Natrite

natrite

vinogradovite

nacaphite

thermonatrite

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Formula: Na2CO3
Anhydrous carbonate
Crystal System: Monoclinic
Specific gravity: 2.54 measured, 2.55 calculated
Hardness: 3½
Streak: White
Colour: Grey-white to colourless
Solubility: Soluble in water
Environments:

Plutonic igneous environments
Evaporite deposits

Localities

At the Poudrette quarry, Mont Saint-Hilaire, La Vallée-du-Richelieu RCM, Montérégie, Quebec, Canada, natrite occurs in sodalite xenoliths associated with an intrusive alkalic gabbro-syenite complex (HOM).

There are three co-type localities,
Rasvumchorr Mt, Khibiny Massif,
Olenii Ruchei, the carbonatite Stock in the vicinity of Tul'ilukht Bay, Khibiny Massif, Murmansk Oblast, Russia , and
Karnasurt Mountain, Lovozersky District,
all in Murmansk Oblast, Russia.
Here natrite occurs in deep workings and drill cores in mines in evaporite rocks. In air it rapidly hydrates to thermonatrite (Dana). Associated minerals include thermonatrite, vinogradovite, shortite, pirssonite, gaylussite, nacaphite, natrosilite, villiaumite, neighborite, rasvumite, lomonosovite, pectolite, sodalite and fluorcaphite (AM 68.281-282, HOM).

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