Hornblende
A variety of Hornblende Root Name Group
What is Hornblende?
Hornblende is a term commonly used to describe dark green to black amphiboles. While it is not officially recognized as a distinct mineral, the name is widely used in the field to refer to this particular group of minerals. Hornblende minerals are often found in igneous and metamorphic rocks. Hornblende is often associated with other minerals like feldspar and quartz. Its presence in rocks provides valuable clues about their geological origins and history.
Etymology & Origins
The word hornblende is derived from the German horn and blenden, to 'deceive' in allusion to its similarity in appearance to metal-bearing ore minerals.
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Key Characteristics
Characteristics of Hornblende
Hornblende has a hardness of 5–6, a specific gravity of 2.9–3.4 and is typically an opaque green, greenish-brown, brown or black color. Its cleavage angles are at 56 and 124 degrees. It is most often confused with various pyroxene minerals and biotite mica, which are black and can be found in granite and in charnockite.
Formation of Hornblende
Hornblende is a common constituent of many igneous and metamorphic rocks such as granite, syenite, diorite, gabbro, basalt, andesite, gneiss, and schist. It is the principal mineral of amphibolites. Very dark brown to black hornblendes that contain titanium are ordinarily called basaltic hornblende, from the fact that they are usually a constituent of basalt and related rocks. Hornblende alters easily to chlorite and epidote. A rare variety of hornblende contains less than 5% of iron oxide, is gray to white in color, and is named edenite from its locality in Edenville, Orange County, New York. Other minerals in the hornblende series include: pargasite hastingsite tschermakite edenite
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Quick Facts
Physical Properties
- Color
- Black, dark green, brown
- Hardness (Mohs)
- 5 - 6
- Density
- 3 - 3.4 g/cm³
- Streak
- Colorless
- Luster
- Vitreous, Dull
- Crystal System
- Monoclinic
Chemical Properties
- Chemical Formula
- Ca₂(Mg,Fe,Al)₅(Al,Si)₈O₂₂(OH)₂
- Elements
- Ca,Mg,Fe,Al,Si,O,H
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