File:Chiastolite andalusite 3 (47363027112).jpg

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(cut & polished slice; 3.5 centimeters across at its widest)


A mineral is a naturally-occurring, solid, inorganic, crystalline substance having a fairly definite chemical composition and having fairly definite physical properties. At its simplest, a mineral is a naturally-occurring solid chemical. Currently, there are over 5400 named and described minerals - about 200 of them are common and about 20 of them are very common. Mineral classification is based on anion chemistry. Major categories of minerals are: elements, sulfides, oxides, halides, carbonates, sulfates, phosphates, and silicates.

The silicates are the most abundant and chemically complex group of minerals. All silicates have silica as the basis for their chemistry. "Silica" refers to SiO2 chemistry. The fundamental molecular unit of silica is one small silicon atom surrounded by four large oxygen atoms in the shape of a triangular pyramid - this is the silica tetrahedron - SiO4. Each oxygen atom is shared by two silicon atoms, so only half of the four oxygens "belong" to each silicon. The resulting formula for silica is thus SiO2, not SiO4.

The simplest & most abundant silicate mineral in the Earth's crust is quartz (SiO2). All other silicates have silica + impurities. Many silicates have a significant percentage of aluminum (the aluminosilicates).

Andalusite is an aluminum silicate mineral, Al2SiO5. This chemical occurs as three different polymorphs - andalusite, kyanite, and sillimanite. Andalusite is a metamorphic mineral. It has a nonmetallic luster and varies in color, but always has a white streak. It is hard (H = ~7) and has cleavage.

Chiastolite is a variety of andaulsite having dark-colored inclusions that result in a flower-like, tetraradiate structure.


Photo gallery of andulasite and chiastolite: <a href="https://www.mindat.org/gallery.php?min=217" rel="noreferrer nofollow">www.mindat.org/gallery.php?min=217</a> and

<a href="https://www.mindat.org/gallery.php?min=1001" rel="noreferrer nofollow">www.mindat.org/gallery.php?min=1001</a>
Date
Source Chiastolite andalusite 3
Author James St. John

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This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.
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This image was originally posted to Flickr by James St. John at https://flickr.com/photos/47445767@N05/47363027112 (archive). It was reviewed on 5 December 2019 by FlickreviewR 2 and was confirmed to be licensed under the terms of the cc-by-2.0.

5 December 2019

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Date/TimeThumbnailDimensionsUserComment
current13:34, 5 December 2019Thumbnail for version as of 13:34, 5 December 20192,044 × 1,715 (1.69 MB)Ser Amantio di Nicolao (talk | contribs)Transferred from Flickr via #flickr2commons

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