SKUTTERUDITE
SKUTTERUDITE Skutterudite – (Co,Fe,Ni)As2-3 – is a rarer arsenate. It is a Co ore, usually also a Ni ore, with As as a by-product. It is rarely the main ore mineral, it is usually an accessory mineral in complex mineral assemblages. It is classified in the Perovskite Group, Skutterudite Subgroup. There are always varying amounts […]
SILVER
SILVER Silver – Ag – is a rarer native element, very important as a silver ore. The metal has a multitude of uses and a huge and growing number of industrial applications. Dendritic silver pieces are worth much more in the collector minerals market than their weight in metal. Silver is classified in the Copper […]
SERPENTINE
SERPENTINE Serpentine – Mg3Si2O5(OH)4 – is a very common phyllosilicate, occurring mainly in metamorphic rocks. It is a component of rocks with varied applications, such as soapstone (steatite) and agalmatolite. “Serpentine” is actually not a mineral, but just a generic term used for minerals in the Kaolinite-Serpentine Group. The Group is composed of: Clinochrysotile – […]
SCHEELITE
SCHEELITE Scheelite – Ca(WO4) – is a restricted occurrence tungstate. It is, after wolframite, the second most important ore of tungsten, a strategic metal. Well-formed crystals are rare and fetch high prices among collectors. When devoid of inclusions, it can be used as a gem. Scheelite can be synthesized in laboratory (Czochralski process) and has […]
SANIDINE
SANIDINE Sanidine – (K,Na)(Si,Al)4O8 – is a common tectosilicate, a high-temperature potassium feldspar typical of volcanic and hypabyssal rocks. Only the rare colored varieties have any economic importance. High-temperature sanidine (“high sanidine”) is stable at temperatures above 800°C and low-temperature sanidine (“low sanidine”) is stable between 650 and 800°C. Below 650ºC, orthoclase and microcline are […]