- Kassite
Kassite is a rare mineral with formula CaTi2O4(OH)2. It crystallizes in the
orthorhombic crystal system and forms radiating rosettes and pseudo-hexagonal tabular crystals which are commonly twinned. Crystals are brownish pink to pale yellow and are translucent with an adamantine luster. Cleavage is distinct and the crystals are very brittle.Mohs hardness is 5 and thespecific gravity is 3.42. The mineral is biaxial negative with refractive indices of nα = 1.950, nβ = 2.130 and nγ = 2.210.It was first described in 1965 from the Afrikanda
pyroxenite massif ,Kola Peninsula ,Russia and was named for Nikolai Grigor’evich Kassin (1885–1949), Russian geologist. It occurs as miarolytic cavity fillings of alkalicpegmatite s in the Kola occurrence and innepheline syenite in theMagnet Cove igneous complex ofArkansas , USA. Its mineral association includes:cafetite ,perovskite ,titanite ,rutile andilmenite . It is polymorphous with cafetite.References
* [http://rruff.geo.arizona.edu/doclib/hom/kassite.pdf Mineral Data Publishing]
* [http://www.mindat.org/min-2166.html Mindat with location data]
* [http://webmineral.com/data/Kassite.shtml Webmineral data]
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