Moissanite Mineral Data

Moissanite Mineral Data +

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General Moissanite Information

Chemical Formula:

SiC

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 40.10 gm

Silicon 70.04 % Si

Carbon 29.96 % C

______

100.00 %

Empirical Formula:

SiC

Environment:

Found in lunar samples and meteorites. Widely used as an abrasive. Clear, synthetic material marketed as a gem under the mineral name.

IMA Status:

Valid Species (Pre-IMA) 1905

Locality:

Canyon Diablo meteorite, Meteor Crater, Coconino County, Arizona, USA. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

Named for Henri Moissan (1852-1907), French chemist.

Synonym:

Carborundum

Moissanite Image

Images:

Moissanite

Comments: Gemmy, platy crystal of moissanite shown with largest (001) face. The arrow indicates a drop-shaped, black metallic inclusion. (AmMin, 88:1818).
Location: Found in a cobble at a beach along the Turkish coast of the Mediterranean Sea, around 150 km NW from Izmir, and is most likely derived from Tertiary volcanic rocks outcropping in the area. Scale: Scale bar 300 µ-m.
© American Mineralogist

Images:

Moissanite Silicon

Comments: Backscattered electron image of metallic inclusion in moissanite (SiC). The gray shading in the BSE mage consists mainly of pure silicon (Si metal). The brighter areas are composed of Fe-silicide. (AmMin, 88:1818).
Location: Found in a cobble at a beach along the Turkish coast of the Mediterranean Sea, around 150 km NW from Izmir, and is most likely derived from Tertiary volcanic rocks outcropping in the area. Scale: Scalebar 200 µ-m.
© American Mineralogist

Moissanite Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:c = 1:1.63291

Cell Dimensions:

a = 3.081, c = 5.031, Z = 2; V = 41.36 Den(Calc)= 3.22

Crystal System:

Hexagonal - Dihexagonal PyramidalH-M Symbol (6mm) Space Group: P 6₃mc

$Help on X Ray Diffraction:$ X Ray Diffraction:

By Intensity(I/I_o): 2.36(1), 2.67(0.8), 2.52(0.5),1.54(0.4), 1.42(0.3), 1.31(0.2), 1.83(0.2), 1.29(0.1),

Crystal Structure:

Mouse
drag1 - LMB Manipulate Structure
drag2 - RMB Resize/Rotate
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A - Atoms On/Off
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Wyckoff R W G , Crystal Structures , 1 (1963) p.85-237, Second edition. Interscience Publishers, New York, New York, Note: wurtzite structure

Physical Properties of Moissanite

Cleavage:

[0001] Indistinct

Color:

Blue, Colorless, Green, Green yellow, Yellow.

Density:

3.218 - 3.22, Average = 3.21

Diaphaniety:

Transparent to Opaque

Fracture:

Conchoidal - Fractures developed in brittle materials characterized by smoothly curving surfaces, (e.g. quartz).

Habit:

Inclusions - Generally found as inclusions in other minerals.

Habit:

Microscopic Crystals - Crystals visible only with microscopes.

Hardness:

9.5 - Silicon Carbide

Luster:

Metallic

Streak:

greenish gray

Optical Properties of Moissanite

Dichroism (e):

weak blue.

Dichroism (w):

weaker blue.

Optical Data:

Uniaxial (+), w=2.654, e=2.967, bire=0.3130.

Calculated Properties of Moissanite

Electron Density:

r_electron=3.21 gm/cc
note: r_Moissanite=3.22 gm/cc.

Fermion Index

Fermion Index = 0.036
Boson Index = 0.964

Photoelectric:

PE_Moissanite= 2.39 barns/electron
U=PE_Moissanite x r_electron= 7.67 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

GRapi = 0 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)

Moissanite is Not Radioactive

Moissanite Classification

Dana Class:

1.3.8.1 (1)Native Elements

(1.3)with semi-metallic and non-metallic elements

(1.3.8)Dana Group

1.3.8.1 Moissanite SiC P 6₃mc 6mm

Strunz Class:

I/B.02-30 I - Elements

I/B - Semimetals and nonmetals

I/B.02 - Carbon series, Graphite - Lonsdaleite

I/B.02-10 Graphite C P 6₃/mmc 6/m 2/m 2/m

I/B.02-20 Chaoite C P 6/mmm 6/m 2/m 2/m

I/B.02-30 Moissanite SiC P 6₃mc 6mm

I/B.02-40 Diamond C F d3m 4/m 3 2/m

I/B.02-50 Lonsdaleite C P 6₃/mmc 6/m 2/m 2/m

Other Moissanite Information

References:

NAME( Dana8) PHYS. PROP.(Dana8) OPTIC PROP.(Dana8)

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Moissanite

SiC
Dana No: 1.3.8.1 Strunz No: I/B.02-30
Locality:

Notes: