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Pyrochlore crystal
R. O. M. Specimen #44877
Photo by Violet Anderson
© Royal Ontario Museum
Pyrochlore crystals
© Doug Merson
Pyrochlore crystals
© Doug Merson
Pyrochlore crystals
© Modris Baum
(Na,Ca)Nb(OH,F) · nH
Pyrochlore is relatively common at MSH.
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS:
Color is usually brown, orange-yellow or reddish brown.
Luster is vitreous to adamantine.
Diaphaneity is transparent to translucent.
Crystal System is isometric; Fd
Crystal Habits include sharp octahedral crystals to 1mm sprinkled
on various minerals, very rarely as rosettes, irregular grains and
embedded granular masses.
Cleavage {111} is distinct (sometimes).
Fracture is subconchoidal to uneven.
Hardness is 5 – 5.5
Specific Gravity is approximately 4.45 g/cm
Streak is light brown.
Associated Minerals include aegirine, albite, amphibole group,
analcime, ancylite, astrophyllite, biotite, calcite, catapleiite, chlorite
group, elpidite, epididymite, fluorite, genthelvite, leucophanite,
microcline, natrolite, polylithionite, rhodochrosite, rutile, sérandite
and wurtzite.
Distinguishing Features: Crystal habit and luster.
Origin: Named in 1826 from the Greek pyr, fire, plus chloros
greenish yellow, alluding to its color when heated.
CLASSIFICATION:
Dana System
# 8.2.1.1
Strunz Classification
# IV/C.17-10
REFERENCES:
MinRec 21:330-331 (1990), Dana 8:343-344 (1997)
DISTRIBUTION AND RARITY AT MONT SAINT-HILAIRE:
MSH
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Pyrochlore crystals
© Stephan Wolfsried
Pyrochlore crystals
© Stephan Wolfsried
Pyrochlore crystals
© Steven Stuart