Charmarite (-2H, -3T) (Type Locality)
Mn₄²⁺Al₂(CO₃)(OH)₁₂ · 3H₂O

     Charmarite has just been described in a belated Canadian Mineralogist. It is still rare at MSH, two polytypes are known to exist (-2H and -3T). It had been located back in 1971 and 1976.  Charmarite had originally been identified as manasseite before being assigned UK #58.

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS:

Color is usually orange-brown, pale brown, pale blue or
   colorless (-2H); orange brown to pale brown (-3T).
Luster is vitreous.
Diaphaneity: transparent.
Crystal System is hexagonal; P6₃22 (-2H), P3₁12 or P3₂12 (-3T).
Crystal Habits include hexagonal tabular crystals to 0.5mm (-2H);
   hexagonal prisms with star-shaped cross sections (-3T).
Cleavage (??).
Fracture is (??).
Hardness is 2.
Specific Gravity is approximately 2.5 g/cm³.
Streak is white.
Associated Minerals include aegirine, albite, analcime, astrophyllite,
   calcite, microcline, rhodochrosite and siderite.
Distinguishing Features: Crystal habits.
Origin: Named in 1992 after Charles Weber (b. 1917) and Marcelle
   Weber (b. 1918), the discoverers of the mineral.

CLASSIFICATION:

REFERENCES:
Dana 8:513 (1997), CanMin 35: 1541-1549 (1997)

DISTRIBUTION AND RARITY AT MONT SAINT-HILAIRE:

MSH
¤¤¤

PE
--

AP
--

MX
--

SS
--

MC
¤¤

HF
--

BR
--

SX
--

FR
--

Legend