Okenite
Mineral Ca10Si18O46·18H2O
Take care.
- Fragile: Handle it gently and pack it well; it breaks or crumbles easily.
About it
Soft "cotton ball" tufts of hair-thin white fibres in basalt cavities of India, often with apophyllite; delicate, so avoid touching or blowing on them.
- Type
- Mineral
- Group
- Silicate (phyllosilicate), okenite group
- Formula
- Ca10Si18O46·18H2O
- Hardness (Mohs)
- 4.5–5
- Specific gravity
- 2.28–2.33
- Streak
- white
- Lustre
- silky, pearly
- Crystal system
- Triclinic
- Colours
- white, cream, yellowish, bluish
- Transparency
- transparent, translucent
- Cleavage and fracture
- perfect in one direction
Typical values: real specimens vary. For more, see mindat.org.