Erionite
Mineral (Na2,K2,Ca)2Al4Si14O36·15H2O
Also called Erionite-Na, Erionite-K, and Erionite-Ca
Take care.
- Can shed asbestos fibres: Keep it in a closed box, and never break, saw, sand, or scrape it.
- Fragile: Handle it gently and pack it well; it breaks or crumbles easily.
About it
Woolly white fibres in altered volcanic ash and basalt, as in Oregon, Nevada, and Turkey's Cappadocia; its dust causes mesothelioma, so treat it as you would asbestos.
- Type
- Mineral
- Group
- Silicate (tectosilicate), zeolite group
- Formula
- (Na2,K2,Ca)2Al4Si14O36·15H2O
- Hardness (Mohs)
- 3.5–4
- Specific gravity
- 2.02–2.13
- Streak
- white
- Lustre
- silky, vitreous (glassy)
- Crystal system
- Hexagonal
- Colours
- white, colourless, grey, orange
- Transparency
- transparent, translucent
- Cleavage and fracture
- distinct prismatic
Typical values: real specimens vary. For more, see mindat.org.