Muséum national d'histoire naturelle _ The species

FROM : Saint-Jean des Ollières, Puy-de-Dôme, France
SIZE : 10 x 8.5 x 9 cm

This sample has white crystals of natrolite in a cavity of a black basalt. The natrolite is shaped like very thin needles aggregated on small spheres. This sample measures 10 x 8.5 x 9 cm

This specimen comes from the mineral deposit of Saint-Jean des Ollières in le Puy-de-Dôme in France. Acquired thanks to support from Total, it is today kept 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 : Natrolite

HISTORY : Name derived by Greek "νατρον" [natron] meaning "soda" and "λιτὁσ" [lithos] meaning "stone"

Species described in 1803 by Martin Heinrich Klaproth (1743-1817), Germand professor of chemistry in the Berlin University

Type-locality: Hohentwiel, Germany

CHEMICAL FORMULA : Na2 [Al2 Si3 O10] 2H2O
CRYSTAL SYSTEM : Orthorhombic
COLOR : White, colourless, red, yellow, brown
DIAPHANIETY : Transparent to translucent
LUSTER : Vitreous, pearly
STREAK : White
MORPHOLOGY : Prismatic crystals
HARDNESS : 5,0- 5,5
DENSITY : 2,25

CHEMICAL CLASS : VIII - Silicates
GROUP : Natrolite
STRUNZ CLASS BEFORE 2001 : 8/J.21-10
STRUNZ CLASS AFTER 2001 : 9.GA.05

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Natrolite

Natrolite

MNHN N°207.42

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