Muséum national d'histoire naturelle _ The species

FROM : Eugui, Navarre, Spain
SIZE : 8 x 5.5 x 6.5 cm

This sample has rhomboedric crystals of dolomite, they are colourless and transparent and imbricated (twinned crystals).

The facets are striated and show some iridescence. This sample comes from Eugui in Spain. The Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle acquired it thanks to a donation by Professor Henri-Jean Schubnel, who collected it in situ.

It is kept today in the storage rooms of the collections of the Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle (i.e., not yet displayed to the public).

Photography: A. Dahmane / Photo Saint-Hilaire, © MNHN.

SPECIE : Dolomite

HISTORY : Species dedicated to Déodat de Gratet de Dolomieu (1750-1801), French mineralogist, geologist and engineer

Species first described in 1792 by Horace Benedict de Saussure (1740-1799), naturalist and geologist from Geneva

Type-locality: Sud-Tyrol, Italy

CHEMICAL FORMULA : Ca Mg (CO3)2
CRYSTAL SYSTEM : Rhomboedric
COLOR : Colorless, white, yellow, brown, pale pink
DIAPHANIETY : Transparent to translucent
LUSTER : Vitreous to pearly
STREAK : White
MORPHOLOGY : Combined and prismatic crystals, massive
HARDNESS : 3,5-4,0
DENSITY : 2,86

CHEMICAL CLASS : V - Carbonates, nitrates
GROUP : Dolomite
STRUNZ CLASS BEFORE 2001 : 5/B.03-10
STRUNZ CLASS AFTER 2001 : 5.AB.10

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Dolomite

MNHN N°206.18

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