Helvine

Helvine is a rare and distinctive mineral species, first discovered in the Helvetic Alps of Switzerland in 1865. It is named after the Helvetic Alps, where it was initially found. Helvine is a calcium magnesium silicate with the chemical formula CaMgSi2O6. It crystallizes in the orthorhombic system and typically forms prismatic crystals, although it can also occur in massive form. The mineral is usually colorless or white, but it can exhibit a slight yellowish or grayish tint due to impurities.

Helvine is often found in contact metamorphic rocks, particularly in skarns, which are rocks formed by the alteration of existing rocks by the intrusion of magma. It is commonly associated with minerals such as diopside, tremolite, and garnet. The mineral's formation is typically related to the metamorphism of limestone or dolomite rocks by contact with siliceous magma.

Helvine has a Mohs hardness of 5.5 to 6 and a specific gravity of approximately 3.2 to 3.3. It is translucent to transparent with a vitreous luster. The mineral is not radioactive and does not exhibit any significant fluorescence under ultraviolet light.

Due to its rarity and the specific conditions under which it forms, helvine is not commonly used in industry or as a gemstone. However, it is of interest to mineralogists and collectors for its unique characteristics and the geological context in which it is found.