FERROAN MAGNESITE

FERROAN MAGNESITE

A great specimen of Ferroan Magnesite for your Aussie Collection.  This piece has good coverage across the matrix, with little bladed crystals clustered together nicely.  We don’t see much of this mineral about, so this would be a great time to add it to your collection!  A little piece of Tassie in your cabinet.  Magnesite is an ore of magnesium.

Location:
Mt Bischoff Mine, Waratah, Tasmania, Australia

Dimensions:
7.5cm x 6.2cm x 5.4cm, 323g.

Ferroan Magnesite: (Mg,Fe)CO₃
An iron-bearing variety of Magnesite.

Magnesite does not ordinarily form good crystals, but can make up a substantial portion of some rock types. It forms commonly from the alteration of magnesium-rich rocks during low grade metamorphism while they are in contact with carbonate-rich solutions. Magnesite has the same crystal structure of calcite, hence its inclusion into the calcite mineral group. Many of the properties of magnesite are either identical or similar to those of calcite.