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WOLLASTONITE

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Originally appearing in Volume V28, Page 777 of the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica.
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WOLLASTONITE , a See also:

rock-forming See also:mineral consisting of See also:calcium metasilicate, CaSiO3, crystallizing in the See also:monoclinic See also:system and belonging to the See also:pyroxene (q.v.) See also:group. It differs, however, from other members of this group in having cleavages, not parallel to the See also:prism-faces, but in two directions perpendicular to the See also:plane of symmetry. Crystals are usually elongated parallel to the See also:axis of symmetry and flattened parallel to the ortho-pinacoid, hence the See also:early name " See also:tabular spar "; the name wollastonite is after W. H. See also:Wollaston. The mineral usually occurs in See also:white cleavage masses. The hardness is 5, and the specific gravity 2.85. It is a characteristic product of contact-See also:metamorphism, occurring especially, with See also:garnet, See also:diopside, &c., in crystalline limestones. Crystals are found in the cavities of the ejected See also:limestone blocks of See also:Monte Somma, See also:Vesuvius. At See also:Santa Fe in the See also:State of See also:Chiapas, See also:Mexico, a large rock-See also:mass of wollastonite carries ores of See also:gold and See also:copper: here are found large See also:pink crystals which are often partially or wholly altered to See also:opal. (L. J.

End of Article: WOLLASTONITE

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