May 29 2014
Clintonite is a member of the mica group, and has a monoclinic system. It was named after De Witt Clinton, an American statesman.
Properties of Clintonite
The following are the key properties of Clintonite:
- Cell Data
- Space Group: C2/m
- a = 5.204
- b = 9.026
- c = 9.812
- β= 100°20'
- Z = 2
- Crystal Data
- Monoclinic
- Point Group: 2/m
- In tabular pseudohexagonal crystals, complexly twinned, to 2.5cm; foliated or lamellar radiated; massive
- Twinning: On {001}, twin axis [310] or [310]; spiral polysynthetic twinning
- X-ray powder pattern: 2.56 (100), 3.21 (70), 2.11 (70), 1.505 (60), 9.68 (50), 2.45 (50), 1.485 (50)
- Chemical Composition
| Elements |
Content 1 |
Content 2 |
| Al2O3 |
40.00 |
42.70 |
| MgO |
20.56 |
20.03 |
| SiO2 |
18.78 |
16.74 |
| CaO |
12.90 |
13.09 |
| H2O+ |
[4.20] |
4.49 |
| Fe2O3 |
2.85 |
|
| F |
2.01 |
|
| FeO |
1.86 |
0.41 |
| -O = F2 |
[0.85] |
|
| TiO2 |
0.54 |
|
| Total |
[100.00] |
100.31 |
- Optical Properties
- Optical Class: Biaxial (-)
- Pleochroism: X = colorless, pale orange, red-brown
- Y = Z = pale brownish-yellow, pale green
- Orientation: Y ˜ a or Y = b; Z = b or ˜ a; X ^ c = 5° - 10°
- Dispersion: r < v; weak
- Absorption: Y˜ Z > X
- α = 1.643-1.648
- β = 1.655-1.662
- γ= 1.655{1.663
- 2V(meas.) = 2°- 40°
- Estimated Properties
| Electron density |
Bulk density (electron density) = 3.03 g/cm3
note: Specific gravity of Clintonite = 3.05 g/cm3 |
| Photoelectric |
PEClintonite = 2.46 barns/electron
U = PEClintonite x ρElectron density = 7.46 barns/cm3 |
| Fermion index |
Fermion index = 0.01
Boson index = 0.99 |
Radioactivity
|
Clintonite is not radioactive
|
How to Identify Clintonite
Clintonite can be colorless, green, yellow, red, or reddish-brown. It has a transparent to translucent appearance and non-fluorescent luminescence. Its radial, massive crystals radiate from a center without producing stellar forms. It has brittle fractures with pearly luster, colorless streak, and perfect cleavage.
The average density of clintonite is 3.05 g/cm3, and its relative hardness ranges from 4 to 5.
Global Distribution
Clintonite is distributed in the following places:
- Amity, Edenville, USA
- Orange Co. New York
- Crestmore, Riverside Co. California
- Lyon Co. Nevada
- Sulzer, Prince of Wales Island, Alaska
- Mt. Monzoni and at Mts. Castone and Adamello, Trentino-Alto Adige, Italy
- Pargas district, Finland
- Akhmatovsk mine, near Zlatoust, Ural Mountains, Russia
- Chichibu mine, Saitama Prefecture, Japan
- Ertsberg, Irian Jaya
Occurrence of Clintonite and Useful Mineral Association
Clintotite occurs in chlorite schists, metasomatically altered limestones, and siliceous skarns near contact metamorphic zones.
It is closely associated with dolomite, calcite, chlorite, phlogopite, chondrodite, monticellite, clinopyroxene, vesuvianite, grossular, spinel, and talc.
References