Diopside |
||
---|---|---|
Property |
Value |
Comments |
Formula |
CaMgSi2O6 |
. |
Crystal System |
Monoclinic |
2/m |
Crystal Habit |
Short, stubby, prismatic crystals with square, rectangular, or eight sided cross section |
. |
Cleavage |
Fair to good cleavage on (110) Partings on (100) and (001) |
Imperfect cleavage intersecting at 87º and 93º |
Color/Pleochroism |
White to light green |
. |
Optic Sign |
Biaxial (+) |
|
2V |
55±10º |
. |
Optic
Orientation |
X^a = -20º to -33º, Y = b, Z^c = +35º to +48º |
. |
Refractive
Indices alpha
=
beta = gamma = delta = |
1.664-1.745 1.672-1.753 1.694-1.771 0.018-0.034 |
. |
Max
Birefringence |
0.018-0.034 |
|
Elongation | parallel to c axis | |
Extinction |
inclined in (010) sections | . |
Dispersion |
r > v |
- weak to strong |
Distinguishing
Features |
light green color, cleavage | |
Occurrence |
Commonly found in metamorphosed carbonate rocks like skarns and marbles. Found with: tremolite, actinolite, grossular garnet, epidote, wollastonite, forsterite, calcite and dolomite |
|
Editors |
Ruth Indrick ('08), Brittany Holt ('15), June Cadenhead ('16) | |
References |
Nesse, 2000; Blackburn and Dennen, 1988; Klein and Hurlbut, 1977 |