SHIJIANGSHANITE

    Class : Silicates
    Subclass : Inosilicates
    Crystal system : Trigonal
    Chemistry : Pb3CaAl(Si5O14)(OH)3 3H2O
    Rarity : Very rare


Shijiangshanite is a very rare complex hydrated silicate of lead, calcium, and aluminum discovered in 2022. It occurs in silicate- and borate-rich skarns formed by contact metamorphism. Shijiangshanite takes its name from the Shijiangshan mine, located in the Hexigten Banner near the city of Chifeng, China. It occurs as translucent to transparent pseudo-octahedra ranging from salmon pink to red, and more rarely colorless.

Photo : Shijiangshanite from Shijiangshan mine, Chifeng, Inner Mongolia, China © Jason B. Smith

Shijiangshanite in the World

The best shijiangshanite crystals come from its type-locality : the Shijiangshan mine in Inner Mongolia, China. These are flattened and stacked pink to red pseudo-octahedra of submillimeter size that can form centimeter-sized aggregates. Shijiangshanite is also reported to be found in tiny, colorless pseudo-octahedra in the Lake Selle region of Italy.

Photo : Shijiangshanite from Shijiangshan mine, Chifeng, Inner Mongolia, China © Chris Emproto

Shijiangshanite in France

Shijiangshanite is not reported in the French underground.

Twinning

No twin reported for this mineral species.

Fakes and treatments

No fake inventories for this mineral species.


Hardness : -
Density : -
Fracture : -
Trace : -

TP : Translucent to transparent
RI : -
Birefringence : -
Optical character : Uniaxial
Pleochroism : Visible
Fluorescence : Red (short wave)

Solubility : -

Magnetism : None
Radioactivity : None