Sylvite

Sylvite

Infobox mineral
name = Sylvite
category = Halide Mineral
boxwidth =
boxbgcolor =


imagesize =
caption = Sylvite
formula = KCl
molweight = 74.55 gm
color = Colorless, Grey, White...
habit = Massive to crystaline
system = Isometric - Hexoctahedral
twinning =
cleavage = Perfect on the [100] , [010] , [001]
fracture = uneven
tenacity = Brittle
mohs = 2.5
luster = Vitreous
polish =
refractive = n = 1.4903
opticalprop = Isotropic
birefringence =
dispersion =
pleochroism = Visible in colored crystals
fluorescence= None
absorption =
streak = white
gravity =
density = 1.993 g/cm3
melt =
fusibility =
diagnostic =
solubility =
diaphaneity = Transparent to Translucent
other =
references = [ [http://www.mindat.org/show.php?id=3850&ld=1&pho= Sylvite: Sylvite mineral information and data ] ] [ [http://webmineral.com/data/Sylvite.shtml Sylvite Mineral Data ] ]

Sylvite is potassium chloride (KCl) in natural mineral form. It forms crystals in the isometric system very similar to normal rock salt, halite (NaCl). (The two are, in fact, isomorphous. [Klein, Cornelis and Cornelius S. Hurlbut, Jr. 1993. "Manual of Mineralogy after J.D. Dana, 21st edition". New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.] Sylvite is colorless to white with shades of yellow and red due to inclusions. It has a Mohs hardness of 2.5 and a specific gravity of 1.99. It has a refractive index of n=1.490) [Deer, W.A., R.A. Howie, and J. Zussman. 1992. "An Introduction to the Rock-Forming Minerals" 2nd ed. New York: Prentice Hall.] . Sylvite has a salty taste with a distinct bitterness.

Sylvite is one of the last evaporite minerals to precipitate out of solution. As such, it is only found in very dry saline areas. Its principal use is as a potassium fertilizer.

Sylvite is found in many evaporite deposits worldwide. Massive bedded deposits occur in New Mexico and western Texas, and in Utah in the US, but the largest world source is in Saskatchewan, Canada. The vast deposits in Saskatchewan, Canada were formed by the evaporation of a Devonian seaway. Sylvite is the official mineral of Saskatchewan.

Sylvite was first described in 1832 at Mt. Vesuvius near Napoli in Italy and named for the Dutch chemist, François Sylvius de le Boe (1614-1672).

ee also

*List of minerals
*List of minerals named after people

References

External links

* [http://webmineral.com/data/Sylvite.shtml Webmineral]
* [http://www.mindat.org/show.php?id=3850&ld=1&pho= Mindat with locations]
* [http://www.ir.gov.sk.ca/Default.aspx?DN=3563,3541,3538,3385,2936,Documents Mineral Resources of Saskatchewan]


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Look at other dictionaries:

  • sylvite — ● sylvite nom féminin (latin sal Sylvii, sel de Sylvius) Chlorure naturel de potassium, cubique, de formule KCl, utilisé comme minerai de potasse …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • sylvite — [sil′vīt΄] n. [earlier sylvine < Fr < ModL sal digestivus sylvii, lit., digestive salt of Sylvius (after Franz de la Boë Sylvius, 1614 72, physician at Leyden)] a white or colorless mineral, KCl, that is the chief ore of the potassium used… …   English World dictionary

  • Sylvite — Sylvine (minéral) Pour les articles homonymes, voir Sylvine. Sylvite Catégorie IV : halogénures …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Sylvite — Sylvine Syl vine, Sylvite Syl vite, n. [So called from NL. sal digestivus sylvii potassium chloride.] (Min.) Native potassium chloride. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • sylvite — also sylvine noun Etymology: alteration of sylvine, from French, from New Latin sal digestivus Sylvii digestive salt of Sylvius, from Sylvius latinized name of Jacques Dubois died 1555 French physician Date: 1868 a mineral that is a natural… …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • sylvite — /sil vuyt/, n. a common mineral, potassium chloride, KCl, colorless to milky white or red, occurring in crystals, usually cubes, and masses with cubic cleavage, bitter in taste: the most important source of potassium. Also, sylvin, sylvine /sil… …   Universalium

  • sylvite — noun A saline evaporite, consisting of potassium chloride KCl, also found in fumaroles …   Wiktionary

  • sylvite — (entrée créée par le supplément) (sil vi t ) s. f. Terme de minéralogie. Chlorure de potassium, incolore ou rouge …   Dictionnaire de la Langue Française d'Émile Littré

  • sylvite — syl·vite …   English syllables

  • sylvite — syl•vite [[t]ˈsɪl vaɪt[/t]] n. mir a transparent mineral, potassium chloride, KCl, mined for its potassium content • Etymology: 1965–70; < NL (sal digestīvus) Sylvi(ī) digestive salt of Sylvius (L name of François de la Boë (1614–72), French… …   From formal English to slang

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