| Artinite | |
|---|---|
 Artinite from New Idria District, California | |
| General | |
| Category | Carbonate mineral |
| Formula (repeating unit) | Mg2(CO3)(OH)2·3H2O |
| IMA symbol | Art[1] |
| Strunz classification | 5.DA.10 |
| Crystal system | Monoclinic |
| Crystal class | Prismatic (2/m) (same H-M symbol) |
| Space group | C2/m |
| Unit cell | a = 16.56, b = 3.15 c = 6.22 [Å]; β = 99.15°; Z = 2 |
| Identification | |
| Color | White |
| Crystal habit | Acicular crystals, fibrous veinlets, botryoidal crusts, and spherical aggregates |
| Cleavage | On {100} perfect; on {001} good. |
| Mohs scale hardness | 2.5 |
| Luster | Vitreous, silky |
| Streak | White |
| Diaphaneity | Transparent |
| Specific gravity | 2.01 – 2.03 |
| Optical properties | Biaxial (−) |
| Refractive index | nα = 1.488 – 1.489 nβ = 1.533 – 1.534 nγ = 1.556 – 1.557 |
| Birefringence | δ = 0.068 |
| References | [2][3][4] |
Artinite is a hydrated basic magnesium carbonate mineral with formula: Mg2(CO3)(OH)2·3H2O. It forms white silky monoclinic prismatic crystals that are often in radial arrays or encrustations. It has a Mohs hardness of 2.5 and a specific gravity of 2.
It occurs in low-temperature hydrothermal veins and in serpentinized ultramafic rocks. Associated minerals include brucite, hydromagnesite, pyroaurite, chrysotile, aragonite, calcite, dolomite and magnesite.[2]
It was first reported in 1902 in Lombardy, Italy. It was named for Italian mineralogist, Ettore Artini (1866–1928).[3]
- ^ Warr, L.N. (2021). "IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols". Mineralogical Magazine. 85 (3): 291–320. Bibcode:2021MinM...85..291W. doi:10.1180/mgm.2021.43. S2CID 235729616.
- ^ a b Handbook of Mineralogy
- ^ a b Artinite on Mindat.org
- ^ Artinite on Webmineral