II- Nesosilicates

Isolated tetrahedra bound by ionic bonds involving cations as Fe2+, Mg2+ and Ca2+. Most nesosilicates occur as equidimensional crystals Cleavage is rare or absent Amount of Al substituting for Si in nesosilicates is minimal. A- Olivine Group Composition and Structure !2Si"# $here ! could be Fe2+, Mg, Mn2+ or Ca, all in octahedral coordination. %he t&o sites occu'ied by ! cations are (no&n as the M) * M2 sites. Although Fe and Mg substitute freely for one another in these 2 sites, the M) site is more distorted as a result of tetrahedra sharing edges +Fig. ),. In the mineral Monticellite, Ca, being larger than Fe and Mg 'refers the larger less distorted M2 site. End-members +Fig. 2, Forsterite +Fo- Mg, . Fayalite +Fa- Fe, . %e'hroite +Mn, Monticellite CaMgSi"# Stability of Fo and Fa +Fig. /, Optical properties: +Figs. #, 0 * 1, Colorless in thin section, Cleavage 'oor in 2))34, high relief, n 5 b, strong birefringence, orthorhombic, 26 large, +72 . 839,, most members bia:ial negative, e:ce't Fo and Fo . rich com'ositions +)33 . 70; Fo, &hich are 'ositive. Alter very easily to the ser'entine grou' minerals < Fe=o:ides +es'ecially magnetite,. Occurrence: Fo . Fa In ultramafic and mafic igneous roc(s, high % metamor'hic roc(s +es'ecially contact metamor'hism,. Monticellite +Fig. >, In contact metamor'hic terranes, es'ecially metamor'hosed limestones. Uses ?efractory or gemstones +'eridot,. B- Garnet Group minerals Structure @istorted cubes, octahedral and tetrahedra +Fig. 7a,. Composition !/A2+B"#,/ ! 7 = coordinated, A octahedrally coordinated, B tetrahedrally coordinated. ! Fe2+, Mg, Ca, Mn as maCor constituents, Bn, A/+, and Da in trace amounts. A Al, Fe/+, Cr/+, &ith traces of %i, 6, Br, and Sn B mostly Si, &ith minor Al, %i, Fe/+, or E. Farnets also li(e to scavenge the G?HH +Fd to Iu, and A.

 Jee' in mind that the siKes of the ! and A cations are interrelated and 'lay a maCor role in determining &hether the silicate garnet &ill be stable or not. %his is sho&n in Fig. 7b. According to com'osition, the end=members are grou'ed into 2 grou's 'yrals'ite, and ugrandite garnets. Hnd=members +Fig. 8 and %able ),. Occurrence mostly in medium and high grade metamor'hic roc(s +basic, 'elitic and even calcareous,, Franites and 'egmatites, S(arns, and in Mantle 'eridotites. Uses Mostly as semi'recious to 'recious gemstones. C- Aluminosilicates Jyanite AlviAlviSi"0 Andalusite AlvAlviSi"0 Sillimanite AlivAlviSi"0 Structures Fig. )3 Optical Properties +Figs. )), )2, )/, Andalusite "rthorhombic, one direction of cleavage 2))34, bia:ial negative, high relief, n 5 b, 26 L 709, &ea( birefringence, lengthfast. Sillimanite "rthorhombic, high relief, n 5 b, e:cellent cleavage 23)34, bia:ial 'ositive, small 26 239, strong birefringence, 'rismatic or fibrous, lengthslo&. Kyanite %riclinic, bia:ial negative, 2 directions of cleavage. Stability Fig. )#. Occurrence All three are 'rimarily metamor'hic minerals, although andalusite and sillimanite can occur in 'eraluminous granitesM - Staurolite Composition +Fe,Mg,2Al8Si#"22+"G,2 Optical properties Monoclinic to 'seudo=orthorhombic, bia:ial 'ositive, large 26 73 . 83, high relief, n 5 b, yello& to bro&n, 'leochroic, &ea( birefringence. Optical orientation +Fig. )0, Occurrence ?egionally metamor'hosed 'elitic roc(s, characteristic of the am'hibolite facies.

E- C!loritoid Composition +Fe,Mg,Al2Si"0+"G,2 Optical properties Monoclinic, bia:ial 'ositive, moderate 26 /1 . >29, high relief, n 5 b, green to blue green, 'leochroic, e:tinction angle +3 . 239,, anomalous interference colors. Optical orientation +Fig. )1, Occurrence Metamor'hic mineral in medium grade 'elitic roc(s. "- #itanite $Sp!ene% Composition Ca%iSi"0 Optical properties Monoclinic, bia:ial 'ositive, good cleavage along 2))34, very high relief, n 5 b, grey to honey yello& in thin section, diamond sha'e sections give symmetrical e:tinction +1 . #39,, very strong birefringence small to moderate 26 )> . #39. Optical orientation +Fig. )>, Occurrence A very common accessory mineral in igneous and metamor'hic roc(s.