Formula: LiAlSi2O6 . H2O
Origin of name: Locality; Bikita, Fort Victoria, Zimbabwe
Crystal system: Monoclinic (-1M) or triclinic (-1A)
Crystal class: 2 (-1M) or 1 (-1A)
Twinning:
Unit cell: -1M: a = 8.61 Ǻ, b = 4.96 Ǻ, c = 7.61 Ǻ, β = 114.4° , -1A: a = 8.607 Å, b = 4.954 Å, c = 7.597 Å, a = 89.9°, b = 114.44°, g = 89.99°
Colour: Colourless
Diaphaneity:
Luster: Vitreous
Habit: Crystals pseudo-orthorhombic prismatic; massive
Hardness: 6
Specific gravity: 2.28
Cleavage: 2; {100} perfect, {001} good
Tenacity: Conchoidal fracture
Streak: White
Synonyms/varieties:
Comments: Probably member of the zeolite group. Found as late-formed mineral in fractures in lithium-rich pegmatites.
| Back to Alphabetical list | Colour photos | Optical properties/Thin sections | SEM images | TEM images | vibrational spectra description | IR spectra | Raman spectra | N-IR spectra | F-IR spectra | IES spectra |