: Trigonal
Specific gravity: 3.327 calculated
Hardness: About 5
Streak: White
Colour: Colourless
Environments
Aravaite is a relatively new mineral, approved in 2018 and to date (June 2023) reported only from the type
locality
Localities
At the type locality, the Aravaite type locality, Hatrurim Basin, Tamar Regional Council, Southern District, Israel,
aravaite was discovered in pyrometamorphic spurrite rocks such as
spurrite marble,
larnite
pseudoconglomerates,
gehlenite hornfels and
different paralavas, occurring widely along the rift zone of the
Dead Sea. Associated minerals include spurrite,
calcite, brownmillerite,
shulamitite, carbonate-bearing
fluorapatite, brucite,
fluormayenite –
fluorkyuygenite,
periclase, barytocalcite
and baryte. Aravaite crystallises after
ariegilatite and is often overgrown later by
stracherite. Flattened crystals of aravaite up to 0.5 × 0.1 mm
were detected as epitaxial intergrowth with stracherite or/and
ariegilatite crystals
(AM 106.158).
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