Helvine
Mineral Mn4Be3(SiO4)3S
Also called Helvite
About it
Yellow to brown tetrahedra in pegmatites and skarns that look like sphalerite but are much harder; from China, Russia, and the Sweet Home mine, Colorado.
- Type
- Mineral
- Group
- Silicate (tectosilicate), sodalite group
- Formula
- Mn4Be3(SiO4)3S
- Hardness (Mohs)
- 6–6.5
- Specific gravity
- 3.2–3.44
- Streak
- white
- Lustre
- vitreous (glassy), resinous
- Crystal system
- Isometric (cubic)
- Colours
- yellow, brown, red, yellow-green
- Transparency
- transparent, translucent
- Cleavage and fracture
- poor octahedral; uneven to conchoidal fracture
Typical values: real specimens vary. For more, see mindat.org.