liimite

Liimite is a proposed mineral described in speculative mineralogy as a lithium-rich oxide-silicate. The name combines the lithium symbol Li with the suffix -ite. As of the mid-2020s, liimite is not recognized by the International Mineralogical Association (IMA) and remains unconfirmed in formal databases.

Composition and structure are reported to be variable, built around lithium, silicon, and oxygen with partial substitution by aluminum, iron, and other cations. Reported formulations range within Li-rich silicate-oxide systems, with substitutions by Fe and Mn. Crystal-structure reports are limited, but some accounts place it in a monoclinic system; others describe layered arrangements.

Physical properties are described from a small number of samples. Liimite is reported as colorless to pale green or pale yellow, with a vitreous to resinous luster. Mohs hardness is placed roughly at 4–5, and density near 3.0 g/cm3. Cleavage and crystal forms appear variable in reported specimens; crystals, when found, may be prismatic or tabular.

Occurrence and formation: Liimite is said to occur in granitic pegmatites and hydrothermal veins, often with spodumene, petalite, or lepidolite. It is thought to form during late-stage crystallization of lithium-rich granitic magmas or through metasomatic alteration.

Etymology and status: The name Li-imite links Li with the common mineral suffix -ite. The proposed existence remains tentative; further petrographic and chemical analyses are needed for IMA acceptance.

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