Zorite Locality: Yubileinaya (Yubileinoye; Jubilejnaja) pegmatite, Karnasurt Mt, Lovozero Massif, Kola Peninsula, Murmanskaja Oblast', Northern Region, Russia White Zorite sprays together with some golden-brown acicular Raite xls. Field of view 4 mm. Specimen and photo Leon Hupperichs. — Photo: Leon Hupperichs · CC BY-SA 3.0
Zorite
A pink sodium-titanium silicate named for zoria — 'rosy dawn' in Russian.
Intro adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA).
Zorite is an IMA-recognized mineral species in the silicate class, with the chemical formula Na₆Ti₅Si₁₂O₃₄(O,OH)₅·11H₂O.
It crystallizes in the orthorhombic crystal system (space group Cmmm). It is a member of the Zorite structural group.
Key properties: Mohs hardness 3–4; specific gravity 2.27–2.4; Vitreous luster; refractive index 1.59; optically biaxial.
IMA symbol Zor, IMA status: approved, named in 1972.
On walls of fractures filled with nepheline in the central natrolite region of a pegmatite vein in a differentiated alkalic massif.
It is found associated with Nepheline, aegirine, mountainite, natrolite, raite.
In reference to the Russian for \the rosy radiance of the sky at dawn" for the color.