Lovozerite

lovozerite

eudialyte

murmanite

lamprophyllite

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Formula: Na₃CaZrSi₆O₁₅(OH)₃
Cyclosilicate (ring silicate), zirsinalite-lovozerite subgroup, lovozerite group, zirconium-bearing mineral
Crystal System: Trigonal
Specific gravity: 2.38 to 2.71 measured, 2.69 calculated
Hardness: 5
Streak: Brown
Colour: Red-brown, dark brown, black
Common impurities: Al,Fe,Th,Mn,Mg,Sr,K,H₂O
Environments

Plutonic igneous environments
Pegmatites

Lovozerite occurs in sodalite xenoliths. It is sometimes pseudomorphous after eudialyte (Webmin).

Localities

At the Poudrette quarry, Mont Saint-Hilaire, La Vallée-du-Richelieu RCM, Montérégie, Quebec, Canada, lovozerite occurs in sodalite xenoliths (Dana).

At the type locality, the Upper Elmaraiok River, Lovozersky District, Murmansk Oblast, Russia, lovozerite is found in the Lovozero alkaline massif as one of the rock-forming or secondary minerals in certain porphyritic lujavrites. Associated minerals include murmanite, lamprophyllite, eudialyte, aegirine, K-feldspar and nepheline. Some of the lovozerite is considered as a primary mineral, some as secondary, derived from eudialyte. The crystals are pseudododecahedral, up to 3 mm in size (AM 25.504, mindat).

At the Karnasurt mountain, Lovozersky district, Murmansk Oblast, Russia, lovozerite occurs with eudialyte (FM 75765).

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