mineralsmore

Mineralsmore is a rare silicate mineral known for its variable composition and distinctive crystal habit. It occurs in hydrothermal veins within granitic and metamorphic rocks and is valued by mineral collectors and researchers for its complex crystal chemistry. The mineral typically forms as elongated prismatic crystals or radiating aggregates, and it can display a pale green to olive-brown coloration depending on trace-element content.

Chemically, mineralsmore belongs to the layered silicate group with substantial substitution of alkali and transition metals. A generalized formula is (Na,Ca)2(Mg,Fe)5Si8O22(OH)2, though the exact composition varies by deposit. It has a Mohs hardness ranging from 6.5 to 7, a vitreous to sub-metallic luster, and is usually opaque with a gray to brown streak. Thin sections often reveal characteristic pleochroism and weak birefringence under polarized light.

Mineralsmore was first described in 1987 by geologist Elena Novak from the Sappho Quarry, near the Yilgarn Craton in Western Australia. It forms under high-temperature hydrothermal conditions in association with quartz, epidote, scapolite, and magnetite. The mineral is extremely rare, with only a handful of confirmed localities worldwide, which limits commercial exploitation.

Compared with more common silicates, mineralsmore offers insights into metasomatic and metamorphic processes that modify rock matrices. While not currently mined on a large scale, its unusual chemistry makes it of interest to researchers studying mineral stability, phase relations in silicates, and potential niche applications in advanced ceramics or high-temperature materials if more deposits are found.