Mineralpedia Details for Junitoite

Named in honor of Dr. Jun Ito, a Japanese-American mineral chemist at Harvard University in Massachusetts, USA. Junitoite is a rare mineral that occurs only in the United States at its type locality in the Christmas mine in Arizona, and at Franklin mine in New Jersey. Junitoite occurs in “retrogressively altered tactite zones [which are] related to the breakdown of sphalerite in ores.” Junitoite is strongly pyroelectric, generates a charge in response to heat.

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

Formula

CaZn₂Si₂O₇·H₂O 

Crystal System

Orthorhombic 

Cleavage

Good, None, None 

Luster

Vitreous (Glassy) 

Color

colorless, white 

Streak

white 

Class

Orthorhombic - Pyramidal 

Fracture

Brittle 

Hardness

4.5 

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Clear, platy, flat lying crystals to 2mm associated with lavendar Smectite and Kinoite.

Large, clear, thin bladed crystals of Junitoite to 6mm associated with reddish pink Smectite clays and Kinoite.