Cryolite is an extremely rare mineral at Mont Saint-Hilaire where only a few specimens have been recovered until now.
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS:
- Color is usually colorless to white.
- Luster is greasy.
- Diaphaneity is transparent to translucent.
- Crystal System is monoclinic; P21/n.
- Crystal Habits include sharp pseudo-octahedral crystal to 2mm.
- Cleavage none distinct.
- Fracture is uneven.
- Hardness is 2.5.
- Specific Gravity is approximately 2.97 g/cm3.
- Streak is white.
- Associated Minerals include aegirine, chabazite, eudialyte,
lovozerite, natrolite, sodalite and villiaumite. - Distinguishing Features: Crystal habit.
- Origin: Named in 1799 from the Greek cryo, for ice and stone,
in allusion to the icelike appearance of the mineral.
Dana class # | 11.6.1.1 – Halogenides; halide complexes; alumino-fluorides |
Strunz class # | III/B.3-30 – Halogenides; double halogenides without water, with [BF4]1-,[SiF6]2- and [AlF6]3- ; cryolithionite – calcjarlite series |