Spurrite

Infobox mineral
name = Spurrite
category = Silicate/carbonate mineral
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caption = Spurrite from New mexico
formula = Ca₅(SiO₄)₂CO₃
molweight =
color = Gray, gray white to lilac gray
habit = Massive to granular
system = monoclinic 2/m
twinning = Polysynthetic twins on [001] and [101]
cleavage = Distinct on [100]
fracture = Uneven to splintery
mohs = 5
luster = vitreous to resinous
refractive = nα = 1.640 - 1.641 nβ = 1.674 - 1.676 nγ = 1.679 - 1.681
opticalprop = Biaxial (-)
birefringence = δ = 0.039 - 0.040
pleochroism =
streak = White
gravity = 3
melt =
fusibility =
diagnostic =
solubility =
diaphaneity = Transparent to translucent
other = Green cathodoluminescence
references = http://rruff.geo.arizona.edu/doclib/hom/spurrite.pdf Mineral Handbook] http://www.mindat.org/min-3734.html Mindat] [http://webmineral.com/data/Spurrite.shtml Webmineral data]

Spurrite is a white, yellow or light blue mineral with monoclinic crystals. Its chemical formula is Ca₅(SiO₄)₂CO₃. [Richard V. Gaines, H. Catherine W. Skinner, Eugene E. Foord, Brian Mason, and Abraham Rosenzweig: "Dana's new mineralogy", p. 1106. John Wiley & Sons, 1997]

Spurrite is generally formed in Contact metamorphism zones as mafic magmas are intruded into carbonate rocks.Smith, J.V. (1960) The Crystal structure of Spurrite, Ca5(SiO4)2CO3. Acta. Cryst. 13, 454] Spurrite's space group is P 2/a. It is biaxial with a birefringence of 0.0390-0.0400, giving second order red interference colors when viewed under crossed polarizers in a petrographic microscope. [Barthemy, D. (2000) Afwillite Mineral Data, (http://webmineral.com/data/Afwillite.shtml)] The calcium is in six-fold coordination with the oxygen, the silicon is in a four-fold coordination with the oxygen and the carbon is in two-fold coordination. One unique characteristic of spurrite is that it actually abides by two twin laws. Polysynthetic twinning can occur along its (001) and another type of twinning can occur parallel to its optical axes.

Discovery and occurrence

Spurrite was first described in 1908 for an occurrence in the Terneras Mine, Velardeña District, Durango, Mexico. It was named for American economic geologist, Josiah Edward Spurr (1870-1950).

In addition to its type locality, spurrite has been reported from Riverside County, California; Luna County, New Mexico; and from the Little Belt Mountains, Lewis and Clark County, Montana. It is also found in Ireland, Scotland, New Zealand, Turkey, Israel, Japan and Siberia.

Cement manufacture contaminant

Spurrite forms as contaminating "spurrite rings" on the walls of cement kilns during the production of Portland cement. [Mosci, Ricardo, 1998, "How To Eliminate Calcining Zone Rings", Cement America http://cementamericas.com/mag/cement_eliminate_calcining_zone/ ]

References