Chemistry:Odontolite

From HandWiki
Odontolite
General
CategoryPhosphate minerals
Formula
(repeating unit)
Ca
5
(PO
4
)
3
[F, OH, Cl]

Fe2+3(PO4)2·8H2O
Strunz classification8.DD.15
Crystal systemTriclinic
Crystal classPinacoidal (1)
(same H–M symbol)
Identification
ColourTurquoise, blue, blue-green, green
Crystal habitMassive, nodular
CleavagePerfect on {001}, good on {010}, but cleavage rarely seen
FractureConchoidal
Mohs scale hardness5
|re|er}}Waxy to subvitreous
StreakBluish white
DiaphaneityOpaque
Specific gravity3–3,2
Optical propertiesBiaxial (+)
Refractive indexnα = 1.610
nβ = 1.615
nγ = 1.650
Birefringence+0.040
PleochroismWeak
FusibilityFusible in heated HCl
SolubilitySoluble in HCl
References[1][2][3]

Odontolite, also called bone turquoise or fossil turquoise or occidental turquoise, is fossil bone or ivory that has been traditionally thought to have been altered by turquoise or similar phosphate minerals such as vivianite.

References

  1. Hurlbut, Cornelius S.; Klein, Cornelis (1985). Manual of Mineralogy (20th ed.). New York: John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 978-0-471-80580-9. https://archive.org/details/manualofmineralo00klei. 
  2. Turquoise, MinDat.org, http://www.mindat.org/show.php?id=4060 . "Turquoise: Turquoise mineral information and data". http://www.mindat.org/min-4060.html. .
  3. Anthony, John W.; Bideaux, Richard A.; Bladh, Kenneth W. et al., eds (2000). "Turquoise". Handbook of Mineralogy. IV. Chantilly, Virginia: Mineralogical Society of America. ISBN 978-0-9622097-3-4. http://rruff.info/doclib/hom/turquoise.pdf.