Zeolite

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Zeolite
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Zeolite

• Chemistry (clinoptilolite Greek for oblique
  feather stone (http//www.galleries.com/minerals/s
  ilicate/clinopti/clinopti.htm)
• (Na,K,Ca)2-3Al3(Al,Si)2Si13O3612(H2O)
• Class Silicates
• Subclass Tectotsilicates (Zeolites)
• Uses Uses As a chemical filter, chemical
  absorber, water purifier and as mineral
  specimens.
• Over 150 zeolite types (http//en.wikipedia.org/wi
  ki/Zeolite)

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Physical Characteristics

• Color is colorless, white, pink, yellow, reddish
  and pale brown.
• Luster is vitreous to pearly on the most
  prominent pinacoid face and on cleavage surfaces.
  
• Transparency Crystals are transparent to
  translucent.
• Crystal System is monoclinic 2/m
• Crystal Habits include blocky or tabular crystals
  with good monoclinic crystal form. More tabular
  and proportioned than heulandite. Also commonly
  found in acicular (needle thin) crystal sprays.
• Cleavage is perfect in one direction parallel to
  the prominent pinacoid face.
• Fracture is uneven.
• Hardness is 3.5 - 4, maybe softer on cleavage
  surfaces.
• Specific Gravity is approximately 2.2 (very
  light)
• Streak is white.
• Other Characteristics Can absorb a significant
  amount of water after drying and will retain its
  structure even if heated to almost the
  temperature of melted glass.
• Associated Minerals are calcite, aragonite,
  thenardite, hectorite, quartz, apophyllite, opal,
  clays, pyrite, halite, mordenite, heulandite,
  chabazite, analcime, erionite, ferrierite,
  harmotome, dachiardite, phillipsite and several
  borate minerals
• Notable Occurrences include the widespread
  tuffaceous volcanic rocks of Arizona the type
  locality of Hoodoo Mountains and the Yucca
  Mountains of Nevada Altoona, Washington Agate
  Beach and Madres, Oregon and several sites in
  California, USA. Also found at Styria, Austria
  Bulgaria British Columbia, Canada Ortenberg
  Quarry, Germany Alpe di Siusi, Italy Kuruma
  Pass, Japan McQueens Valley and Moeraki, New
  Zealand and Chinchwad, India.
• Best Field Indicators are crystal habit, density,
  locality, water absorption, heat tolerance and
  associations.

http//www.galleries.com/minerals/silicate/clinopt
i/clinopti.htm
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Occurrence

• Clinoptilolite forms as a devitrification product
  (the conversion of glass to crystalline material)
  of volcanic glass in tuffs.
• Clinoptilolite is also found in the vesicles of
  volcanic rocks such as basalts, rhyolites and
  andesites.

http//www.galleries.com/minerals/silicate/clinopt
i/clinopti.htm
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Uses

• Soil treatment
• Animal welfare feed additive
• Medicine clotting agent and molecular sieve
• Laundry detergent
• Filter additive for aquariums

http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zeolite
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http//icnz.lanl.gov/Images/pictures.html
http//www.earthscienceworld.org/images/search/res
ults.html?KeywordZeolite20Groupnull