Zeophyllite

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Zeophyllite crystals – 4mm
© Gilles Haineault

Ca₁₃Si₁₀₂₈(OH) · 6H

Zeophyllite is a rare accessory mineral at MSH.

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS:

Color is usually white.
Luster is vitreous to silky.
Diaphaneity is translucent to opaque.
Crystal System is triclinic; (??).
Crystal Habits include small thin and radiating foliated plates forming
1mm spherical aggregates.
Cleavage {001} is perfect.
Fracture is (??).
Hardness is 3.
Specific Gravity is approximately 2.8 g/cm
Streak is white.
Associated Minerals include apophyllite series, calcite, fluorite,
molybdenite, pectolite, polylithionite, pyrite and vesuvianite.
Distinguishing Features: None from other white fibrous species.
Origin: Named in 1902 from the Greek zeon, to boil, plus phyllon
a leaf, alluding to its occurrence in hemispheric foliated forms and
intumescence on heating.

CLASSIFICATION:

Dana System
# 73.1.4.1

Strunz Classification
# VIII/H.34-50

REFERENCES:
MinRec 21:347 (1990), Dana 8:1547-1548 (1997)

DISTRIBUTION AND RARITY AT MONT SAINT-HILAIRE:

MSH
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