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Ussingite crystals
© Doug Merson
Ussingite crystals
© Modris Baum
Ussingite crystals
© Stephan Wolfsried
Na(AlSi)(OH)
Ussingite is rare mineral at Mont Saint-Hilaire.
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS:
Color is usually colorless to pale pink.
Luster is vitreous to greasy.
Diaphaneity is transparent.
Crystal System is triclinic; 1.
Crystal Habits include stacked tabular crystals to 2mm, and massive
ussingite forming spherical pods.
Cleavage {110} is perfect.
Fracture is (??).
Hardness is 6.5
Specific Gravity is approximately 2.5 g/cm
Streak is white.
Associated Minerals include aegirine, albite, eudialyte, griceite,
lovozerite, lueshite, natrophosphate, pectolite, sodalite, sphalerite,
thalcusite and thermonatrite.
Distinguishing Features: crystal habit and forms.
Origin: Named in 1915 after Niels Viggo Ussing (1864-1911),
Danish professor of mineralogy.
CLASSIFICATION:
Dana System
# 76.3.3.1
Strunz Classification
# VIII/J.14-10
REFERENCES:
MinRec 21:343-344 (1990), Dana 8:1644-1645 (1997)
DISTRIBUTION AND RARITY AT MONT SAINT-HILAIRE:
MSH
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