Abundant pale tan vitreous waxy crystals of the extremely rare Na-Ca-Mn mineral rouvilleite from the type locality in Mont Saint-Hilaire, in the former Rouville County, Québec, Canada. Ex Vandenbroucke Museum collection from Waregem, Belgium. — Photo: David Hospital · CC BY-SA 4.0
Rouvilleite
Rouvilleite is an IMA-recognized mineral species in the carbonate class, with the chemical formula Na₃Ca₂(CO₃)₃F.
It crystallizes in the monoclinic crystal system (space group Cc).
Key properties: Mohs hardness 3–4; specific gravity 2.67–2.73; White streak; Vitreous to waxy luster; optically biaxial.
IMA symbol Rvl, IMA status: approved, named in 1989.
Found in a sodalite xenolith in an intrusive alkalic gabbro-syenite complex (Mont Saint-Hilaire, Canada); in a differentiated alkalic massif (Lovozero massif, Kola Peninsula, Russia).
It is found associated with Kupletskite, villiaumite, aegirine, microcline, cancrinite, analcime, shortite, vuonnemite, cryolite, kogarkoite (Mont Saint-Hilaire, Canada); manganotychite.
The name refers to Rouville Co., within which the Mont Saint-Hilaire, Canada, locality is located.