Wiluite - Encyclopedia
Class : Silicates
Subclass : Sorosilicates
Crystal system : Tetragonal
Chemistry : Ca19MgAl4(Al,Mg)8(B,◻)4◻[(SiO4)10]O(O,OH)9
Rarity : Very rare
Wiluite is isostructural with vesuvianite but unlike the latter contains boron and is associated with wollastonite and olive green grossulars (viluites) in a serpentinized skarn. It is a mineral that was discovered in the 90's and which owes its name to its locality of discovery : the Wilui River in Russia. The wiluite occurs in well-formed truncated parallelepipedic crystals with a dark green or brown to black color, sometimes terminating in pyramid. It is a very rare new mineral and very little known to collectors.
Wiluite in the World
Wiluite in France
This mineral is not present in the French underground.
Twinning
Wiluite has no twinned crystals known.
Fakes and treatments
No scam known for this mineral.
Hardness : 6
Density : 3.6
Fracture : Irregular
Trace : White
TP : Opaque to translucent
RI : 1.721 to 1.725
Birefringence : 0,004
Optical character : Uniaxial +
Pleochroism : Hardly visible
Fluorescence : None
Solubility : Hydrochloric acid
Magnetism : None
Radioactivity : None