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Bentorite

• 
  Hatrurim Formation, Negev, Israel
  © 2008 Jesse Crawford

• Formula:
  Ca₆(Cr³⁺,Al)₂(SO₄)₃(OH)₁₂ · 26H₂O

• System: Hexagonal

• Name:
  Named in 1977 by Shulamit Gross in honor of Professor Yaakov K. Ben-Tor [February 13, 1910 Königsberg, East Prussia, Germany - October 29, 2002 La Jolla, California, USA], petrologist and geologist, Scripps Institute of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego, California, USA and Department head of Geology, Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel from 1954-1966, for his contributions to the geology and mineralogy of Israel and the Middle East.

• IMA Status: Valid (Approved)
  Approved 1979

• Type Locality:
  Hatrurim Formation, Negev, Israel

• Dana 8th: 31.10.2.2
  
  31 : HYDRATED SULFATES CONTAINING HYDROXYL OR HALOGEN
  10 : Miscellaneous

• Strunz 9th:
  7.DG.15
  
  7 : SULFATES (selenates, tellurates, chromates, molybdates, wolframates)
  D : Sulfates (selenates, etc.) with additional anions, with H2O
  G : With large and medium-sized cations; with NO3, CO3, B(OH)4, SiO4 or IO3

• Hardness (Mohs): 2

• Density: 2.025 g/cm³ (measured)
  2.021 g/cm³ (calculated)

• Lustre: Resinous,Waxy,Earthy

• Diapheny: Transparent

• Colour: Violet to rose-purple

• Streak: Very pale purple