Shortite

minerals

montmorillonite

trona

pyrite

Images
Formula: Na₂Ca₂(CO₃)₃
Anhydrous normal carbonate
Crystal System: Orthorhombic
Specific gravity: 2.6 measured, 2.605 calculated
Hardness: 3
Streak: White
Colour: Colourless, light yellow, light green
Solubility: Decomposes in water giving a calcium carbonate precipitate.
Shortite is strongly pyroelectric. It inverts at about 200^oC and melts incongruently at about 600^oC (Mindat).
Environments:

Carbonatites
Sedimentary environments

Shortite occurs with calcite and pyrite as single crystals in bands in the montmorillonite clay associated with trona at the Green River formation, Wyoming, USA. It also occurs as minute inclusions in apatite from Tororo carbonatite complex, Eastern Region, Uganda.

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