Editorial Feature

Kanoite – Occurrence, Properties, and Distribution

Oct 21 2013

Kanoite is silicate mineral that is found in metamorphic rocks. It is an inosilicate, and a member of pyroxene group and clinopyroxene subgroup. It was named after Dr. Hiroshi Kano, a professor of Petrology at Akita University, Japan.

Properties of Kanoite

The following are the key properties of kanoite:

Cell Data
- Space group: P2₁ /c (probable)
- a = 9.739
- b = 8.939
- c = 5.260
- β = 108.56^±
- Z = 4
Crystal Data
- Monoclinic
- Point group: 2/m
- As grains up to 0.1 mm
- Twinning: Polysynthetic on {100}, common
- X-ray powder pattern: 3.211 (100), 3.021 (90), 2.910 (90), 2.921 (80), 2.493 (40),
- 1.627 (40), 2.573 (30)

Chemical Composition

Elements	Content 1
SiO₂	50.20
MnO	31.19
MgO	15.08
FeO	2.64
Fe₂O₃	0.39
CaO	[0.61]
Al₂O₃	0.04
Na₂O	0.03
K₂O	0.03
Total	[100.21]

Optical Properties
- Birefringent
- Semitransparent
- Anisotropic
- Optical class: Biaxial (+)
- Orientation: Y = b; Z ^ c = 42^±; α = 1.715(2); β = 1.717(2); γ = 1.728(2)
- 2V (meas.) = 40^±– 42^±

Estimated Properties

Electron density	Bulk density (electron density)=3.55 gm/cm³ note: Specific gravity of kanoite =3.66 gm/cm³
Photoelectric	PE_Kanoite = 9.51 barns/electron U=PE_Kanoite x ρElectron density= 33.73 barns/cm³
Fermion index	Fermion index = 0.01 Boson index = 0.99
Radioactivity	Kanoite is not radioactive

How to Identify Kanoite

Kanoite can be identified in the field by its pink brown/reddish brown color with perfect cleavage in a semitransparent form. It has a glassy lustre with a light brown streak. The density of kanoite is 3.66 g/cm³ with a hardness of 6-7 – between orthoclase-quartz.

Global Distribution

Kanoite has been reported at the following locations:

Japan - Tatehira, Oshima Peninsula, Hokkaido
Australia - Broken Hill, New South Wales
Oman - Semail Ophiolit
USA- Balmat-Edwards Zinc District, Saint Lawrence County, New York

Occurrence of Kanoite and Useful Mineral Association

Kanoite can be found in the seam cutting of a pyroxmangite-cummingtonite metamorphic rock. It is often associated with minerals such as manganoan cummingtonite, spessartine and pyroxmangite.