Table of Contents
- 1 Does olivine have a cleavage plane?
- 2 How many planes of cleavage does olivine have?
- 3 What is the luster of olivine?
- 4 Why does olivine have no cleavage?
- 5 What is olivine chemical formula?
- 6 What is the description of olivine?
- 7 What are the physical properties of olivine rocks?
- 8 What kind of materials can olivine be used for?
Does olivine have a cleavage plane?
Olivine typically displays pale green pleochroism and no distinct cleavage.
How many planes of cleavage does olivine have?
The specific gravity and hardness of the olivines are listed in the Table. There are at least two cleavages—i.e., the tendency to split along preferred crystallographic directions (perpendicular to the a and b axes in this case)—both of which are better-developed in the iron-rich varieties.
Does olivine have no cleavage?
Olivine is a silicate mineral with the general composition (Mg,Fe)2SiO4. Having a very high crystallization temperature, it is formed early in the Bowen reaction series. It has no cleavage planes and is black to dark green in color.
What is the crystal structure of olivine?
Crystal structure All olivines crystallize in the orthorhombic crystal system. Olivine is classified as a nesosilicate which has isolated SiO4 tetrahedrons bound to each other only by ionic bonds from interstitial cations.
What is the luster of olivine?
Physical Properties of Olivine Olivine is usually green in color but can also be yellow-green, greenish yellow, or brown. It is transparent to translucent with a glassy luster and a hardness between 6.5 and 7.0. It is the only common igneous mineral with these properties.
Why does olivine have no cleavage?
Light green, glassy, often granular, as is this specimen, no cleavage. Constructed of isolated silica tetrahedra held together ionically by iron and magnesium ions. With no planes of weakness there is no cleavage, and because the crystals grow outward in all directions from a tetrahedral seed they are granular.
What is the chemical formula of halite?
NaCl
| Halite | |
|---|---|
| Halite from the Wieliczka salt mine, Małopolskie, Poland | |
| General | |
| Category | Halide mineral |
| Formula (repeating unit) | NaCl |
What is olivine composed of?
Olivine incorporates only minor amounts of elements other than oxygen (O), silicon (Si), magnesium (Mg) and iron (Fe). Manganese (Mn) and nickel (Ni) commonly are the additional elements present in highest concentrations.
What is olivine chemical formula?
Olivine is a magnesium iron silicate with the formula (Mg2+, Fe2+)2SiO4. End members are forsterite (Mg2SiO4) and fayalite (Fe2+2SiO4). Olivine is an abundant mineral in most mafic igneous rocks and the most abundant mineral in the earth’s upper mantle.
What is the description of olivine?
Olivine is usually green in color but can also be yellow-green, greenish yellow, or brown. It is transparent to translucent with a glassy luster and a hardness between 6.5 and 7.0. It is the only common igneous mineral with these properties.
Where is olivine found in the oceanic crust?
Olivine is also an abundant mineral in the lower portion of many ophiolites. These are slabs of oceanic crust (with part of the upper mantle attached) that have been thrust up onto an island or a continent. Typically (Mg, Fe) 2 SiO 4.
What are the names of the minerals in the olivine group?
Olivine gives its name to the group of minerals with a related structure (the olivine group )—which includes tephroite ( Mn 2 SiO 4 ), monticellite ( Ca MgSiO 4 ), larnite (Ca 2 SiO 4) and kirschsteinite (CaFeSiO 4) (commonly also spelled kirschteinite ).
What are the physical properties of olivine rocks?
Physical Properties of Olivine Chemical Classification Silicate Diagnostic Properties Green color, vitreous luster, conchoidal Chemical Composition Typically (Mg, Fe) 2 SiO 4. Ca, Mn, and Crystal System Orthorhombic Uses Gemstones, a declining use in bricks and
What kind of materials can olivine be used for?
Olivine has also been used as a refractory material. It is used to make refractory brick and used as a casting sand. Both of these uses are in decline as alternative materials are less expensive and easier to obtain. Olivine peridot rough: These three specimens are peridot, a gem variety of olivine, from a deposit in Arizona.