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The phillipsite minerals are tectosilicates (framework silicates) of the
zeolite group, comprising:
Phillipsite-Ca:
Ca3(Si10Al6)O32.12H2O
Phillipsite-K:
K6(Si10Al6)O32.12H2O
Phillipsite-Na:
Na6(Si10Al6)O32.12H2O
Phillipsite forms a series with harmotome
Members of the phillipsite subgroup.
Specific gravity: 2.2
Hardness: 4 to 5
Streak: White
Colour: White
Solubility: Moderately soluble in hydrochloric acid
Environments:
Sedimentary environments
Hydrothermal environments
Basaltic cavities (most commonly)
Phillipsite is a common zeolite in
basaltic
cavities, ore veins, lithified rhyolitic vitric
tuff, saline lake deposits and ocean floor sediments.
It forms in Iceland in geothermal wells at 60 to 85oC
Phillipsite is a mineral of the zeolite facies
Localities
At the Marron Volcanics of the Olalla Area South-Central British Columbia, Canada, phillipsite was found on boulders
in the talus of the White Lake Road occurrence as lustrous, orange to dark red crystals to 4 mm lining cavities. This layer
is commonly overgrown by analcime and rarely by
thomsonite, natrolite and a second
generation of analcime. In other cavities in the same area, phillipsite
occurred rarely as thin white prisms to 2 mm on colourless analcime, which was
covered by yellowish calcite, then
thomsonite, natrolite, and finally
bladed calcite-dolomite. One find of
phillipsite as blocky dark maroon crystals to 3 mm on analcime and covered
in calcite was made in a cavity in the Upper Yellow Lake area.
(R&M 96.6.524).
In the basaltic rocks near Kladno, Czechoslovakia, phillipsite is
associated with
thomsonite, mesolite,
chabazite and natrolite,
and it is always the first of these minerals to have been formed
(DHZ 4 p398).
Phillipsite forms in Iceland in geothermal wells at 60 to 85oC.
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