Detailed sheet

meerschaum

This is a silicate in the form of tiny crystals assembled in concretions in highly porous aggregates. This porosity allows it to float, it hardens as it dries.
Its name, sepiolite, it has been awarded by the German mineralogist E. F. Glocker, that determined the composition in 1847, referring to the Greek “sepia” for cuttlefish and “lithos” for stone, from the shell limestone ridge of the cuttlefish, white and porous as the meerschaum. However, for other it derives from a Greek word meaning “soft”, referring to the sensation provided by its touch.
As nodules float in water, was familiarly called “sea foam”. The old manuals called it, quite wrongly, “magnesite”, a very recent different mineral .



CHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS

Mg4[Si6O15](OH)2

magnesium silicate



PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS

Main color

white

Other colors

grey, yellow

sometimes reddish

Color of streak

white

Luster

dull, silky

Hardness

2.0 to 2.5

Density

2.00 to 2.10

Cleavage

none

Fracture

conchoidal

it glues to tongue



OPTICAL PROPERTIES

Transparency

opaque

Refractive index

1.500 - 1.550

Double refraction

0.000

none

visible double refraction

No

Dispersion

keine

Pleochroism

absent

Number of colors

1

Fluorescence

none



CRYSTALS PROPERTIES

microcrystalline structure

crystals system

orthorhombic



OTHER INFORMATIONS

Exploited
sites

It occurs in irregular nodular masses, which are a form of corruption, but also as tubers in porous sediments resulting from weathering of serpentine rocks.
In Turkey, serpentine shafts of Eskishehir, west of Ankara (Anatolia), are the only economically viable deposits. Deposits are found also in Bosnia, Greece (Samos), Spain, United States (Texas), Morocco, Iran, Africa (Tanzania) …

use in jewelry

It is used to carve pipe bowls, cigar and cigarette holders (somewhat old fashion!), Decorative objects, thermal and acoustic insulation, absorbent products, additives for toothpastes, substitutes of soap.

Daily care
and precautions

Stains very easily, must be protectted it from fat.

Other
Gems

Venez visitez

notre site web

voillot-joaillier.fr

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