Minerals: Description of Over 600 Minerals from Around the World

299 Pages·2001·45.31 MB·English

by  Milan Novak

THE COMPLETE
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF
MINERAL
THE COMPLETE
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF
MINERAL
Description of over 600 Minerals from around the world
PETR KORBEL & MILAN NovAK

Contents
Introduction 7
1. Elements 9
2. Sulphides 19
3. Halides 67
4. Oxides 75
5. Carbonates 113
6. Borales 131
7. Sulfates 137
8. Phosphates 155
9. Silicates 193
10. Organic compounds 281
11. Rocks, meteorites and tektites 285
Recommended literature 291
Index 293

Introduction
TheC'o"Cfincreasingnumberofpublicationsabout meteorites); 2. sedimentary. when a mineral
miDenils reflects a growing interest in nature. crystallizesduringaprocessofdiagenesisorfrom
MostofthosepubHcalKmsthoughonlydealwitha hydrous solutions under normal temperature
few dozen of lhc: most common minerals or (clastic,organicandchemicalsedimentaryrocks):
gemstones. This book rills the gap by also 3. metamorphic, when a mineral crystallizes
featuring less common and rare minerals. The duringmetamorphicprocesses inasolidstateata
authors describe O\'er 600 mineral species and wide range of temperature and pressure (il
varieties, illuSIT'lled with about 750 color includes rrgionalty and contact metamorphosed
photographs.Inchoosingillustrationsofparticular rocksandskams):4.hydrothermal,""henminerals
minerals, aesthetic criteria such as size ofcryml eT)'stallize from aqueous solutions and fluids
and color played a role in addition 10 their underhightolowtemperatures(itincludesoreand
importance and distribution in nature.This book the Alpine-type veins, cavities in volcanic rocks,
includessomerareminerals.knownonlyfromone mineralsand rocks, hydrothermally altered under
locality,becausetheyfonn \'cryatlractivecrystals hightemperature.e.g. greiscns).
or aggregates. There are minerals known to Secondary minerals arc divided into following
humankind since prehistoric limessuch asquartz groups: I. oxidation. when minerals result from
and gold but also minerals first described quite theoxidation(weathering)oftheprimaryminerals
recently like rossmanitc. The photographs sho..." in the oxidation zone ofore deposits and other
well-formed and colorful crystals but many rocks (it includes the origin of malachite and
aggregates. whicharemorecommoninnature.are azuriteduring thechalcopyriteoxidation.alsothe
also included.The minerals in thebook are listed origin of secondary phosphates in granitic
according to lhe mincralogical system of Hugo pegmatitcs during the oxidation of primary
Strunz, in his book Mil1erologhche Tabellell in phosphates);2. cementation, whenmineralsresult
1978. The chemical formulae of individual from the reduction ofthe primary minerals (the
minerals follow the fonn ofGlossary ofM;nerol originofnativeoopperandnativesilverunderthe
Species 1995byM. FleischerandJ.A.Mandarino. reduction conditions in the cementation zone of
The information is oomplemented in both cases ore deposits). This classification is "cry much
with the latest kTl()'o\.·ledge from scientific simplified ofcourse. because in many cases Ilo"C
literature, such as new nomenclature of cannot readily detennine a specific origin of a
amphiboles.micasandzeolites. partlcular mineral. This relates 10 minerals that
The mineral descriptionscover the basic physical crystallize undercondilions which approximately
and chemical data. including chemical formula represent a transition bet....,cco scpar3te phasesof
andcrystal system.Thedataprovidedoorrespond the origin. such u the magmaticorhydrothermal
mainly to the end·members. The less oommoo origins of elbaite in the pegmatite cavities: the
''alcnceofthcchemicalelementsismarked inthe metamorphicorhydrothermaloriginsofgrossular
chemical formula (FeY, Mo", As", Mn', Pb'·). inskams;themagmaticormetamorphicoriginsof
Whettanelement featuresinboth''alencesinthe oordierite in migmatifes;and the hydrothennal or
mineral. they are both marked (e.g. ih'aite, secondaryoriginsofsome phosphales in granitic
braunite). pegmatitcsetc.
The origin ofindividual minerals is described in Wilhthelocalitiesforindividualmineralsweha"e
detail.Wechoseforarelativelysimplifiedscheme tried to list the most important worldwide
because the normal complexity cannot be localities regardlessoftheirrecentproductionbut
described here in demil. Minerals can be we have also included recent discoveries since
distinguished as either primary(resultin~directly these may produee important mincral specimens.
from a solidifying ofmagma, crystallizmg ofan Whereamineralhasanimportantuscthisislisted
aqueous solution or metamorphism - re atthecndofmincraldcsenption.Wewouldlikcto
crystallization in a solid stale) and secondary acknowledgeallwhocontributedinanywaytothe
(resulting from alteration ofthe original mineral. productionofthisbook. particularly thoseprivate
e.g. during its oxidation or reduction under low collectors and institutions which loaned minerals
temperalure and pressure close to the surface of for photography. We hope those fascinated in the
the Earth). Primary minerals are divided inlO worldofmineralsandofnaturewill find thisbook
following groups: 1. magmatic, when a mineral afascinalingsourceofinfonnation.
eryst:llJizes directly from a melt (it includes This book is dedicated to the memory of Dr.
magmatic and effusive igneous rocks, including Jaroslav ""eoek, who was of extraordinary
granitic and alkaline syenite pcgmatiles and influence (0 several generations of Cz~h and
Slovak mineralogists and mineral oollectors with
.\fllf'ClUilt!.100III"'.MislNrg.Gu>rIa"y hisenthusiasm formineralogyandattitude10life.
..,. +
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