Axinites

Axinite is the group name for several closely related minerals: Axinite-(Fe), Axinite-(Mg), Axinite-(Mn), and Tinzenite. Axinite on its own without a sub-designation is not recognized as an individual mineral species by the IMA, although many mineral collectors still refer to it by its traditional name without further classifying the type of axinite. Most of the known axinite minerals are of the axinite-(Fe) type.

Axinite was named in 1787 after the Greek word αξίνα (“axina”), which means “axe”, in allusion to the sharp crystals of this mineral.

Cluster of small crystals of axinite (probably axinite-(Fe) Ca2FeAl2BSi4O15OH) with quartz SiO2; Zbraslav, Prague District (Praha District), Bohemia (Böhmen; Boehmen), Czech Republic; FOV: 35 mm

Cluster of small crystals of axinite (probably axinite-(Fe) Ca2FeAl2BSi4O15OH) with quartz SiO2; Zbraslav, Prague District (Praha District), Bohemia (Böhmen; Boehmen), Czech Republic; FOV: 35 mm

Axinite-(Fe) Ca2FeAl2BSi4O15OH with double terminated quartz SiO2; Skardu District, Baltistan, Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan; quartz crystal 14 x 7 x 7mm

Axinite-(Fe) Ca2FeAl2BSi4O15OH, and zeolite – stilbite-(Ca) NaCa4[Al9Si27O72]·nH2O on calcite CaCO3 from pegmatite; Żółkiewka (Pilgrimshain), Świdnica District, Strzegom-Sobótka Massif, Lower Silesia (Dolnośląskie), Poland; axinite crystal 4 x 3 mm

Axinite-(Fe) Ca2FeAl2BSi4O15OH with quartz SiO2; Zbraslav, Prague District (Praha District), Bohemia (Böhmen; Boehmen), Czech Republic; biggest crystal of axinite 17 mm

Axinite-(Fe) on amphiboles (green actinolite □{Ca2}{Mg4.5-2.5Fe0.5-2.5}(Si8O22)(OH)2 and white tremolite □{Ca2}{Mg5}(Si8O22)(OH)2);Alchuri (Alchori; Aschudi), Shigar Valley, Skardu District, Baltistan, Gilgit-Baltistan (Northern Areas), Pakistan; axinite crystal 29 x 20 x 5mm

Cluster of small crystals of axinite (probably axinite-(Fe) Ca2FeAl2BSi4O15OH) with quartz SiO2; Zbraslav, Prague District (Praha District), Bohemia (Böhmen; Boehmen), Czech Republic; 66 x 63 x 14 mm

Zeolite – stilbite-(Ca) NaCa4[Al9Si27O72]·nH2O and axinite-(Fe) Ca2FeAl2BSi4O15OH on calcite CaCO3; Żółkiewka (Pilgrimshain), Świdnica District, Strzegom-Sobótka Massif, Lower Silesia (Dolnośląskie), Poland; bundle-like stilbite aggregate 12 mm

Zeolites

Zeolites (zeolite group) – a group name for a large number of framework alumosilicates (and, rarely, beryllosilicates, zincosilicates, beryllophosphates) which are built of corner-linked tetrahedra and contain exchangeable cations; several of these minerals have important technical applications.
Several subgroups are distinguished (e.g. Natrolite Subgroup).

The current IMA-approved nomenclature is reported in Coombs et al. (1997).

Other minerals often found associated with zeolites include: apophyllite, calcite, cavansite, prehnite, epidote, quartz, pyrite, clay minerals etc.

See also: Chabasite group minerals

Quartz – rock crystal SiO2 with hambergite Be2(BO3)(OH) and pollucite (Cs,Na)2(Al2Si4O12)·2H2O; Shengus (Shingus), Haramosh Mts., Skardu District, Baltistan, Gilgit-Baltistan (Northern Areas), Pakistan; 72 x 47 x 23mm

Zeolite – natrolite Na2Al2Si3O10 · 2H2O on zeolite – analcime Na2(Al2Si4O12) · 2H2O; Euganei Hills, Padova Province, Veneto, Italy; 47 x 45 x 25 mm

Calcite CaCO3 on analcime Na(AlSi2O6)·H2O; Divoká rokle valley, Mojžíř (Mosern), Ústí nad Labem (Aussig), Ústí Region, Bohemia (Böhmen; Boehmen), Czech Republic; FOV 40mm

Zeolite – natrolite Na2Al2Si3O10 · 2H2O; Soutěsky (Zautig), Děčín (Tetschen), Ústí Region, Bohemia (Böhmen; Boehmen), Czech Republic; analcime druse 55 x 23 mm

Zeolite – chabasite (Ca,K2,Na2)2[Al2Si4O12]2 · 12H2O with chlorite – chamosite (Fe,Mg,Al)6(Si,Al)4O10(OH,O)8 on K feldspar K(AlSi3O8); Strzegom-Sobótka Massif, Świdnica District, Lower Silesia (Dolnośląskie), Poland; 52 x 41 x 23 mm

Zeolite – analcime Na2(Al2Si4O12) · 2H2O; Baška, Frýdek-Místek, Moravia-Silesia Region, Moravia (Mähren; Maehren), Czech Republic; 68 x 48 x 27 mm

Zeolite – stellerite Ca4(Si28Al8)O72 · 28H2O; Klichka (Klička; Klitschka), Borzya, Chitinskaya Oblast’, Transbaikalia (Zabaykalye), Eastern-Siberian Region, Russia; FOV: 20 mm

Calcite CaCO3 on analcime Na(AlSi2O6)·H2O; Divoká rokle valley, Mojžíř (Mosern), Ústí nad Labem (Aussig), Ústí Region, Bohemia (Böhmen; Boehmen), Czech Republic; FOV: 45mm

Zeolite – pollucite (Cs,Na)2(Al2Si4O12) · 2H2O on quartz SiO2; Shengus (Shingus), Haramosh Mts., Skardu District, Baltistan, Gilgit-Baltistan (Northern Areas), Pakistan; biggest crystal: 6 mm

Zeolite – stilbite-(Ca) NaCa4[Al9Si27O72]·nH2O; Strzegom-Sobótka Massif, Świdnica District, Lower Silesia (Dolnośląskie), Poland; visible part of bundle-like aggregate 21 mm

Fluorapophyllite-(K) KCa4(Si8O20)(F,OH) · 8H2O with zeolite – stilbite-(Ca) NaCa4[Al9Si27O72]·nH2O; Nashik District (Nasik District) or Pune District (Poonah District), Maharashtra, India; apophyllite crystal 30 x 26 x 9 mm

Zeolite – stilbite-(Ca) NaCa4[Al9Si27O72]·nH2O and axinite-(Fe) Ca2FeAl2BSi4O15OH on calcite CaCO3; Żółkiewka (Pilgrimshain), Świdnica District, Strzegom-Sobótka Massif, Lower Silesia (Dolnośląskie), Poland; bundle-like stilbite aggregate 12 mm