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Aegirine

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Poudrette quarry (Demix quarry; Uni-Mix quarry; Desourdy quarry; Carrière Mont Saint-Hilaire), Mont Saint-Hilaire, Rouville RCM, Montérégie, Québec, Canada
© 2003 John H. Betts

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Formula:
NaFe
3+
 
Si
 
2
O
 
6
System:MonoclinicColour:Dark green to greenish ...
Lustre:VitreousHardness:6
Member of:Clinopyroxene Subgroup > Pyroxene Group
Name:
Named after Ægir (Aegir), the sea god in the Norse mythology.


Pyroxene Group. Clinopyroxene Subgroup.

Visit gemdat.org for gemological information about Aegirine. Currently in public beta-test.

Classification of Aegirine

IMA status:Approved
Strunz 8th edition ID:8/F.01-140
Strunz 9th edition ID:9.DA.25
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:9.DA.25

9 : SILICATES (Germanates)
D : Inosilicates
A : Inosilicates with 2-periodic single chains, Si2O6; pyroxene family
Dana 8th edition ID:65.1.3c.2

65 : INOSILICATES Single-Width,Unbranched Chains,(W=1)
1 : Single-Width Unbranched Chains, W=1 with chains P=2
Hey's CIM Ref.:14.20.2

14 : Silicates not Containing Aluminum
20 : Silicates of Fe and alkali metals
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Type Occurrence of Aegirine

Co-type Localities:Rundemyr, Øvre Eiker, Buskerud, Norway
Låven (Skådön; Lamö; Lamanskjaer), Langesundsfjorden, Larvik, Vestfold, Norway
Year of Discovery:1834

Occurrences of Aegirine

Geological Setting:Common in alkalic igneous rocks, carbonatites, and pegmatites; from regionally metamorphosed schists, gneisses, and iron formations; in blueschist facies rocks, and from sodium metasomatism in granulites; authigenic in some shales and marls.

Physical Properties of Aegirine

Lustre:Vitreous
Diaphaneity (Transparency):Transparent, Opaque
Comment:Slightly resinous
Colour:Dark green to greenish black, reddish brown, black
Comment:bright green to yellow-green in thin section
Streak:Pale yellowish grey
Hardness (Mohs):6
Tenacity:Brittle
Cleavage:Distinct/Good
Good on {110}
Parting:on {100}
Fracture:Irregular/Uneven
Density (measured):3.5 - 3.6 g/cm3
Density (calculated):3.576 g/cm3

Crystallography of Aegirine

Crystal System:Monoclinic
Class (H-M):2/m - Prismatic
Space Group:B2/b {B1 1 2/b} {C2/c} {C1 2/c 1}
Cell Parameters:a = 9.658Å, b = 8.795Å, c = 5.294Å
β = 107.42°
Ratio:a:b:c = 1.098 : 1 : 0.602
Unit Cell Volume:V 429.06 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:4
Morphology:Prismatic crystals, showing 110, with blunt to steep terminations, to 35 cm, striated lengthwise, can be bent or twisted. In sprays of acicular crystals, fibrous, in radial concretions.
Twinning:Simple and lamellar on {100}
Comment:On synthetic material.
Crystal Atlas:
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Aegirine no.35 - Goldschmidt (1913-1926)

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Radiation - Copper Kα
Data Set:
Horizontal Axis: ° to ° Vertical Axis: % Source Data: Filtered Data:
Data courtesy of RRUFF project at University of Arizona, used with permission.

Optical Data of Aegirine

Type:Biaxial (-)
RI values: nα = 1.720 - 1.778 nβ = 1.740 - 1.819 nγ = 1.757 - 1.839
2V:Measured: 60° to 90°, Calculated: 68° to 84°
Maximum Birefringence:δ = 0.037 - 0.061

Chart shows birefringence interference colour range (at 30µm thickness) and does not take into account mineral colouration.
Surface Relief:Very High
Dispersion:moderate to strong r > v
Pleochroism:Visible
Comments:X= emerald green, deep green
Y= grass green, deep green, yellow
Z= brownish green, green, yellowish brown, yellow
Comments:Biaxial + for Ca,Mg,Fe varieties.

Chemical Properties of Aegirine

Formula:
NaFe
3+
 
Si
 
2
O
 
6
Essential elements:Fe, Na, O, Si
All elements listed in formula:Fe, Na, O, Si
Common Impurities:Al,Ti,V,Mn,Mg,Ca,K,Zr,Ce

Relationship of Aegirine to other Species

Member of:Clinopyroxene Subgroup > Pyroxene Group
Other Members of Group:

- +
Augite
(Ca,Na)(Mg,Fe
2+
 
,Al,Fe
3+
 
,Ti)[(Si,Al)
 
2
O
 
6
]
Clinoenstatite
MgSiO
 
3
Clinoferrosilite
Fe
2+
 
SiO
 
3
Diopside
CaMgSi
 
2
O
 
6
Esseneite
CaFe
3+
 
[AlSiO
 
6
]
Grossmanite
CaTi
3+
 
 AlSiO
 
6
Hedenbergite
CaFe
2+
 
Si
 
2
O
 
6
Jadeite
Na(Al,Fe
3+
 
)Si
 
2
O
 
6
Jervisite
(Na,Ca,Fe
2+
 
)(Sc,Mg,Fe
2+
 
)Si
 
2
O
 
6
Johannsenite
CaMn
2+
 
Si
 
2
O
 
6
Kanoite
Mn
2+
 
(Mg,Mn
2+
 
)Si
 
2
O
 
6
Kosmochlor
NaCrSi
 
2
O
 
6
Kushiroite
CaAl[AlSiO
 
6
]
Namansilite
NaMn
3+
 
Si
 
2
O
 
6
Natalyite
Na(V
3+
 
,Cr)Si
 
2
O
 
6
Petedunnite
Ca(Zn,Mn
2+
 
,Mg,Fe
2+
 
)Si
 
2
O
 
6
Pigeonite
(Mg,Fe
2+
 
,Ca)(Mg,Fe
2+
 
)Si
 
2
O
 
6
Spodumene
LiAlSi
 
2
O
 
6
Common Associates:
SéranditeRiebeckiteNephelineK FeldsparEudialyte
CatapleiiteAstrophylliteArfvedsoniteApophylliteAenigmatite
Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):

- +
9.DA.05Donpeacorite
(Mn
2+
 
,Mg)Mg[SiO
 
3
]
 
2
9.DA.05Enstatite
MgSiO
 
3
9.DA.05Ferrosilite
FeSiO
 
3
9.DA.10Clinoenstatite
MgSiO
 
3
9.DA.10Clinoferrosilite
Fe
2+
 
SiO
 
3
9.DA.10Kanoite
Mn
2+
 
(Mg,Mn
2+
 
)Si
 
2
O
 
6
9.DA.10Pigeonite
(Mg,Fe
2+
 
,Ca)(Mg,Fe
2+
 
)Si
 
2
O
 
6
9.DA.15Augite
(Ca,Na)(Mg,Fe
2+
 
,Al,Fe
3+
 
,Ti)[(Si,Al)
 
2
O
 
6
]
9.DA.15Diopside
CaMgSi
 
2
O
 
6
9.DA.15Esseneite
CaFe
3+
 
[AlSiO
 
6
]
9.DA.15Hedenbergite
CaFe
2+
 
Si
 
2
O
 
6
9.DA.15Johannsenite
CaMn
2+
 
Si
 
2
O
 
6
9.DA.15Petedunnite
Ca(Zn,Mn
2+
 
,Mg,Fe
2+
 
)Si
 
2
O
 
6
9.DA.15Davisite
CaScAlSiO
 
6
9.DA.15Kushiroite
CaAl[AlSiO
 
6
]
9.DA.15Grossmanite
CaTi
3+
 
 AlSiO
 
6
9.DA.20Aegirine-augite
(Na,Ca)(Fe
3+
 
,Fe
2+
 
,Mg,Al)Si
 
2
O
 
6
9.DA.20Omphacite
(Ca,Na)(Mg,Al)Si
 
2
O
 
6
9.DA.25Jadeite
Na(Al,Fe
3+
 
)Si
 
2
O
 
6
9.DA.25Jervisite
(Na,Ca,Fe
2+
 
)(Sc,Mg,Fe
2+
 
)Si
 
2
O
 
6
9.DA.25Kosmochlor
NaCrSi
 
2
O
 
6
9.DA.25Namansilite
NaMn
3+
 
Si
 
2
O
 
6
9.DA.25Natalyite
Na(V
3+
 
,Cr)Si
 
2
O
 
6
9.DA.30Spodumene
LiAlSi
 
2
O
 
6
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:

- +
14.20.1Emeleusite
Li
 
2
Na
 
4
Fe
 
2
Si
 
12
O
 
30
14.20.4Wilkinsonite
Na
 
2
Fe
2+
4
Fe
3+
2
(Si
 
6
O
 
18
)O
 
2
14.20.5Tuperssuatsiaite
Na
 
2
Fe
 
3
Si
 
8
O
 
20
(OH)
 
2
 · 4H
 
2
O
14.20.6Riebeckite
◻[Na
 
2
][Fe
2+
3
Fe
3+
2
]Si
 
8
O
 
22
(OH)
 
2
14.20.7 Ferri-annite
14.20.8Fenaksite
(K,Na)
 
4
(Fe,Mn)
 
2
(Si
 
4
O
 
10
)
 
2
(OH,F)
14.20.9Montdorite
(K,Na)
 
2
(Fe
2+
 
,Mn
2+
 
,Mg)
 
5
(Si
 
4
O
 
10
)
 
2
(OH,F)
 
4

Other Names for Aegirine

Synonyms:
AcmiteAcniteAegerineAegeriteAegirite
AegyrinaAegyrineAegyriteAemiteAgirine
Jadeite-AegirineNatronägirinSoda-Aegirite
Other Languages:
Croatian:Aegirin
Dutch:Aegirien
Estonian:Ägiriin
Finnish:Akmiitti
German:Aegirin
Achmit
Acmit
Acnit
Aegerit
Aegirit
Aegyrit
Aemit
Agerit
Ägirin
Aigirin
Akmit
Hebrew:אגירין
Italian:Egirina
Japanese:エジリン輝石
錐輝石
Norwegian (Bokmål):Ægirin
Polish:Egiryn
Portuguese:Egirina
Russian:Эгирин
Simplified Chinese:霓石
Spanish:Egirina
Acmita
Acnita
Aegerita
Aegirita
Aegyrita
Aemita
Ukrainian:Егірин-авгіт
Varieties:
Titanoan AegirineUrbaniteVanadian Aegirine

Other Information

Health Warning:No information on health risks for this material has been entered into the database. You should always treat mineral specimens with care.

References for Aegirine

Reference List:

- +
Ström, P. (1821) Undersökning af ett nytt Fossil. Kongliga Vetenskaps-Academiens Handlingar, 160-163 [Acmite]

Berzelius, J. (1821) Tillägg til föregående Afhandling. Kongliga Vetenskaps-Academiens Handlingar, 163-166 [Acmite]

Berzelius, J. (1835) [Aegirine, Esmark]. Neues Jahrbuch für Mineralogie, Geognosie, Geologie und Petrefaktenkunde (von Leonard und Bonn), 1835: 184-185

Neues J. Min. (1876) 175, 352-358.

Anonymous (1947) Til opprinnelsen av mineralnavnet ”Ægirin”. Norsk Geologisk Tidsskrift, 26, 144-145

Clark, J.R., D.E. Appleman, and J.J. Papike (1969) Crystal-chemical characterization of clinopyroxenes based on eight new structure refinements. MSA Special Paper 2: 31-50.

Cameron, M., S. Shigeho, C.T. Prewitt & J.J. Papike (1973) High temperature crystal chemistry of acmite, diopside, hedenbergite, jadeite, spodumene and ureyite: American Mineralogist: 58: 594-618.

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Best of Species:Aegirine

Internet Links for Aegirine

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