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Petersenite-(Ce) crystals
© Gilles Haineault
Petersenite-(Ce) crystals
© Doug Merson
Petersenite-(Ce) crystals
© Modris Baum
Na(REE)(CO
Petersenite-(Ce), formerly UK #100 and a member of the burbankite, is a rare species at MSH.
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS:
Color varies from gray, pink, yellow, mauve, colorless and
brownish-yellow.
Luster is vitreous.
Diaphaneity is translucent to transparent.
Crystal System is monoclinic;
Crystal Habits include striated hexagonal prismatic crystals, prismatic
inclusions and acicular crystals to 7mm
Cleavage is not apparent.
Fracture is conchoidal.
Hardness is ~3.
Specific Gravity is approximately 3.69 g/cm
Streak is white.
Associated Minerals include aegirine, albite, astrophyllite, calcio-
burbankite, catapleiite, epididymite, eudialyte, gaidonnayite, lanthanite,
manganneptunite, manganotychite, microcline, reederite, rhodochrosite,
sérandite, shomiokite, shortite, siderite, trona and UK #91.
Distinguishing Features: Crystal habits and colors.
Origin: Named in 1994 after Ole Valdemar Petersen (b.1939), Danish
museum curator.
CLASSIFICATION:
Dana System
# 14.4.5.2
Strunz Classification
# V/B.05-95
REFERENCES:
CanMin 32:405-414 (1994), Dana 8:460-461 (1997)
DISTRIBUTION AND RARITY AT MONT SAINT-HILAIRE:
MSH
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Petersenite-(Ce) crystals
© Stephan Wolfsried
Petersenite-(Ce) crystals
© Stephan Wolfsried