edenite

Edenite is a term that has appeared in geological literature to refer to more than one mineral, but there is no single, widely accepted mineral species by that name. It is not listed as an accepted mineral in the International Mineralogical Association's database, and in modern references the name is generally treated as historical or informal rather than a precise scientific designation.

Etymology and usage: The name is commonly linked to Eden, a locality or to a poetic reference, and in some older publications it was used as a provisional label for various silicate minerals that did not yet have a definitive identification. In other cases edenite has appeared as a trade name for certain alteration products or rock-forming minerals identified in specific localities.

Composition and properties: Because edenite has referred to different substances across sources, there is no consistent chemical formula or crystal structure associated with the name. Described colors have ranged from pale green to brown, with hardness and optical properties that vary depending on what the label was applied to. In many instances, specimens identified as edenite were later reclassified under more precise mineral names as analytical methods and taxonomy improved.

Occurrence: Instances cited under edenite are typically old or ambiguous, and reliable type localities are not established. In contemporary mineralogy, specimens once labeled edenite are usually described under their correct mineral species, or are considered insufficiently defined without further analysis.

See also: disambiguation of historical mineral names; mineral nomenclature; feldspar and silicate group minerals.