A Geoscience Digital Image Library
A Geoscience Digital Image Library
| Title | Benitoite |
|---|---|
| Description | Benitoite is a silicate with the mineral formula BaTiSi3O9. It is an extremely rare mineral that has only recently been discovered. At first it was thought to be a variety of blue sapphire. It is the only known mineral to crystallize in the bar 6m2 class called the ditrigonal-dipyramidal symmetry class. This sample shows benitoite embedded in natrolite an equally rare mineral. Benitoite forms in combinations with neptunite, natrolite, and joaquinite only found at San Benito, California. This sample is approximately 4 cm. |
| Location | USA ▹ California. Near San Benito. |
| Photographer | Shannon Heinle. 2001-11-30. |
| Collection | University of North Dakota Mineralogy Collection #1213. |
| Key words | benitoite, natrolite, silicate |
| Tech details | 242 KB. Hand specimen. Fujifilm FinePix S1Pro digital camera; 60mm AF Nikon micro lens. |
| GeoDIL number | 1866 |
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