Description
PHENAKITE SPECIMEN
This is the polished phenakite specimen with fluorite, microcline and calcite. Dimensions: 3.9 x 2.6 x 0.4″ (10 x 6.5 x 0.9cm). Weight – 4.1oz (115 grams). Origin: Russia, Buryatia.
Some information about phenakite:
Phenakite or phenacite is a fairly rare nesosilicate mineral consisting of beryllium orthosilicate, Be2SiO4. Occasionally used as a gemstone, phenakite occurs as isolated crystals.There is no cleavage, and the fracture is conchoidal.
The Mohs hardness is high, being 7.5 – 8; the specific gravity is 2.96. The crystals are sometimes perfectly colorless and transparent, but more often they are greyish or yellowish and only translucent; occasionally they pale rose-red.
Its name comes from Ancient Greek meaning “deceiver” due to its close visual similarity to quartz, named by Nils Gustaf Nordenskiöld in 1833 (More information about phenakite).
Here you will find other phenakite specimens >>>
