Inesite

(repeating unit)Ca2Mn7Si10O28(OH)2•5(H2O)IMA symbolIns[1]Strunz classification09.DL.05Dana classification66.3.3.1Crystal systemTriclinicSpace groupP1 (no.2)IdentificationColorRose red, pink, orange-pink, orange-red-brownCrystal habitMassive, fibrous, radial, sphericalCleavagePerfectFractureIrregular/UnevenTenacityBrittleMohs scale hardness5.5 - 6LusterVitreous, SilkyStreakWhiteDiaphaneityTranslucentSpecific gravity3.0Ultraviolet fluorescenceNon-fluorescentCommon impuritiesFe, Al, Mg, KReferences[2][3][4]

Inesite is a hydrous calcium manganese silicate mineral.[5]  Its chemical formula is Ca2Mn7Si10O28(OH)2•5(H2O). Inesite is an inosilicate with a triclinic crystal system. It has a Mohs hardness of 5.5 to 6, and a specific gravity of 3.0. Its name originates from the Greek Ίνες (ines), "fibers" in allusion to its color and habit. [3]

Occurrence and distribution

Inesite occurs in hydrothermal replacement deposits of manganese-rich metamorphic rocks and serpentines.[6]  It was first described in 1887 at Hilfe Gottes Mine, Oberscheld, Dillenburg, Dillenburg District, Hesse, Germany. Outside of the type locality, there are several notable localities of inesite, such as:[7][8]

  • Fengjishan Mine (Daye Copper Mine), Edong Mining District, Daye County, Huangshi Prefecture, Hubei Province, China.
Inesite Gallery
  • Bright red inesite with orange prehnite from N'Chwanning II Mine, Kuruman, Kalahari Manganese Field, North Cape, South Africa
    Bright red inesite with orange prehnite from N'Chwanning II Mine, Kuruman, Kalahari Manganese Field, North Cape, South Africa
  • Inesite from Hale Creek Mine,Trinity County, California, USA
    Inesite from Hale Creek Mine,Trinity County, California, USA
  • Inesite with yellow hubeite from Fengjishan Mine (Daye Copper Mine), Edong Mining District, Daye County, Huangshi Prefecture, Hubei Province, China
    Inesite with yellow hubeite from Fengjishan Mine (Daye Copper Mine), Edong Mining District, Daye County, Huangshi Prefecture, Hubei Province, China
  • Brown Inesite from Broken Hill, New South Wales, Australia
    Brown Inesite from Broken Hill, New South Wales, Australia
  • Inesite on top of orlymanite from Wessels Mine, Hotazel, Kalahari Manganese field, Northern Cape, South Africa
    Inesite on top of orlymanite from Wessels Mine, Hotazel, Kalahari Manganese field, Northern Cape, South Africa

References

  1. ^ Warr, L.N. (2021). "IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols". Mineralogical Magazine. 85 (3): 291–320. Bibcode:2021MinM...85..291W. doi:10.1180/mgm.2021.43. S2CID 235729616.
  2. ^ Dave Barthelmy. "Inesite Mineral Data". webmineral.com. Retrieved 2019-01-26.
  3. ^ a b "Inesite: Mineral information, data and localities". mindat.org. Retrieved 2019-01-26.
  4. ^ Wan, C.; Ghose, S. (1978). "Inesite, a hydrated calcium manganese silicate with five-tetrahedral-repeat double chains". American Mineralogist. 63: 563–571.
  5. ^ Chesterman, Charles (1978). The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Rocks And Minerals. Knopf. p. 592.
  6. ^ The Mineral Inesite
  7. ^ "Inesite" (PDF). 18 August 2001. Retrieved 26 January 2019.
  8. ^ http://www.minsocam.org/ammin/AM53/AM53_1614.pdf Inesite From the Broken Hill Lode, New South Wales, Australia