Chrysotile Mineral Data


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General Chrysotile Information

Help on Chemical  Formula: Chemical Formula: Mg3Si2O5(OH)4
Help on Composition: Composition: Molecular Weight = 277.11 gm
   Magnesium  26.31 %  Mg   43.63 % MgO
   Silicon    20.27 %  Si   43.36 % SiO2
   Hydrogen    1.45 %  H    13.00 % H2O
   Oxygen     51.96 %  O
             ______        ______ 
             100.00 %      100.00 % = TOTAL OXIDE
Help on Empirical Formula: Empirical Formula: Mg3(Si2O5)(OH)4
Help on Environment: Environment: Chrysotile is used as a group name in 1956 for clinochrysotile and orthochrysotile.
Help on IMA Status: IMA Status: Not Approved IMA 1956 (Dana # Added)
Help on Locality: Locality: Link to MinDat.org Location Data.
Help on Name Origin: Name Origin: Named in 1834 from the Greek chrysos - "gold" and tilos - "fiber."
Help on Synonym: Synonym: Asbestos
 

Chrysotile Image

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Chrysotile

Comments: Polished slab of chrysotile asbestos minerals showing the fibrous, chatoyant crystal patterns.
Location: Globe, Globe-Miami District, Gila Co., Arizona, USA. Scale: 8x7x1 cm.
© John Betts - Fine Minerals

Chrysotile Crystallography

Help on Axial Ratios: Axial Ratios: a:b:c =0.5825:1:1.6049
Help on Cell Dimensions: Cell Dimensions: a = 5.313, b = 9.12, c = 14.637, Z = 4; beta = 93.167° V = 708.15 Den(Calc)= 2.60
Help on Crystal System: Crystal System: Monoclinic - PrismaticH-M Symbol (2/m) Space Group: A2/m
Help on X Ray Diffraction: X Ray Diffraction: By Intensity(I/Io): 7.32(1), 3.65(0.7), 4.57(0.5),
 

Physical Properties of Chrysotile

Help on Color: Color: Green.
Help on Density: Density: 2.53
Help on Diaphaniety: Diaphaniety: Translucent
Help on Habit: Habit: Acicular - Occurs as needle-like crystals.
Help on Hardness: Hardness: 2.5 - Finger Nail
Help on Luster: Luster: Silky
Help on Streak: Streak: white
 

Optical Properties of Chrysotile

Help on Gladstone-Dale: Gladstone-Dale: CI meas= -0.015 (Superior) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC)
CI calc= 0.012 (Superior) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.219,KPDmeas= 0.2251,KC= 0.2217
Help on Optical Data: Optical Data: Biaxial (?), a=1.569, g=1.57, bire=0.0010
 

Calculated Properties of Chrysotile

Help on Electron Density: Electron Density:

relectron=2.63 gm/cc
note: rChrysotile =2.60 gm/cc.

Help on Fermion Index Fermion Index Fermion Index = 0.03603
Boson Index = 0.96397
Help on Photoelectric: Photoelectric:

PEChrysotile = 1.39 barns/electron
U=PEChrysotile x relectron= 3.65 barns/cc.

Help on Radioactivity: Radioactivity: GRapi = 0 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)

Chrysotile is Not Radioactive

 

Chrysotile Classification

Help on  Dana Class: Dana Class: 71.1.2d.0 (71)Phyllosilicate Sheets of Six-Membered Rings
  (71.1)with 1:1 layers
  (71.1.2d)Serpentine group (Chrysotile subgroup)
 
71.1.2d.0 Chrysotile ! Mg3Si2O5(OH)4 A2/m 2/m
 
71.1.2d.1 Clinochrysotile Mg3Si2O5(OH)4 Cc, C 2/m Mono
 
71.1.2d.2 Orthochrysotile Mg3Si2O5(OH)4 Unk Ortho
 
71.1.2d.3 Parachrysotile Mg3Si2O5(OH)4 Unk Ortho
 
71.1.2d.4 Pecoraite Ni3Si2O5(OH)4 C 2/m 2/m
Help on  Strunz Class: Strunz Class: VIII/H.27-00 VIII - Silicates
  VIII/H - Phyllosilicates (layered) Mica like with [Si4O10]4- and related groups
  VIII/H.27 - Serpentine group
 

Other Chrysotile Information

Help on References: References: NAME( Dana8) PHYS. PROP.(Enc. of Minerals,2nd ed.,1990) OPTIC PROP.(Enc. of Minerals,2nd ed.,1990)
Help on See Also: See Also: Links to other databases for Chrysotile :
1 -Am. Min. Crystal Structure Database 2 - Amethyst Galleries' Mineral Gallery 3 - Applied Mineralogy 4 -Athena 5 - Crocoite.com Mineral Locations 6 -Google Images 7 -Google Scholar 8 - HyperPhysics 9 -MinDAT 10 -MinMax(Deutsch) 11 -MinMax(English) 12 - Mineral and Gemstone Kingdom 13 -Mineralienatlas (Deutsch) 14 -QUT Mineral Atlas

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Chrysotile

Mg3Si2O5(OH)4
Dana No: 71.1.2d.0 Strunz No: VIII/H.27-00
Locality:

 

Notes:

 

 
   
 
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