Inderite
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| Inderite | |
|---|---|
 | |
| General | |
| Category | Minerals |
| Formula | MgB3O3(OH)5 · 5H2O |
| IMA symbol | Idr[1] |
| Strunz classification | 6.CA.15 |
| Dana classification | 26.3.1.3 |
| Crystal system | Monoclinic |
| Crystal class | Prismatic (2/m) |
| Space group | P21/b |
| Unit cell | 1,041.64 ų |
| Identification | |
| Formula mass | 279.85 |
| Color | Colorless, white, pink; colorless in transmitted light |
| Cleavage | Perfect on {010}, on {110} good |
| Fracture | Uneven |
| Mohs scale hardness | 2.5 – 3 |
| Luster | Vitreous, greasy, pearly, dull |
| Diaphaneity | Transparent, translucent |
| Density | 1.8 |
| Optical properties | Biaxial (+) |
| Refractive index | nα = 1.488 nβ = 1.491 nγ = 1.505 |
| Birefringence | 0.017 |
| Pleochroism | None |
| 2V angle | Measured 37°, calculated 52° |
| Dispersion | Weak, r > v |
| Ultraviolet fluorescence | None |
| Solubility | Soluble in hydrochloric acid |
| Other characteristics | Pearly on cleavages |
Inderite, also known as lesserite, is a mineral that was named after its source, the Inder lake, near the Inder Mountains in Kazakhstan.[2] The samples were described in English by the soviet mineralogist Boldyreva in 1937. It is a rare secondary mineral but common in salt, potassium and borate deposits.