Corundum

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Corundum crystals - click for larger pic
Corundum crystals
Photo by Douglas Merson
© Douglas Merson

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Corundum, a member of the hematite group, is extremely rare at Mont Saint-Hilaire.

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS:

Color is usually pale brown to brown to brownish-yellow.
Luster is vitreous to adamantine.
Diaphaneity is translucent.
Crystal System is hexagonal;
Crystal Habits include small granular masses.
Cleavage none, but good {001} parting.
Fracture is uneven to subconchoidal.
Hardness is 9.
Specific Gravity is approximately 4.0 g/cm
Streak is white.
Associated Minerals include albite, ancylite, beryl, molybdenite
and siderite.
Distinguishing Features: none.
Origin: Known from antiquity, from the Tamil, kurundam; Sanskrit,
kurivinda; Hindi, karand, corundum.

CLASSIFICATION:

Dana System
# 4.3.1.1

Strunz Classification
# IV/C.4-10

REFERENCES:
MinRec 21:303 (1990), Dana 8:214-217 (1997)

DISTRIBUTION AND RARITY AT MONT SAINT-HILAIRE:

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