Mineralpedia Details for Berzeliite

Named in honor of noted Swedish chemist and mineralogist Jons Jacob Berzelius. A rare mineral that occurs in metamorphosed iron-manganese orebodies in localities in Sweden, Switzerland, Italy, Kazakhstan, and Venezuela. Minerals associated with Berzeliite include hausmannite, rhodonite, tephroite, hedyphane, caryinite, manganoan biotite, langbanite, braunite, dolomite, barite, and calcite.

Ref. Handbook of Mineralogy, Anthony et al (1995) and MSA at http://www.handbookofmineralogy.org/pdfs/berzeliite.pdf

Formula

NaCa₂Mg₂(AsO₄)₃ 

Crystal System

Isometric 

Cleavage

None, None, None 

Luster

Resinous 

Color

orange, sulfur yellow 

Streak

white 

Class

Isometric - Hexoctahedral 

Fracture

Brittle - Conchoidal 

Hardness

4.5-5 

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Mindat

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Special Info

Type Locality,Ex. Paul Moore specimen.

Rich specimen with several orange crystal grains to 5mm in matrix. Ex. Paul Moore specimen, a renowned expert on Langban.