Stellerite

Stellerite
General
CategoryZeolite mineral
Formula
(repeating unit)
Ca(Al2Si7O18)•7H20
IMA symbolSte[1]
Strunz classification9.GE.15
Crystal systemOrthorhombic
Crystal classDipyramidal (mmm)
H-M symbol: (2/m 2/m 2/m)
Space groupFmmm
Identification
ColorColorless to white, pink, orange
Crystal habitSpherical, Stellate, Tabular
CleavagePerfect on {010}
FractureUneven
Mohs scale hardness4.5
LusterPearly
Streakwhite
DiaphaneityTransparent to translucent
Specific gravityapproximately 2.2
Density2.13 g/cm3
Optical propertiesBiaxial (-), a=1.4848, b=1.4864-1.4964, g=1.4979
Birefringenceδ = 0.013
References[2]

Stellerite is a rare mineral discovered by and named after Georg Wilhelm Steller, a German explorer and zoologist.[2] The mineral has a general formula of Ca[Al2Si7O18]·7H2O.[3] Like most rare minerals, there are few commercial uses for stellerite. Mineral collectors are lucky to find it in good enough crystal form. Zeolites, including stellerite, have been studied using a dehydration process to gauge the potential use of their phases as molecular sieves, sorbents, and catalysts.[4] Its occurrences are in cavities of andesite as sheaf-like clusters of small crystals.[2]

  1. ^ 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.
  2. ^ a b c Pabst, Adolf (March 1939). "The relation of stellerite and epidesmine to stilbite". Mineralogical Magazine and Journal of the Mineralogical Society. 25 (164): 271–276. Bibcode:1939MinM...25..271P. doi:10.1180/minmag.1939.025.164.06.
  3. ^ "Stellerite". PubChem. National Library of Medicine. Retrieved 19 October 2023.
  4. ^ Arletti, R.; Mazzucato, E.; Vezzalini, G. (1 April 2006). "Influence of dehydration kinetics on T-O-T bridge breaking in zeolites with framework type STI: The case of stellerite". American Mineralogist. 91 (4): 628–634. Bibcode:2006AmMin..91..628A. doi:10.2138/am.2006.1966. hdl:2318/80204. S2CID 36048763.