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Benitoite Bario-orthojoaquinite & Neptunite

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CLB62496

Benitoite Bario-orthojoaquinite & Neptunite

Type Locality

Description Tabs

Description
Locality: 
New Idria District, San Benito County, California, United States of America
Size Range: 
Cabinet (10-18 cm)
Size: 
12 × 8.2 × 8.5 cm
Description

Type locality for benitoite and bario-orthojoaquinite.

The largest of the blue benitoite crystals is naturally etched and 1.1 cm big. There is a smaller one of about 2 to 3 cm.

The largest neptunite crystal (black, elongated) is 1.5 cm, the brown bario-orthojoaquinite crystals don't get bigger than 0.1 cm. The matrix is crossite with natrolite.

Mineral Data
What's on the rock

Benitoite

Formula: 
BaTi(Si3O9)
Strunz: 
9.CA.05
Crystal System: 
Hexagonal
Hardness: 
6.0 - 6.5
Type Locality: 
California State Gem Mine (Dallas Gem Mine; Benitoite Mine; Benitoite Gem Mine; Gem Mine), Dallas Gem Mine area, San Benito River headwaters area, New Idria District, Diablo Range, San Benito Co., California, USA

Bario-orthojoaquinite

Formula: 
(Ba,Sr)4Fe2Ti2[Si4O12]2O2·H2O
Strunz: 
9.CE.25
Crystal System: 
Orthorhombic
Hardness: 
5.0 - 5.5
Type Locality: 
California State Gem Mine (Dallas Gem Mine; Benitoite Mine; Benitoite Gem Mine; Gem Mine), Dallas Gem Mine area, San Benito River headwaters area, New Idria District, Diablo Range, San Benito Co., California, USA

Neptunite

Formula: 
Na2KLi(Fe2+,Mn2+)2Ti2(Si8O24)
Strunz: 
9.EH.05
Hardness: 
5.0 - 6.0
Colour: 
Black
Type Locality: 
Narsaarsuk pegmatite (Narssârssuk pegmatite), Narsaarsuk Plateau, Igaliku (Igaliko), Narsaq, Kujalleq, Greenland

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