General Information:
Chemical Formula:
Ca2(Fe++,Mn)Fe+++Si5O14(OH)
Empirical Formula:
Ca2Fe2+0.75Mn2+0.25Fe2+(Si5O14)(OH)
Name Origin:
Named after the Irish physicist and mineralogist, W. Babington (1757-1833).
Physical Properties:
Cleavage:
[100] Perfect, [001] Perfect
Color:
brownish black, greenish black, or black.
Density:
3.4
Diaphaniety:
Transparent to Translucent
Habits:
Druse - Crystal growth in a cavity which results in numerous crystal tipped surfaces., Radial - Crystals radiate from a center without producing stellar forms (e.g. stibnite),
Hardness:
5.5-6 - Knife Blade-Orthoclase
Luminescence:
None.
Luster:
Vitreous (Glassy)
Streak:
brown
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