Mountainite

mountainite

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Formula: KNa₂Ca₂[Si₈O₁₉(OH)].6H₂O
Tectosilicate (framework silicate), zeolite group
Crystal System: Monoclinic
Specific gravity: 2.36 measured, 2.47 calculated
Hardness: 3
Streak: White
Colour: White
Common impurities: Al,Mg,C
Environments

Igneous environments
Pegmatites

Localities

At the Yubileinaya pegmatite, Karnasurt Mountain, Lovozersky District, Murmansk Oblast, Russia, mountainite occurs in a differentiated alkalic massif, associated with natrolite, steenstrupine-(Ce), chkalovite, neptunite, serandite, aegirine, leucosphenite, zorite, raite, polylithionite and halite (HOM).

At the type locality, the Bultfontein mine, KEM JV mine, Kimberley, Sol Plaatje, Frances Baard, Northern Cape, South Africa, mountainite occurs as silky white fibres in a kimberlite pipe, associated with rhodesite (Mindat).

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