| Anandite | |
| Category: | Phyllosilicates |
| Imasymbol: | Ana[1] |
| Strunz: | 9.EC.35 |
| System: | Monoclinic |
| Class: | Prismatic (2/m) (same H-M symbol) |
| Symmetry: | C2/m |
| Unit Cell: | a = 5.412(5), b = 9.434(5) c = 19.953(10) [Å]; β = 95°; Z = 2 |
| Color: | Black |
| Habit: | Massive, prismatic crystals poorly formed produce hexagonal outline cleavage fragments |
| Cleavage: | Perfect on |
| Fracture: | Flexible fragments |
| Mohs: | 3 – 4 |
| Luster: | Vitreous |
| Streak: | Grey white |
| Diaphaneity: | Nearly opaque |
| Gravity: | 3.94 |
| Opticalprop: | Biaxial (+) |
| Refractive: | nα = 1.855 nγ = 1.880 |
| Pleochroism: | Y = green; Z = brown |
| References: | [2] [3] [4] |
Anandite is a rare phyllosilicate with formula . It crystallizes in the monoclinic crystal system. It is black in color with a glassy luster and a near perfect cleavage.[3]
It was first described in 1967[3] for an occurrence in the Wilagedera Prospect of the North Western Province of Sri Lanka in bands of iron ore.[2] [4] It has also been found in Big Creek in Fresno County and in Trumball Peak in Mariposa County, California as well as the Sterling Mine in New Jersey.[2] It was named for Ananda Kentish Coomaraswamy (1877–1947), who was the director of the Mineral Survey of Ceylon, Sri Lanka at that time.[4]
Anandite is a member of the mica group of minerals.[3] Other minerals that anandite is associated with include: magnetite, chalcopyrite, pyrite, pyrrhotite and baryte.[3]