May 20 2014
Bystrite is a silicate mineral and a member of the cancrinite group. The mineral was first discovered from the Malaya Bystraya lazurite deposit, south of Lake Baikal in Siberia, Russia. It was named after its place of discovery.
Properties of Bystrite
The following are the key properties of Bystrite:
- Cell Data
- Space Group: P31c
- a = 12.855
- c = 10.700
- Z = [2]
- Crystal Data
- Hexagonal
- Point Group: 3m
- Crystals tabular, to 5mm; and as irregular grains and aggregates
- X-ray Powder Pattern: 3.720 (100), 3.313 (90), 3.919 (80), 4.824 (70), 2.676 (70)
- Chemical Composition
| Elements |
Content 1 |
| SiO2 |
33.37 |
| Al2O3 |
26.74 |
| Na2O |
14.42 |
| S |
12.03 |
| K2O |
7.63 |
| CaO |
5.10 |
| -O = (S3,Cl2) |
2.06 |
| H2O |
1.62 |
| SO3 |
0.50 |
| CO2 |
0.32 |
| Cl |
0.25 |
| Total |
99.92 |
- Optical Properties
- Optical Class: Uniaxial (+)
- Pleochroism: Deep yellow to colorless
- Orientation: Negative elongation
- Absorption: O > E
- ω = 1.584
- ε = 1.660
- Estimated Properties
| Electron density |
Bulk density (electron density) = 2.40 g/cm3
note: Specific gravity of Bystrite = 2.43 g/cm3 |
| Photoelectric |
PEBystrite = 2.97 barns/electron
U= PEBystrite x ρElectron density = 7.14 barns/cm3 |
| Fermion index |
Fermion index = 0.0085
Boson index = 0.9914 |
Radioactivity
|
Bystrite is barely detectable
|
How to Identify Bystrite
Bystrite is a yellow colored mineral with a vitreous luster and light yellow streak. With a transparent to translucent appearance, bystrite occurs as splotchy, anhedral crystals, forming inclusions in other minerals or rocks.
The relative hardness of bystrite is 5, and its density is 2.43 g/cm3.
Global Distribution
Bystrite is distributed in the Malaya Bystraya lazurite deposit, 25km west of Slyudanka, south of Lake Baikal, Siberia, Russia.
Occurrence of Bystrite and Useful Mineral Association
Bystrite occurs in a lazurite deposit, and is closely associated with minerals like diopside, calcite and lazurite.
References