Burbankite - Encyclopedia
Class : Carbonates, Nitrates, Borates
Subclass : Anhydrous carbonates
Crystal system : Hexagonal
Chemistry : (Ca,Na)3(Sr,Ba,Ce)3(CO3)5
Rarity : Uncommon
Burbankite is a complex rare-earth carbonate, with a fairly variable chemical composition, frequently associated with ancylite. It is a mineral of silica-deficient rocks, notably nepheline syenites and carbonatites. Its name was given to it in honor of the American geologist Wilbur Sweet Burbank. It forms prismatic crystals grouped in radiated aggregates, as well as centimetric cleavable masses. Burbankite is colorless or grayish yellow, exceptionally pink.
Main photo : Burbankite from Poudrette Quarry, Mont St-Hilaire, Canada © Gianfranco Ciccolini
Burbankite in the World
Right photo : 2.5 cm Burbankite from Kirovskii Apatite Mine, Russia © Chris Emproto
Twinning
No known twin for this mineral species.
Fakes and treatments
No fake identified for this mineral species.
Hardness : 3.5 to 4
Density : 3.5 to 3.58
Fracture : Irregular
Streak : White
TP : Translucent to transparent
RI : 1.597 to 1.635
Birefringence : 0.019
Optical character : Uniaxial -
Pleochroism : Weak
Fluorescence : Violet-blue (rare)
Solubility : Acids
Magnetism : None
Radioactivity : None