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Synchysite-(Ce) crystals
Photo by Violet Anderson
© Royal Ontario Museum
Synchysite-(Ce) crystals
© Doug Merson
Synchysite-(Ce) crystals
© Doug Merson
NaAlSi10 · 2H
Synchysite-(Ce) is rare at MSH. Two polytypes, -12T and -24T have been reported from the locality.
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS:
Color varies from tan to beige, pale green, yellow and brown.
Luster is dull to vitreous; resinous on broken surfaces.
Diaphaneity is opaque to translucent.
Crystal System is monoclinic; 2/
Crystal Habits include tabular crystals to 4mm, thin hexagonal plates
forming spherical aggregates and rosettes.
Cleavage {001} is fair.
Fracture is subconchoidal to splintery.
Hardness is 4 – 4.5.
Specific Gravity is approximately 3.9 g/cm
Streak is light yellowish-white.
Associated Minerals include albite, analcime, bastnäsite, biotite,
calcite, catapleiite, fluorite, microcline, pyrite, pyrochlore, pyrrhotite,
rutile, siderite, sphalerite and zircon.
Distinguishing Features: Crystal habit and color.
Origin: Named in 1901 from the Greek synchys, confounding,
alluding to its original misidentification as parisite-(Ce).
CLASSIFICATION:
Dana System
# 16a.1.3.1
Strunz Classification
# V/C.07-110
REFERENCES:
MinRec 21:341 (1990), Dana 8:479 (1997)
DISTRIBUTION AND RARITY AT MONT SAINT-HILAIRE:
MSH
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