Pentagonite Explained

Pentagonite
Category:Silicate mineral
Formula:Ca(VO)Si4O10·4(H2O)
Imasymbol:Ptg[1]
Strunz:9.EA.55
System:Orthorhombic
Class:Pyramidal (mm2)
(same H-M symbol)
Symmetry:Ccm21
Unit Cell:a = 10.386(4) Å,
b = 14.046(7) Å,
c = 8.975(2) Å; Z = 4
Color:Greenish blue
Habit:Prismatic crystals, often as radiating clusters
Twinning:Multiple twins producing a pseudo pentagonal symmetry
Cleavage:Good on
Tenacity:Brittle
Mohs:3 - 4
Luster:Vitreous
Diaphaneity:Transparent
Gravity:2.33
Opticalprop:Biaxial (-)
Refractive:nα = 1.533 nβ = 1.544 nγ = 1.547
Birefringence:δ = 0.014
2V:Measured: 50°
Pleochroism:Visible: X=Z= colorless Y= blue
References:[2] [3] [4]

Pentagonite is a rare silicate mineral with formula Ca(VO)Si4O10·4(H2O).It was named for the unusual twinning which produces an apparent five-fold symmetry.[2] It is a dimorph of cavansite.

Pentagonite was first described in 1973 for an occurrence in Lake Owyhee State Park, Malheur County, Oregon.[3] It has also been reported from the Pune district of India. It occurs as fracture and cavity fillings in tuff and basalt. It occurs with cavansite, heulandite, stilbite, analcime, apophyllite and calcite.[2]

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/pentagonite.pdf Handbook of Mineralogy
  3. http://www.mindat.org/min-3152.html Mindat.org
  4. http://webmineral.com/data/Pentagonite.shtml Webmin