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Anthophyllite

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Passiria Valley (Passeier Valley), Bolzano Province (South Tyrol), Trentino-Alto Adige, Italy
© Marco Barsanti

Show Anthophyllite Photos (15)
Formula:
☐[Mg
 
2
][Mg
 
5
][(OH)
 
2
|Si
 
8
O
 
22
]
System:OrthorhombicColour:White, greenish grey, ...
Lustre:Vitreous, PearlyHardness:5½ - 6
Name:From the Latin "anthophyllum," meaning "clove," in allusion to the common clove-brown colour.


Amphibole Group. Mg-Fe-Mn-Li Ortho-Amphibole Subgroup.

Classification of Anthophyllite

IMA status:Approved
Strunz 8th edition ID:8/F.12-60
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:9.DD.05

9 : SILICATES (Germanates)
D : Inosilicates
D : Inosilicates with 2-periodic double chains, Si4O11; Orthoamphiboles
Dana 8th edition ID:66.1.2.1

66 : INOSILICATES Double-Width,Unbranched Chains,(W=2)
1 : Amphiboles - Mg-Fe-Mn-Li subgroup
Hey's CIM Ref.:14.21.5

14 : Silicates not Containing Aluminum
21 : Silicates of Fe and Mg
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Type Occurrence of Anthophyllite

Type Locality:Kjennerud Anthophyllite Prospect, Kjennerud, Kongsberg, Buskerud, Norway
Year of Discovery:1801

Physical Properties of Anthophyllite

Lustre:Vitreous, Pearly
Diaphaneity (Transparency):Transparent, Translucent
Colour:White, greenish grey, green, clove brown, or brownish green
Streak:White to greyish-white.
Hardness (Mohs):5½ - 6
Cleavage:Perfect
Perfect on {210}, imperfect on {010}, {100}
Fracture:Conchoidal
Density (measured):2.85 - 3.57 g/cm3
Density (calculated):3.67 g/cm3

Crystallography of Anthophyllite

Crystal System:Orthorhombic
Class (H-M):mmm (2/m 2/m 2/m) - Dipyramidal
Space Group:Pnma (P21/n 21/m 21/a)
Cell Parameters:a = 18.5Å, b = 17.9Å, c = 5.28Å
Ratio:a:b:c = 1.034 : 1 : 0.295
Unit Cell Volume:V 1,748.47 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)

Optical Data of Anthophyllite

Type:Biaxial (+)
RI values: nα = 1.598 - 1.674 nβ = 1.605 - 1.685 nγ = 1.615 - 1.697
2V:Measured: 57° to 90°, Calculated: 82° to 90°
Maximum Birefringence:δ = 0.017 - 0.023

Chart shows birefringence interference colour range (at 30µm thickness) and does not take into account mineral colouration.
Surface Relief:Moderate
Dispersion:r > v or r < v

Chemical Properties of Anthophyllite

Formula:
☐[Mg
 
2
][Mg
 
5
][(OH)
 
2
|Si
 
8
O
 
22
]
Essential elements:H, Mg, O, Si
All elements listed in formula:H, Mg, O, Si
Common Impurities:Ti,Al,Mn,Ca,Na

Relationship of Anthophyllite to other Species

Series:Forms a series with Ferro-anthophyllite (see here)
Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):
9.DD.05Ferro-anthophyllite
☐[Fe
2+
2
][Fe
2+
5
][(OH)
 
2
|Si
 
8
O
 
22
]
9.DD.05Ferrogedrite
☐[Fe
2+
2
][Fe
2+
3
Al
 
2
][(OH)
 
2
|Al
 
2
Si
 
6
O
 
22
]
9.DD.05Gedrite
☐[Mg
 
2
][Mg
 
3
Al
 
2
][(OH)
 
2
|Al
 
2
Si
 
6
O
 
22
]
9.DD.05Holmquistite
☐[Li
 
2
][Mg
 
3
Al
 
2
][(OH)
 
2
|Si
 
8
O
 
22
]
9.DD.05Protoferro-anthophyllite
☐[Fe
2+
2
][Fe
2+
5
][(OH)
 
2
|Si
 
8
O
 
22
]
9.DD.05Protomangano-ferro-anthophyllite
☐[Mn
2+
2
][Fe
2+
5
][(OH)
 
2
|Si
 
8
O
 
22
]
9.DD.05Sodicanthophyllite
[Na][NaMg][Mg
 
5
][(OH)
 
2
|Si
 
8
O
 
22
]
9.DD.05Sodic-ferro-anthophyllite
[Na][NaFe
2+
 
][Fe
2+
5
][(OH)
 
2
|Si
 
8
O
 
22
]
9.DD.05Sodic-ferrogedrite
[Na][Fe
2+
2
][Fe
2+
4
Al][(OH)
 
2
|Al
 
2
Si
 
6
O
 
22
]
9.DD.05Sodicgedrite
[Na][Mg
 
2
][Mg
 
4
Al][(OH)
 
2
|Al
 
2
Si
 
6
O
 
22
]
9.DD.05Ferroholmquistite
☐[Li
 
2
][Fe
2+
3
Al
 
2
][(OH)
 
2
|Si
 
8
O
 
22
]
9.DD.05Protoanthophyllite
☐[Mg
 
2
][Mg
 
5
][(OH)
 
2
|Si
 
8
O
 
22
]
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:
14.21.1Olivine
(Mg,Fe
2+
 
)
 
2
[SiO
 
4
]
14.21.2Ringwoodite
(Mg,Fe
2+
 
)
 
2
[SiO
 
4
]
14.21.3Wadsleyite
(Mg,Fe
2+
 
)
 
2
[SiO
 
4
]
14.21.4Clinoferrosilite
Fe
2+
 
(Fe
2+
 
,Mg)[Si
 
2
O
 
6
]
14.21.6Cummingtonite
[ ][Mg
 
2
][Mg
 
5
][(OH)
 
2
|Si
 
8
O
 
22
]
14.21.7 Magnesiocummingtonite
14.21.8Grunerite
[ ][Fe
2+
2
][Fe
2+
5
][(OH)
 
2
|Si
 
8
O
 
22
]
14.21.9Minnesotaite
(Fe,Mg)
 
3
Si
 
4
O
 
10
(OH)
 
2
14.21.10Chesterite
(Mg,Fe)
 
17
Si
 
20
O
 
54
(OH)
 
6
14.21.11Jimthompsonite
(Mg,Fe)
 
5
Si
 
6
O
 
16
(OH)
 
2
14.21.12Clinojimthompsonite
(Mg,Fe)
 
5
Si
 
6
O
 
16
(OH)
 
2
14.21.13Majorite
Mg
 
3
(Fe
2+
 
,Si,Al)
 
2
[SiO
 
4
]
 
3
14.21.14Balangeroite
(Mg,Fe,Fe,Mn)
 
42
Si
 
16
O
 
54
(OH)
 
40

Other Names for Anthophyllite

Synonyms:
AnthogrammiteAnthophyllineAntofilliteGray AsbestosKupferite
Magnesio-anthophyllite
German names:
AnthogrammitAntholith (of Breithaupt)AnthophyllitAntophyllitKupferit
Russian names:
Антофиллит
Spanish names:
AnthogrammitaAnthophyllitaKupferita
Varieties:
Kupfferite (of Koksarov)

Other Information

Health Warning:Asbestiform habits of the mineral should be handled with care.
http://www.nsc.org/ehc/chemical/asbestos.htm

References for Anthophyllite

Reference List:Schumacher,C.F.(1801): Versuch eines verzeichnisses der in den Dänisch-Nordischen Staaten sich findenden einfachen Mineralien. Kopenhagen, p.96
[first description of the mineral]

Mineralogical Record: 29: 169-174.

Zeitschrift für Kristallographie: 188: 237-244.

Veblen, D.R. (1980) Anthophyllite asbestos: microstructure, intergrown sheet silicates, and mechanism of fiber formation. American Mineralogist: 65: 1075-1086.

Raade, G.(1996): Minerals originally described from Norway. Bergverksmuseets skrift: 11: p.20

Ishida, K. and Hawthorne, F.C. (2003). Fine structure in the infrared OH-stretching bands of holmquistite and anthophyllite. Physics and Chemistry of Minerals: 30: 330-336.

Hawthorne, Frank C., and Roberta Oberti (2006), On the classification of amphiboles: Canadian Mineralogist:
44(1): 1-21.

Internet Links for Anthophyllite

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