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Stellerite

Big Photo

Braen Quarry (Braen Stone Industry Quarry; Sam Braen Quarry), Haledon, Passaic Co., New Jersey, USA
© 2007 FAI III

Show Stellerite Photos (158)
Formula:
Ca[Al
 
2
Si
 
7
O
 
18
] · 7H
 
2
O
System:OrthorhombicColour:Colourless to white, ...
Hardness:4½
Name:Named after Georg Wilhelm Steller (1709-1746), German explorer and zoologist, discover of the Komandorskiye islands, Bering Sea (Russia).


Zeolite Group.

See also the chemically similar stilbite-Ca.

Classification of Stellerite

IMA status:Approved
Strunz 8th edition ID:8/J.23-50
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:9.GE.15

9 : SILICATES (Germanates)
G : Tektosilicates with zeolitic H2O; zeolite family
E : Chains of T10O20 Tetrahedra
Dana 8th edition ID:77.1.4.4

77 : TECTOSILICATES Zeolites
1 : Zeolite group - True zeolites
Hey's CIM Ref.:16.9.30

16 : Silicates Containing Aluminum and other Metals
9 : Aluminosilicates of Ca
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Type Occurrence of Stellerite

Type Locality:Mednyi Island, Commander Islands (Komandorskije ostrova), Bering Sea, Kamchatka Oblast', Far-Eastern Region, Russia
Year of Discovery:1909

Occurrences of Stellerite

Geological Setting:Cavities and fracture surfaces in hydrothermally altered volcanic rocks.

Physical Properties of Stellerite

Lustre:Pearly
Diaphaneity (Transparency):Transparent
Colour:Colourless to white, pink, orange
Hardness (Mohs):4½
Cleavage:Perfect
on {010}
Density (measured):2.13 g/cm3
Density (calculated):2.12 g/cm3

Crystallography of Stellerite

Crystal System:Orthorhombic
Class (H-M):mmm (2/m 2/m 2/m) - Dipyramidal
Space Group:Fmmm {F2/m 2/m 2/m}
Cell Parameters:a = 13.599(4) Å, b = 18.222(4) Å, c = 17.683(3) Å
Ratio:a:b:c = 0.746 : 1 : 0.97
Unit Cell Volume:V 4,381.86 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:8
Morphology:Commonly in spheres of radiating crystals.

Optical Data of Stellerite

Type:Biaxial (-)
RI values: nα = 1.485 nβ = 1.486 - 1.496 nγ = 1.498
Maximum Birefringence:δ = 0.013

Chart shows birefringence interference colour range (at 30µm thickness) and does not take into account mineral colouration.
Surface Relief:Moderate
Dispersion:none

Chemical Properties of Stellerite

Formula:
Ca[Al
 
2
Si
 
7
O
 
18
] · 7H
 
2
O
Essential elements:Al, Ca, H, O, Si
All elements listed in formula:Al, Ca, H, O, Si
Common Impurities:Fe,Mn,Mg,Sr,Ba,Na,K

Relationship of Stellerite to other Species

Member of Group:
Zeolite Group:
Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):

- +
9.GE.05Clinoptilolite-Ca
(Ca,Na,K)
 
2-3
Al
 
3
(Al,Si)
 
2
Si
 
13
O
 
36
·12H
 
2
O
9.GE.05Clinoptilolite-K
(K,Na,Ca)
 
2-3
Al
 
3
(Al,Si)
 
2
Si
 
13
O
 
36
·12H
 
2
O
9.GE.05Clinoptilolite-Na
(Na,K,Ca)
 
2-3
Al
 
3
(Al,Si)
 
2
Si
 
13
O
 
36
·12H
 
2
O
9.GE.05Heulandite-Ca
(Ca,Na)
 
2-3
Al
 
3
(Al,Si)
 
2
Si
 
13
O
 
36
·12H
 
2
O
9.GE.05Heulandite-K
(K,Na,Ca)
 
2-3
Al
 
3
(Al,Si)
 
2
Si
 
13
O
 
36
·12H
 
2
O
9.GE.05Heulandite-Na
(Na,Ca)
 
2-3
Al
 
3
(Al,Si)
 
2
Si
 
13
O
 
36
·12H
 
2
O
9.GE.05Heulandite-Sr
(Sr,Na,Ca)
 
2-3
Al
 
3
(Al,Si)
 
2
Si
 
13
O
 
36
·12H
 
2
O
9.GE.05Heulandite-Ba
(Ba,Ca,K,Na,Sr)
 
5
Al
 
9
Si
 
27
O
 
72
·22H
 
2
O
9.GE.10Stilbite-Ca
NaCa
 
4
[Al
 
9
Si
 
27
O
 
72
] · nH
 
2
O
9.GE.10Stilbite-Na
Na
 
3
Ca
 
3
[Al
 
8
Si
 
28
O
 
72
]·nH
 
2
O
9.GE.15Barrerite
(Na,K,Ca
 
0.5
)
 
2
[Al
 
2
Si
 
7
O
 
18
] · 7H
 
2
O
9.GE.20Brewsterite-Ba
(Ba,Sr)[Al
 
2
Si
 
6
O
 
16
] · 5H
 
2
O
9.GE.20Brewsterite-Sr
(Sr,Ba,Ca)[Al
 
2
Si
 
6
O
 
16
] · 5H
 
2
O
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:

- +
16.9.1Gehlenite
Ca
 
2
Al[AlSiO
 
7
]
16.9.2Anorthite
Ca[Al
 
2
Si
 
2
O
 
8
]
16.9.3Yoshiokaite
(Ca,Na)[Al(Al,Si)O
 
4
]
16.9.4Svyatoslavite
Ca[Al
 
2
Si
 
2
O
 
8
]
16.9.5Dmisteinbergite
Ca[Al
 
2
Si
 
2
O
 
8
]
16.9.6Grossular
Ca
 
3
Al
 
2
[SiO
 
4
]
 
3
16.9.7Vuagnatite
CaAl[OH|SiO
 
4
]
16.9.8Zoisite
{Ca
 
2
}{Al
 
3
}[O|OH|SiO
 
4
|Si
 
2
O
 
7
]
16.9.9Clinozoisite
{Ca
 
2
}{Al
 
3
}[O|OH|SiO
 
4
|Si
 
2
O
 
7
]
16.9.10Prehnite
Ca
 
2
Al
 
2
Si
 
3
O
 
12
(OH)
16.9.11Kamaishilite
Ca
 
2
[(OH)
 
2
|Al
 
2
SiO
 
6
]
16.9.12Bicchulite
Ca
 
2
[(OH)
 
2
|Al
 
2
SiO
 
6
]
16.9.13Margarite
CaAl
 
2
[(OH)
 
2
|Al
 
2
Si
 
2
O
 
10
]
16.9.14Chantalite
CaAl
 
2
[(OH)
 
4
|SiO
 
4
]
16.9.15Cebollite
Ca
 
5
Al
 
2
Si
 
3
O
 
12
(OH)
 
4
 or near
16.9.17Katoite
Ca
 
3
Al
 
2
[(OH)
 
8-6
|(SiO
 
4
)
 
1-1.5
]
16.9.18Lawsonite
CaAl
 
2
[(OH)
 
2
|Si
 
2
O
 
7
] · H
 
2
O
16.9.19Parthéite
CaAl
 
2
Si
 
2
O
 
8
·2H
 
2
O
16.9.20Wairakite
Ca[Al
 
2
Si
 
4
O
 
12
] · 2H
 
2
O
16.9.21Vertumnite
Ca
 
4
Al
 
4
Si
 
4
O
 
6
(OH)
 
24
·3H
 
2
O
16.9.22Scolecite
Ca[Al
 
2
Si
 
3
O
 
10
] · 3H
 
2
O
16.9.23Laumontite
CaAl
 
2
Si
 
4
O
 
12
·4H
 
2
O
16.9.24Yugawaralite
CaAl
 
2
Si
 
6
O
 
16
·4H
 
2
O
16.9.25Gismondine-Ca
CaAl
 
2
Si
 
2
O
 
8
·4H
 
2
O
16.9.26Epistilbite
CaAl
 
2
Si
 
6
O
 
16
·5H
 
2
O
16.9.27Goosecreekite
Ca[Al
 
2
Si
 
6
O
 
16
] · 5H
 
2
O
16.9.28Cowlesite
CaAl
 
2
Si
 
3
O
 
10
·6H
 
2
O
16.9.31Strätlingite
Ca
 
2
Al
 
2
SiO
 
7
·8H
 
2
O
16.9.32Amstallite
CaAl(Si,Al)
 
4
O
 
8
(OH)
 
4
·(H
 
2
O,Cl)

Other Names for Stellerite

Other Languages:
German:Stellerit
Russian:Стеллерит
Spanish:Stellerita

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 Stellerite

Reference List:Bull. Inter. Acad. Sci. Cracovie (1909), p. 344.

Pabst, Adolf (1939), The relation of stellerite and epidesmine to stilbite: Mineralogical Magazine: 25: 271-276. [Abstract in: American Mineralogist: 24: 63 (1939)].

Galli, E., and A. Alberti (1975), The crystal structure of stellerite: Bulletin de la Société française de Minéralogie et de Cristallographie: 98: 11-18.

Miller, S.A., and J.C. Taylor (1985), Neutron single crystal diffraction study of an Australian stellerite: Zeolites: 5: 7-10.

Mineralogical Record (1988): 19: 394-397.

European Journal of Mineralogy (1993): 5: 839.

Internet Links for Stellerite

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

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