piroxenelike

Piroxenelike is a term used in mineralogy to describe minerals that share structural characteristics with pyroxenes. These minerals are not true pyroxenes, meaning they do not fall strictly within the pyroxene group classification, but they exhibit similarities in their crystal structure. Specifically, piroxenelike minerals often possess single-chain silicate structures. The pyroxene group is characterized by the repeating unit of a single chain of SiO4 tetrahedra linked by shared oxygen atoms. Minerals described as piroxenelike may have variations in the composition of the cations that occupy the sites between these chains, or they might have slight deviations in the angles or bond lengths within the silicate chain. This classification is primarily based on X-ray diffraction studies that reveal the arrangement of atoms. Examples of minerals that might be considered piroxenelike, depending on the precise definition and context, could include certain amphiboles or other complex silicates that exhibit a single-chain backbone. The term is useful for mineralogists when discussing structural relationships and evolutionary pathways in silicate mineralogy, helping to categorize and understand minerals that are structurally analogous but not identical to the well-defined pyroxene group.