Cochise College          Photos of Minerals

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                          Roger Weller, geology instructor

                          [email protected]
                                  copyright 2006-R.Weller
 

Mineral Information on:
datolite

Chemical Group:    silicate

Chemical Formula:    HCaBSiO₅

Color:  white, grayish, pale green, yellow, red, honey-yellow,
olive green                                                                        

Streak:   white        Transparency:  transparent to translucent

Hardness:  5 to 5.5               Specific Gravity:  2.9 to 3.0                

Luster: vitreous, sub-resinous

Cleavage:  not observed

Crystal Forms:  Monoclinic system
     Crystals are usually short and prismatic.
     Habit: botryoidal, columnar, massive

Mineral Associations:  found in cavities in basalt; associated with calcite and zeolites

Identifying Characteristics:

Uses:  rarely as a gemstone

Occurrences:  crystals from New Jersey; pink massive nodules Lake Superior region

Toxicity:      when-swallowed- low         when inhaled- high

Additional Information: