Omphacite
Omphacite is named from Greek "omphaz", an unripe grape, alluding to its characteristic green colour.
Omphacite forms deep to pale green or nearly colourless prismatic crystals up to 5 cm or granular masses.
Omphacite forms deep to pale green or nearly colourless prismatic crystals up to 5 cm or granular masses.
| General Information | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chemical Formula |
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| Physical Properties of Omphacite | ||||||||||
| Mohs Hardness | 5 to 6, Handbook of Mineralogy (2001) | |||||||||
| Specific Gravity | 3.16 to 3.43, Handbook of Mineralogy (2001) | |||||||||
| Tenacity | Brittle, Handbook of Mineralogy (2001) | |||||||||
| Cleavage Quality | Good, Handbook of Mineralogy (2001) | |||||||||
| Fracture | Uneven,Conchoidal, Handbook of Mineralogy (2001) | |||||||||
| Optical Properties of Omphacite | ||||||||||
| Refractive Index | 1.662 to 1.723, Handbook of Mineralogy (2001) | |||||||||
| Optical Character | Biaxial/+, Handbook of Mineralogy (2001) | |||||||||
| Pleochroism | Weak: colorless -- very pale green -- very pale green, blue-green., Handbook of Mineralogy (2001) | |||||||||
| Dispersion | Moderate, Handbook of Mineralogy (2001) | |||||||||
| Colour | ||||||||||
| Colour (General) | Green to dark green; colorless to pale green in thin section., Handbook of Mineralogy (2001) | |||||||||
| Transparency | Translucent, Handbook of Mineralogy (2001) | |||||||||
| Lustre | Vitreous,Silky, Handbook of Mineralogy (2001) | |||||||||
| Crystallography of Omphacite | ||||||||||
| Crystal System | Monoclinic, Handbook of Mineralogy (2001) | |||||||||
| Habit | Rarely in rough crystals, to 5 cm; anhedral, granular to massive., Handbook of Mineralogy (2001) | |||||||||
| Geological Environment | ||||||||||
| Where found: | A major constituent of eclogite, commonly in kimberlite pipes; from some ophiolites and glaucophane-bearing blueschist facies rocks., Handbook of Mineralogy (2001) | |||||||||
| Further Information | ||||||||||
| Mineral information: | Omphacite information at mindat.org | |||||||||