Jun 11 2014
Chabazite was named after the Greek word chabazios, which is an ancient word for stone. It belongs to zeolite group.
Properties of Chabazite
The following are the key properties of chabazite:
- Cell Data
- Space group: P1
- a = 9.40-9.45
- b = 9.40-9.44
- c = 9.40-9.44
- α = 94.18°-94.33°
- β = 94.08°-94.36°
- γ = 94.07°-94.45°
- Z = [2]
- Crystal Data
- Triclinic, pseudohexagonal
- Point group: P1; 3 2/m
- In pseudorhombohedral crystals, nearly cubic in aspect, to 4.5cm
- Tabular, complex to rounded twinned forms; anhedral, granular, or massive
- Twinning: About [0001], interpenetrant, simple and repeated, common; contact on {1011}
- X-ray powder pattern: 2.925 (100), 4.32 (75), 9.35 (50), 5.02 (30), 3.87 (30), 2.890 (30), 3.59 (25)
- Chemical Composition
| Elements |
Content 1 |
Content 2 |
| SiO2 |
47.56 |
47.46 |
| H2O |
- |
21.34 |
| Al2O3 |
20.40 |
20.13 |
| H2O+ |
16.28 |
- |
| CaO |
10.52 |
11.07 |
| H2O- |
3.44 |
- |
| K2O |
0.92 |
- |
| Na2O |
0.32 |
- |
| MgO |
0.20 |
- |
| Total |
99.64 |
100.00
|
- Optical Properties
- Optical class: Biaxial (+) or (-) or uniaxial
- Commonly shows birefringent paneling in six sections
- Orientation: X = c; rarely Z = c
- α = 1.478-1.487; β = n.d.; γ = 1.480-1.493
- 2V(meas.) = 0°-32°
How to Identify Chabazite
Chabazite can be identified in the field by its color variations, such as white, pink, red, yellow, and orange. This mineral has a vitreous luster, with white streak.
The density of chabazite is 2.035 g/cm3, with a hardness of 4 to 5 Mohs.
Global Distribution
Chabazite is distributed in the following places:
- Germany - Fine crystals from Idar-Oberstein, Rhineland-Palatinate
- Czech Republic - At Repcice (Rubendorfel), near Usti nad Labem (Aussig)
- Ireland - At a number of localities in Co. Antrim
- Scotland - At Kilmalcolm, Renfrewshire
- Faeroe Islands - From Haeddin, on Eysturoy; Dalsnipa, on Sandoy; and Skutin, on Nolsoy
- Iceland - Large crystals at Breidhdalsheidhi
- USA - Around Paterson, Passaic Co. and Bergen Hill, Hudson Co. New Jersey; on Table Mountain, Jefferson Co. Colorado; at Goble, Columbia Co. and Springfield, Lane Co. Oregon
- Canada - In the Bay of Fundy district, Nova Scotia
- Mexico - On Table Mountain, Rosarito Beach, Baja California
- India - In the Khandivali quarry, near Bombay, Maharashtra
- Australia - At Richmond and Collingwood, Victoria, and on Fairy Mount, near Kyogle, New South Wales
Occurrence of Chabazite and Useful Mineral Association
Chabazite occurs in volcanic rocks as basalts, andesite, and sometimes in limestones and schists, hydrothermally deposited in cavities and joints in ore veins. It also occurs in bedded tuff in lake deposits, altered from volcanic glass.
Chabazite is often associated with minerals such as zeolites, nepheline, tridymite, melilite, pyroxenes, amphiboles, axinite, epidote, calcite, dolomite, and olivine.
References