Gugiaite Field of view: 0.3 mm high Locality: Baveno, Verbano-Cusio-Ossola Province, Piedmont, Italy ( locality at mindat.org ) — Photo: Henk Smeets – tomeikminerals.com · CC BY 4.0
Gugiaite
A melilite-group calcium beryllium silicate named for the Chinese village of Gugia, found in skarns beside alkali syenite.
Intro adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA).
Gugiaite is an IMA-recognized mineral species in the silicate class, with the chemical formula Ca₂BeSi₂O₇.
It crystallizes in the tetragonal crystal system (space group P-42_1m). It is a member of the Melilite structural group.
Key properties: Mohs hardness 5; specific gravity 3.034; Vitreous luster; refractive index 1.668; optically uniaxial.
IMA symbol Gug, IMA status: approved, named in 1962.
Found in cavities in skarns and melanite adjacent to an alkalic syenite.
It is found associated with Orthoclase, vesuvianite, aegirine, titanite, apatite, prehnite.
The name is derived from the locality near Gugia, China.