Formula: (Mn,Fe,Mg,Ca)SiO3
Origin of name: from Greek for rose
Crystal system: triclinic
Crystal class: -1
Twinning: on {010} lamellar
Unit cell: a = 7.70 Å, b = 12.22 Å, c = 6.70 Å, a = 94.0°, b = 93.1°, g = 68.2°
Colour: pink to rose-red to brownish red, yellow, gray
Diaphaneity:
Luster: vitreous, somewhat pearly on cleavage
Habit: crystals tabular, usually rough, rounded edges, massive, cleavable to compact, coarse to fine granular
Hardness: 5.5 to 6.5
Specific gravity: 3.57 to 3.76
Cleavage: 3; {110} and {1-10} perfect, {001} good
Tenacity: conchoidal to uneven, tough
Streak: white
Synonyms/varieties: fowlerite (Zn-rich variety), bustamite (Ca-rich variety), manganamphibole, rhodoarsenian
Comments:
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