Chelaatit

Chelaatit is a hypothetical mineral name used in geology and mineralogy education to illustrate the properties and classification of clay minerals. It is not a formally recognized mineral by the International Mineralogical Association and is commonly treated as a teaching construct rather than a real occurrence.

In the hypothetical model, chelaatit belongs to the phyllosilicate group, which is defined by layered silicate sheets. The imagined composition centers on an aluminosilicate with sheet coordination and interlayer sites that host exchangeable cations and water. The proposed structure emphasizes the distinction between tetrahedral and octahedral layers, and it is used to demonstrate clay mineral behavior such as cation exchange, swelling, and low-temperature diagenesis.

Typical properties assigned in educational examples include a platy, basal-cleavage habit, a soft Mohs hardness of around 2–3, and a color range from pale green to tan, with a vitreous to pearly luster. In these models, chelaatit forms by hydrothermal alteration of feldspars or during diagenetic evolution of sediments, and it may occur alongside quartz, calcite, and other clay minerals.

Usage: Chelaatit serves as a nomenclatural and conceptual example for teaching mineral naming conventions and for illustrating how composition, structure, and environment influence clay mineral properties. It has no known economic use and is primarily discussed in textbooks and online educational resources.