Editorial Feature

Brizziite – Occurrence, Properties, and Distribution

Brizziite was named after Dr. Giancarlo Brizzi (1936–1992), a mineral collector who discovered the first specimens.

Properties of Brizziite

The following are the key properties of brizziite:

  • Cell Data
    • Space group: R 3
    • a = 5.301(1)
    • c = 15.932(4)
    • Z = 6

  • Crystal Data
    • Hexagonal
    • Point group: 3
    • Platy hexagonal crystals, to 0.2mm, flattened on {0001}, in dense aggregates and incrustations
    • Twinning: On {0001}, polysynthetic, common
    • X-ray powder pattern: 1.874 (100), 2.365 (69), 1.471 (69), 2.650 (67), 5.30 (53), 3.00 (50), 1.185 (47)

  • Chemical Composition
    Elements Content 1 Content 2
    Sb2O5 83.28 83.92
    Na2O 15.98 16.08
    Total 99.26 100.00

  • Optical Properties
    • Optical class: Uniaxial (-)
    • ω = [1.84]
    • ε = 1.631

  • Estimated Properties
    Electron density Bulk density (electron density) = 4.42 g/cm3
    note: Specific gravity of brizziite = 4.95 g/cm3
    Photoelectric PEBrizziite = 208.40 barns/electron
    U=PEBrizziite x ρ electron density = 920.59 barns/cm3
    Fermion index Fermion index = 0.0001195361
    Boson index = 0.9998804639
    Radioactivity
    Brizziite is not radioactive

How to Identify Brizziite

Brizziite can be identified in the field by its colorless form. Its transparent form has {001} perfect cleavage. This mineral has a pearly luster with white streak.

The density of brizziite is 4.8 to 4.95 g/cm3, with a hardness of 2 – approximate to gypsum. It is non-fluorescent.

Global Distribution

Brizziite is distributed mainly in the Cetine mine, 20km south-west of Siena, Tuscany, Italy.

Occurrence of Brizziite and Useful Mineral Association

Brizziite occurs in a weathering product of stibnite, in an antimony deposit in highly silicified limestone.

It is often associated with minerals such as stibiconite, senarmontite, mopungite, and cetineite.

References

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