Suolunite

suolunite

tobermorite

harzburgite

Inner Mongolia

Images

Formula: Ca₂Si₂O₅(OH)₂.H₂O
Hydrated sorosilicate (Si₂O₇ groups)
Crystal System: Orthorhombic
Specific gravity: 2.66 calculated
Hardness: 3½
Streak: White
Colour: Snow-white, blue, colourless, pink
Luminescence: Fluoresces white under short wave UV
Electric properties: Distinctly piezoelectric (Dana)
Solubility: Dissolves in dilute hydrochloric acid leaving gelatinous silica (Dana)
Common impurities: Sr,Na,K
Environments

Plutonic igneous environments
Volcanic igneous environments

Localities

At the type locality, the Suolun massif, Horqin Right Front Banner, Hinggan League, Inner Mongolia, China, suolunite occurs as fine grained granular material in a vein 2 to 3 cm wide cutting harzburgite rocks in the centre of an ultrabasic rock mass at a depth of about 100 meters. Tobermorite is an associated mineral (AM 53.349, Mindat).

Al Khawd, Bawshar, Muscat Governorate, Oman, suolunite occurs as a precipitate from an alkaline spring in a fault zone in basalts above an ultramafic intrusive (HOM).

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