Tremolite
Mineral Ca2Mg5Si8O22(OH)2
Also called Hexagonite
Take care.
- Can shed asbestos fibres: Keep it in a closed box, and never break, saw, sand, or scrape it.
About it
White to grey blades in marble; fibrous tremolite is a form of asbestos. Lavender hexagonite comes from northern New York, and tough nephrite jade is mostly tremolite-actinolite.
- Type
- Mineral
- Group
- Silicate (inosilicate), amphibole group
- Formula
- Ca2Mg5Si8O22(OH)2
- Hardness (Mohs)
- 5–6
- Specific gravity
- 2.99–3.03
- Streak
- white
- Lustre
- vitreous (glassy), silky
- Crystal system
- Monoclinic
- Colours
- white, grey, colourless, pale green, lavender
- Transparency
- transparent, translucent
- Cleavage and fracture
- perfect in two directions at about 56° and 124°
Typical values: real specimens vary. For more, see mindat.org.