Fichtelite

Fichtelite
Chemical structure of fichtelite
General
Category Organic mineral
Formula
(repeating unit)		 C19H34
Strunz classification 10.BA.05
Hydrocarbons
Dana classification 50.03.04.01
Crystal system Monoclinic
Crystal class Sphenoidal (2)
(same H-M symbol)
Space group P21
Identification
Color Colorless, white, pale yellow
Crystal habit Elongated tabular crystals
Cleavage Good on {001} and {100}
Mohs scale hardness 1
Luster Greasy
Streak White
Diaphaneity Transparent
Specific gravity 0.631 calculated[1] 1.032[2]
Optical properties Biaxial
Melting point 44.2 °C – 45.0 °C
References [1][2][3]

Fichtelite is a rare white mineral found in fossilized wood from Bavaria. It crystallizes in the monoclinic crystal system. It is a cyclic hydrocarbon: dimethyl-isopropyl-perhydrophenanthrene, C19H34. It is very soft with a Mohs hardness of 1, the same as talc. Its specific gravity is very low at 1.032, just slightly denser than water.

It was first described in 1841 and named for the location, Fichtelgebirge, Bavaria, Germany.[3] It has been reported from fossilized pine wood from a peat bog and in organic-rich modern marine sediments.[1]

References

  1. 1 2 3 http://rruff.geo.arizona.edu/doclib/hom/fichtelite.pdf Handbook of Mineralogy
  2. 1 2 http://webmineral.com/data/Fichtelite.shtml Webmineral data
  3. 1 2 http://www.mindat.org/min-1545.html Mindat.org


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