Yellow orange crystal aggregates of the very rare mineral pellyite from California (Rush Creek, Fresno County, California, United States of America). Ex Vandenbroucke Museum collection from Waregem, Belgium. — Photo: David Hospital · CC BY-SA 4.0
Pellyite
A barium-calcium iron-magnesium silicate named for Yukon's Pelly River.
Intro adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA).
Pellyite is an IMA-recognized mineral species in the silicate class, with the chemical formula Ba₂CaFe²⁺₂Si₆O₁₇.
It crystallizes in the orthorhombic crystal system (space group Cmcm).
Key properties: Mohs hardness 6; specific gravity 3.51; Vitreous luster; optically biaxial.
IMA symbol Ply, IMA status: approved, named in 1970.
Found in lenses and bands of barium silicate rocks developed in metamorphic skarns near the contact with granite or granodiorite.
It is found associated with Barite, hedenbergite, quartz, taramellite, gillespite, sanbornite, alforsite, witherite, andradite.
The name refers to the Pelly River, Canada, near the headwaters of which it was first recognized.