The occurrence of chkalovite at Mont Saint-Hilaire is extremely rare. It is also difficult to recognize.
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS:
- Color is usually colorless.
- Luster is vitreous.
- Diaphaneity is transparent.
- Crystal System is orthorhombic; F2dd.
- Crystal Habits include complex equant crystals.
- Cleavage is not apparent.
- Fracture is conchoidal.
- Hardness is 6.
- Specific Gravity is approximately 2.7 g/cm3.
- Streak is white.
- Associated Minerals include aegirine, albite, lovozerite group,
lueshite, sérandite, sodalite, steenstrupine, ussingite and
villiaumite. - Distinguishing Features: none.
- Origin: Named in 1939 for Valery Pavlovich Chkalov (1904-1938),
Russian aviator who made the first flight over the North Pole from
Moscow to the United States.
| Dana class # | 65.5.2.1 – Inosilicates: two-dimensionally infinite silicate units; single-width, unbranched chains, W = 1 |
| Strunz class # | VIII/J.4-10 – Silicates; tectosilicates (network) without anions unfamiliar to the tetraheders; chkalovite series |