White single crystal of the extremely rare mineral chesnokovite from the type and only known locality worldwide: Kedykverpakhk Mountain, Kola, Russian Federation. — Photo: David Hospital · CC BY-SA 4.0
Chesnokovite
Chesnokovite is an IMA-recognized mineral species in the silicate class, with the chemical formula Na₂SiO₂(OH)₂·8H₂O.
It crystallizes in the orthorhombic crystal system (space group Ibca).
Key properties: Mohs hardness 2.5; specific gravity 1.68; White streak; Dull vitreous luster; optically biaxial.
IMA symbol Ck, IMA status: approved, named in 2006.
A late hydrothermal mineral, intergrown with natrophosphate in a ussingite vein in an alkaline igneous complex.
It is found associated with Natrophosphate, natrolite, sodalite, vuonnemite, steenstrupine-(Ce), phosinaite-(Ce), natisite, gobbinsite, villiaumite, natrosilite, revdite.
The mineral was named to honor mineralogist Boris Valentinovich Chesnokov (1928–2005) of the Ural Department, Russian Academy of Sciences, Miass.