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Aegirine

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

Show Aegirine Photos (194)
Formula:
NaFe
3+
 
[Si
 
2
O
 
6
]
System:MonoclinicColour:Dark green, ...
Lustre:VitreousHardness:6
Name:Named after Aegir, a Scandinavian god of the sea.


Pyroxene Group. Clinopyroxene Subgroup.

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, Nedre Eiker, Buskerud, Norway
Låven (Skådön; Lamö; Lamanskjaer), Langesundsfjorden, Larvik, Vestfold, Norway
Year of Discovery:1835

Occurrences of Aegirine

Geological Setting:Alkaline igneous rocks, carbonatites, pegmatites.

Physical Properties of Aegirine

Lustre:Vitreous
Diaphaneity (Transparency):Transparent, Opaque
Comment:Slightly resinous
Colour:Dark green, greenish-black
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.
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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X-Ray Powder Diffraction:
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Radiation - Copper Kα
Data Set:
Horizontal Axis: ° to ° Vertical Axis: % Source Data: Filtered Data: Peaks:
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

Related to:
  • Pyroxene Group
    • Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):

    - +
    9.DA.05Donpeacorite
    (Mn
    2+
     
    		,Mg)Mg[SiO
     
    3
    		]
     
    2
    9.DA.05Enstatite
    Mg
     
    2
    		[SiO
     
    3
    		]
     
    2
    9.DA.05Ferrosilite
    Fe
     
    2
    		[SiO
     
    3
    		]
     
    2
    9.DA.05Akimotoite
    (Mg,Fe
    2+
     
    		)SiO
     
    3
    9.DA.10Clinoenstatite
    Mg
     
    2
    		[Si
     
    2
    		O
     
    6
    		]
    9.DA.10Clinoferrosilite
    Fe
    2+
     
    		(Fe
    2+
     
    		,Mg)[Si
     
    2
    		O
     
    6
    		]
    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
    CaMg[Si
     
    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.15IMA2008-059
    CaAl[AlSiO
     
    6
    		]
    9.DA.15IMA2008-042a
    CaTi
    3+
     
    		 AlSiO
     
    6
    9.DA.20Aegirine-augite
    (Na,Ca)(Fe,Fe,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
    NaCr[Si
     
    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
    LiAl[Si
     
    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
    		[O
     
    2
    		|Si
     
    6
    		O
     
    18
    		]
    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
    		][(OH)
     
    2
    		|Si
     
    8
    		O
     
    22
    		]
    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
    		[(OH,F)
     
    2
    		|Si
     
    4
    		O
     
    10
    		]
     
    2

    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
    Polish:Egiryn
    Portuguese:Egirina
    Russian:Эгирин
    Spanish:Egirina
    Acmita
    Acnita
    Aegerita
    Aegirita
    Aegyrita
    Aemita
    Ukrainian:Егірин-авгіт
    Varieties:
    UrbaniteVanadian 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.

    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.

    Internet Links for Aegirine

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  • Raman and XRD data at RRUFF project
  • American Mineralogist Crystal Structure Database
  • Search for Aegirine in the Natural History Museum (London) online catalogue
  • Aegirine details from Handbook of Mineralogy (PDF)
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    Localities for Aegirine

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