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Stilbite

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Pune District (Poonah District), Maharashtra, India
© 2002 John H. Betts

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Colour:WhiteHardness:3½ - 4
Name:From Greek "stilbein", to glitter of shine, or "stilbe", a mirror, alluding to its pearly or vitreous luster.
Synonym of:Stilbite-Ca, Stilbite-Na


This name now refers to the minerals Stilbite-Ca and Stilbite-Na.

Classification of Stilbite

Hey's CIM Ref.:16.10.21

16 : Silicates Containing Aluminum and other Metals
10 : Aluminosilicates of Ca and alkalis
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Physical Properties of Stilbite

Lustre:Vitreous, Pearly
Colour:White
Streak:White
Hardness (Mohs):3½ - 4
Density (measured):2.18 - 2.2 g/cm3
Density (calculated):2.23 g/cm3

Crystallography of Stilbite

Crystal Atlas:
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Stilbite no.1 - Goldschmidt (1913-1926)
Stilbite no.6 - Goldschmidt (1913-1926)

About Crystal Atlas

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The mindat.org Crystal Atlas allows you to view a selection of crystal drawings of real and idealised crystal forms for this mineral and, in certain cases, 3d rotating crystal objects. You need Java to see these. You can download Java for free - click here to download Java

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Optical Data of Stilbite

Type:Biaxial (-)
RI values: nα = 1.479 - 1.492 nβ = 1.485 - 1.500 nγ = 1.489 - 1.505
2V:Measured: 22° to 79°, Calculated: 76° to 78°
Maximum Birefringence:δ = 0.010 - 0.013

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

Relationship of Stilbite to other Species

Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:
16.10.1Bytownite
(Ca,Na)[Al(Al,Si)Si
 
2
O
 
8
]
16.10.2Lisetite
CaNa
 
2
Al
 
4
Si
 
4
O
 
16
16.10.4Thomsonite-Ca
NaCa
 
2
[Al
 
5
Si
 
5
O
 
20
] · 6H
 
2
O
16.10.5Gonnardite
Na
 
2
Ca[Al
 
2
Si
 
3
O
 
10
]
 
2
 · 7H
 
2
O
16.10.6Mesolite
Na
 
2
Ca
 
2
[Al
 
2
Si
 
3
O
 
10
]
 
3
 · 8H
 
2
O
16.10.7Faujasite
16.10.8Garronite
Na
 
2
Ca
 
5
Al
 
12
Si
 
20
O
 
64
·27H
 
2
O
16.10.9Boggsite
Ca
 
8
Na
 
3
(Si,Al)
 
96
O
 
192
·70H
 
2
O
16.10.10Herschelite
16.10.11Phillipsite
16.10.12Fedorite
KNa
 
4
Ca
 
4
[HSi
 
4
O
 
10
]
 
4
 · 6H
 
2
O
16.10.13Willhendersonite
KCa[Al
 
3
Si
 
3
O
 
12
] · 5H
 
2
O
16.10.14Barrerite
(Na,K,Ca
 
0.5
)
 
2
[Al
 
2
Si
 
7
O
 
18
] · 7H
 
2
O
16.10.15Mordenite
(Na
 
2
,Ca,K
 
2
)Al
 
2
Si
 
10
O
 
24
·7H
 
2
O
16.10.16Reyerite
(Na,K)
 
2
Ca
 
14
(Si,Al)
 
24
O
 
58
(OH)
 
8
·6H
 
2
O
16.10.17Lévyne
16.10.18Clinoptilolite
16.10.19Heulandite
16.10.20Gobbinsite
Na
 
4
(Ca,Mg,K
 
2
)Al
 
6
Si
 
10
O
 
32
·12H
 
2
O
16.10.22Dachiardite
(Na,K,Ca
 
0
·5)
 
4
(Al
 
4
Si
 
20
)O
 
48
·18H
 
2
O
16.10.23Offretite
KCaMgAl
 
5
Si
 
13
O
 
36
·16H
 
2
O or near
16.10.24Perlialite
K
 
9
Na(Ca,Sr)[Al
 
2
Si
 
4
O
 
12
]
 
6
 · 15H
 
2
O
16.10.25Erionite
16.10.26Paulingite
16.10.27Sodium Dachiardite
(Na
 
2
,Ca,K
 
2
)
 
4-5
Al
 
8
Si
 
40
O
 
96
·26H
 
2
O
16.10.28Mazzite-Mg
K
 
2
Mg
 
2
Ca
 
1.5
Al
 
9.5
Si
 
26.5
O
 
72
·28H
 
2
O or near
16.10.29Roggianite
Ca
 
2
Be(OH)
 
2
Al
 
2
Si
 
4
O
 
13
·2.5H
 
2
O

Other Names for Stilbite

Synonyms:
DesmineDesmine (of Breithaupt)EpidesmineGarbenstilbitePuflerite
German names:
GarbenstilbitStilbit
Japanese names:
束沸石
Spanish names:
GarbenstilbitaStilbita

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 Stilbite

Reference List:Haüy R.J. (1796), Journal des mines, 5, 276.

Pabst, Adolf (1939), The relation of stellerite and epidesmine to stilbite: Mineralogical Magazine: 25: 271-276; …(abstract): American Mieralogist: 24: 63 (1939).

Slaughter, M. (1970), Crystal structure of stilbite: American Mineralogist: 55: 387-397.

Cruciani, G., G. Artioli, A. Gualtieri, K. Stahl, and J.C. Hanson (1997), Dehydration dynamics of stilbite using synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction: American Mineralogist: 82: 729-739.

Internet Links for Stilbite

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    Localities for Stilbite

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