Kinoite Explained

Kinoite
Category:Sorosilicate
Imasymbol:Kin[1]
Molweight:450amu
Strunz:9.BH.10
System:Monoclinic
Class:Prismatic (2/m)
(same H-M symbol)
Symmetry:P21/m
Unit Cell:a = 6.99, b = 12.88
c = 5.65 [Å]; β = 96.18°; Z = 2
Color:Transparent deep blue
Cleavage:excellent, distinct and
Luster:Vitreous
Diaphaneity:Transparent
Gravity:3.13 – 3.19
Density:3.13 – 3.19
Opticalprop:Biaxial (−)
Refractive:nα = 1.638 nβ = 1.665 nγ = 1.676
Birefringence:δ = 0.038
Pleochroism:Strong
2V:Measured: 68°, calculated: 64°
Dispersion:relatively weak

Kinoite ([2] [3] or [4]) is a light blue copper silicate mineral. It is somewhat scarce. It has a monoclinic crystal system, vitreous luster, and is transparent to translucent. It can be found in the Santa Rita Mountains, the Christmas Mine at Christmas, Arizona and a few other copper mines. Kinoite is popular with mineral collectors. Kinoite was named upon its discovery in 1970 after the pioneer Jesuit missionary Padre Eusebio Kino who worked in Arizona, Sonora and Baja California.

Notes and References

  1. Warr. L.N.. 2021. IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols. Mineralogical Magazine. 85. 3. 291–320. 10.1180/mgm.2021.43. 2021MinM...85..291W. 235729616. free.
  2. http://rruff.geo.arizona.edu/doclib/hom/kinoite.pdf Handbook of Mineralogy
  3. http://www.webmineral.com/data/Kinoite.shtml Kinoite at Webmineral
  4. http://www.mindat.org/min-2213.html Kinoite