Pyroxene
Mineral (Ca,Na,Mg,Fe,Mn,Li)(Mg,Fe,Al,Cr,Ti)(Si,Al)2O6
About it
Group name for stubby, eight-sided prisms with two cleavages nearly at right angles, common in basalt and gabbro. Diopside, augite, enstatite, spodumene, and jadeite are listed separately.
- Type
- Mineral
- Group
- Silicate (inosilicate), pyroxene group
- Formula
- (Ca,Na,Mg,Fe,Mn,Li)(Mg,Fe,Al,Cr,Ti)(Si,Al)2O6
- Hardness (Mohs)
- 5.5–7
- Specific gravity
- 3.1–3.6
- Streak
- white to greyish green
- Lustre
- vitreous (glassy)
- Colours
- green, black, brown, white, colourless, lilac
- Transparency
- transparent, translucent, opaque
- Cleavage and fracture
- good in two directions at nearly 90°
Typical values: real specimens vary. For more, see mindat.org.