Inesite
| Inesite | |
|---|---|
Inesite Crystals from Fengjishan Mine (Daye Copper Mine), Edong Mining District, Daye County, Huangshi Prefecture, Hubei Province, China. | |
| General | |
| Category | Inosilicates |
| Formula | Ca2Mn7Si10O28(OH)2•5(H2O) |
| IMA symbol | Ins |
| Strunz classification | 09.DL.05 |
| Dana classification | 66.3.3.1 |
| Crystal system | Triclinic |
| Space group | P1 (no.2) |
| Identification | |
| Color | Rose red, pink, orange-pink, orange-red-brown |
| Crystal habit | Massive, fibrous, radial, spherical |
| Cleavage | Perfect |
| Fracture | Irregular/Uneven |
| Tenacity | Brittle |
| Mohs scale hardness | 5.5 - 6 |
| Luster | Vitreous, Silky |
| Streak | White |
| Diaphaneity | Translucent |
| Specific gravity | 3.0 |
| Ultraviolet fluorescence | Non-fluorescent |
| Common impurities | Fe, Al, Mg, K |
| References | |
Inesite is a hydrous calcium manganese silicate mineral. Its chemical formula is Ca2Mn7Si10O28(OH)2•5(H2O). Inesite is an inosilicate with a triclinic crystal system. It has a Mohs hardness of 5.5 to 6, and a specific gravity of 3.0. Its name originates from the Greek Ίνες (ines), "fibers" in allusion to its color and habit.