Kassite , Cafetite , Lizardite Base 2 mm Locality: Val di Serra Quarry, Pilcante, Ala, Lagarina Valley, Trento Province, Trentino-Alto Adige (Trentino-Südtirol), Italy Original description: Light yellow kassite's spherules with orange-yellow tabular cafetite in lizardite matrix. Collection and photo Giorgio Bortolozzi — Photo: Giorgio Bortolozzi · CC BY-SA 3.0
Kassite
A rare calcium-titanium oxide forming radiating rosettes of twinned pseudo-hexagonal crystals.
Intro adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA).
Kassite is an IMA-recognized mineral species in the oxides & hydroxide class, with the chemical formula CaTi₂O₄(OH)₂.
It crystallizes in the monoclinic crystal system (space group P2_1/a).
Key properties: Mohs hardness 5; specific gravity 3.42; Adamantine luster; refractive index 2.097; optically biaxial.
IMA symbol Kas, IMA status: approved, named in 1965.
Lining miarolitic cavities in alkalic pegmatites (Afrikanda massif, Russia); in nepheline syenite (Diamond Jo quarry, Arkansas, USA).
It is found associated with Cafetite, perovskite, titanite (Afrikanda massif, Russia); perovskite, rutile, ilmenite, titanite (Josephine Creek, Oregon, USA).
The mineral was named to honor Academician Nikolai Grigor’evich Kassin (1885–1949), the geologist who discovered the Afrikanda massif, Russia.