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Silicate

Odigitriaite

CsNa₅Ca₅[Si₁₄B₂O₃₈]F₂
Hardness5
Crystal systemMonoclinic
ClassSilicate

Odigitriaite

Odigitriaite is an IMA-recognized mineral species in the silicate class, with the chemical formula CsNa₅Ca₅[Si₁₄B₂O₃₈]F₂.

It crystallizes in the monoclinic crystal system (space group C2/c).

Key properties: Mohs hardness 5; specific gravity 2.8; White streak; Vitreous luster; optically biaxial.

IMA symbol Odi, IMA status: approved, named in 2015.

Found in glacial cobbles in moraine derived from an alkaline massif.

It is found associated with Sr-rich fluorite, pekovite, mendeleevite-(Се), orlovite, kirchhoffite, neptunite, zeravshanite, senkevichite, nordite-(Ce), alamosite, hyalotekite, khvorovite.

Its name comes from the Greek Oδηγήτρια, with the meaning “she who shows the way, ” to emphasize the role of Cs as a major indicator of extreme fractionation.

Index entry. This entry combines official IMA/RRUFF species data with published physical-property data — a full written entry hasn’t been published yet. Browse more O minerals or help write this entry.