Magnesiohastingsite

A variety of Minerals

What is Magnesiohastingsite?

Magnesiohastingsite is a calcium-containing amphibole and a member of the hornblende group. It is an inosilicate (chain silicate) with the formula NaCa2(Mg4Fe)(Si6Al2)O22(OH)2 and molar mass 864.69 g. In synthetic magnesiohastingsite it appears that iron occurs both as ferrous iron Fe and as ferric iron Fe, but the ideal formula features only ferric iron. It was named in 1928 by Marland P. Billings. The name is for its relationship to hastingsite and its magnesium content. Hastingsite was named for the locality in Dungannon Township, Hastings County, Ontario, Canada. Calcic (containing calcium) amphiboles include: The tremolite – actinolite – ferro-actinolite series The hornblende group The kaersutite – ferro-kaersutite series Joesmithite The hornbende group includes: The edenite – ferro-edenite series The tschermakite – ferrotschermakite series The pargasite – ferro-pargasite series The magnesiohastingsite – hastingsite series The magnesiosadanagaite – sadanagaite series

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Magnesiohastingsite Localities Map

See where Magnesiohastingsite is found with a localities map, collecting zones, and geology context. Generate a sample map preview below.

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North ZoneCentral RidgeSouth Basin

Key Characteristics

Characteristics of Magnesiohastingsite

Cleavage is good with cleavage surfaces intersecting at about 56° and 124°, as is common with all the amphiboles. The mineral displays simple or multiple twinning parallel to a prism face. It is a brittle mineral, with Mohs hardness 5 to 6 and specific gravity 3.2, with increasing magnesium content causing a decrease in specific gravity. It is not radioactive and it is insoluble in hydrochloric acid.

Composition of Magnesiohastingsite

The structure of all amphiboles is based on a double chain of linked SiO4 tetrahedra, with composition (Si4O11)n. The inner tetrahedra are referred to as T1 and the outer ones as T2. The pattern in the double chain repeats after a block of two T1 and two T2 tetrahedra, with a repeat distance of approximately 5.3 Å, and this determines the length of the unit cell along the c crystal axis. The tetrahedra within a chain all point outwards in the same direction, and the chains are linked back-to-back by cations to form I-beams. The I-beams themselves are then linked together to form the complete structure.