- Prehnite
Prehnite is a phyllosilicate of
calcium andaluminium with the formula: Ca2Al(AlSi3O10)(OH)2. Limited Fe3+ substitutes for aluminium in the structure. Prehnite crystallizes in theorthorhombic crystal system. It is brittle with an uneven fracture and a vitreous to pearly lustre. Its hardness is 6-6.5, itsspecific gravity is 2.80-2.90 and its color varies from light green to grey or white. It is translucent.Though not a
zeolite , it is found associated with them and withdatolite ,calcite , etc. in veins and cavities ofbasalt ic rocks, sometimes ingranite s,syenite s, orgneiss es. It is an indicator mineral of the prehnite-pumpellyite metamorphic facies. It was first discovered inSouth Africa by Colonel Hendrik Von Prehn, an early Dutch governor of theCape of Good Hope colony. Prehnite was the first mineral to be named after a person.Gallery
ee also
*
List of minerals
*List of minerals named after people References
*Hurlbut, Cornelius S.; Klein, Cornelis, 1985, "Manual of Mineralogy", 20th ed., ISBN 0-471-80580-7
External links
* [http://www.prehnite.com.au/specimens.html Prehnite website]
* [http://www.crystal-cure.com/prehnite.html metaphysical meaning and healing properties of prehnite]
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.