Images
Formula: Na2Zr(Si3O9).2H2O
Cyclosilicate (ring silicate), catapleiite group, the monoclinic
paramorph of
gaidonnayite, which is orthorhombic. Forms a solid solution with
calciocatapleiite.
Zirconium-bearing mineral.
Crystal System: Monoclinic
Specific gravity: 2.65 to 2.9 measured, 2.77 calculated
Hardness: 5½ to 6
Streak: White to pale yellow
Colour:Dark brown, reddish brown, flesh red, yellowish red,colourless, light grey, beige to tan,
light yellow, orange, light blue
Common impurities: Ca,Fe
Plutonic igneous environments
Pegmatites
Catapleiite occurs in pegmatites, typically as an alteration product of
eudialyte, and in
syenite and
nepheline syenite
(Dana, HOM) associated with zircon,
leucophanite, rinkite,
eudialyte, epididymite,
lavenite, astrophyllite,
sodalite, natrolite,
analcime and aegirine
(HOM).
At Strange Lake, Quebec-Labrador, Canada, catapleiite occurs as pseudomorphs
after
dalyite and vlasovite
(Dana).
At Narsarsuk, Greenland, catapleiite has been found in
syenite
(AM 8.70-72).
At the type locality, Låven, Vestfold, Norway, catapleiite occurs in a
nepheline syenite
pegmatite, associated with
zircon, tritomite-(Ce),
mosandrite-(Ce),
leucophanite and
aegirine
(Mindat). The catapleiite-bearing rock is free of
eudialyte-eudialyte variety eucolite,
but elsewhere at this locality grains of eudialyte are common
showing alteration to eudialyte variety eucolite.
At Magnet Cove, Hot Spring county, Arkansas, USA, catapleiite is found in dike rocks made up of
feldspar and aegirine,
with accessory titanite and
secondary
natrolite. The catapleiite specimens are free of
eudialyte and eudialyte variety eucolite.
It appears that eudialyte alters to eudialyte variety eucolite and
then to catapleiite, by hydration, with the
catapleiite forming at about the same point as the zeolites
(AM 8.70-72).
At Buck Hill, Augusta county, Virginia, USA, catapleiite is asssociated with
synchysite-(Ce)
(R&M 84.4.355).
Back to Minerals