Odontolite
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Odontolite, also called bone turquoise or fossil turquoise or occidental turquoise, is fossil bone or ivory that has been traditionally thought to have been altered by turquoise or similar phosphate minerals such as vivianite.
| Odontolite | |
|---|---|
| General | |
| Category | Phosphate minerals |
| Formula | Ca5(PO4)3[F, OH, Cl] Fe2+ 3(PO 4) 2·8H 2O |
| Strunz classification | 8.DD.15 |
| Crystal system | Triclinic |
| Crystal class | Pinacoidal (1) (same H–M symbol) |
| Identification | |
| Colour | Turquoise, blue, blue-green, green |
| Crystal habit | Massive, nodular |
| Cleavage | Perfect on {001}, good on {010}, but cleavage rarely seen |
| Fracture | Conchoidal |
| Mohs scale hardness | 5 |
| Luster | Waxy to subvitreous |
| Streak | Bluish white |
| Diaphaneity | Opaque |
| Specific gravity | 3–3,2 |
| Optical properties | Biaxial (+) |
| Refractive index | nα = 1.610 nβ = 1.615 nγ = 1.650 |
| Birefringence | +0.040 |
| Pleochroism | Weak |
| Fusibility | Fusible in heated HCl |
| Solubility | Soluble in HCl |
| References | [1][2][3] |
