THE MINERAL ARTINITE

  • Chemistry: Mg2CO3(OH)2 - 3H2O , Hydrated Magnesium Carbonate Hydroxide.
  • Class: Carbonates
  • Uses: Only as mineral specimens.
  • Specimens
Artinite is a somewhat rare carbonate mineral. It forms as a crust of acicular to fibrous crystal aggregates sometimes collected into tight perfectly spherical balls. It is always associated with ultra-basic igneous and metamorphic rocks such as serpentinite.

It often surprises people when they are told that it is a carbonate mineral. It has the appearance of several silicate minerals and forms in a somewhat atypical carbonate environment. It has nearly the same habit as mesolite, pectolite, natrolite, okenite and gyrolite. However these minerals are not associated with the mineral serpentine like artinite. In fact a specimen of artinite without serpentine would be very unusual. The two minerals make for a nice association couple. They are popular and attractive with the snow white fibrous balls of artinite set upon the greasy lustered jade green serpentine base.

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS:

  • Color is white or colorless.
  • Luster is silky to fibrous.
  • Transparency crystals are transparent to translucent.
  • Crystal System is monoclinic; 2/m
  • Crystal Habits include radiating spherical aggregates of acicular to fibrous crystals.
  • Hardness is 2.5
  • Specific Gravity is 2.0 (very light)
  • Cleavage is perfect in one direction.
  • Fracture is fibrous.
  • Streak is white.
  • Associated Minerals include serpentine, hydromagnesite, talc and olivine.
  • Notable Occurrences include San Benito Co., California and Long Island, New York, USA and Campo Franscia, Lombardia, Italy.
  • Best Field Indicators are crystal habits, color, associations, softness and density.
ARTINITE specimens:
(hover for more info)
ARTINITE specimen art-3
$ 120.00
Dims: 2.5" x 1.4" x 0.7" (6.4 x 3.8 x 1.8 cm)
Wt: 28.4 g
Artinite Pit, Clear Creek Drainage, San Benito County, California, U.S.A.
There are portions of over 10 separate clusters visible on this specimen. All of these are heavily intergrown and make up almost all of its mass. As this piece appears to consist of a portion of a crust of intergrown Artinite clusters, most of the clusters along the specimen's edges (about 5 of them) are incomplete, and one is lightly damaged. However, this allows one to easily study their cross-sections (see the close-up image) and see their fibrous, radial habit. The crystals do not exceed 0.4" (1.0 cm) in length and are far to thin for one to effectively study their monoclinic form without magnification. They show a bright pearly luster, and individually, they are colorless and transparent. However, they are essentially translucent and have a white color while clustered into their compact, radial orbs. There is only a very small amount of what appears to be a micaceous serpentine host rock present.
no photo
art-3 ($120.00)
Artinite Pit, Clear Creek Drainage, San Benito County, California, U.S.A.
ARTINITE specimen art-4
$ 26.00
Dims: 3.6 x 2.0 x 2.0" (9.1 x 5.1 x 5.1 cm)
Wt: 9.00 oz. (255.2 g)
Artinite #1 Claim, San Benito County, California, U.S.A.
Several groups of intergrown Artinite clusters rest on the pale green base rock of this specimen. While almost all of these clusters are flattened, it is due not to damage but to restrictricted growing space. Each cluster is made up of dozens of radiating Artinite needles that do not generally exceed 0.4" (1 cm) in length or 1 mm in diameter. Their fineness makes it difficult to study their form, but complete crystals likely have very good monoclinic form. Individual crystals are colorless, transparent and have a pearly luster, but clusters are essentially white in color and translucent. The rock on which they rest strongly resembles serpentine.
no photo
art-4 ($ 26.00)
Artinite #1 Claim, San Benito County, California, U.S.A.
ARTINITE specimen art-5
$ 48.00
Dims: 3.3 x 1.7 x 0.5" (8.4 x 4.3 x 1.3 cm)
Wt: 1.06 oz. (30.1 g)
Artinite Pit, San Benito County, California, U.S.A.
A crust made up of several intergrown Artinite clusters comprises this specimen. These clusters do note exceed 0.8" (2.0 cm) in diameter and are generally in good condition, though the largest one is considerably damaged. Each cluster contains scores or perhaps hundreds of compact, fibrous radiating Artinite needles that reach lengths of 0.4" (1.0 cm). They are too small and intergrown to study as individuals, but likely have relatively good monoclinic form. The clusters have a white color and a generally dull luster, and are dimly translucent. Where the interior of a cluster is exposed, the crystals show a much brighter, pearly luster. Only a few very thin crusts of what appear to be serpentine serve as a base for the Artinite crust.
no photo
art-5 ($ 48.00)
Artinite Pit, San Benito County, California, U.S.A.
ARTINITE specimen art-6
$ 72.00
Dims: 3.5 x 2.5 x 2.1" (8.9 x 6.4 x 5.3 cm)
Wt: 12.3 oz. (349 g)
Artinite Pit, San Benito County, California, U.S.A.
Crusts and sprays of acicular Artinite needles cover at least 30% of the host rock of this large hand specimen. The sprays and crusts are generally in good condition, and the needles that comprise them do not exceed 0.3" (8 mm) in length. Their monoclinic form is difficult to study due to their small size, but is likely very good. All have the standard milky-white color and pearly luster, and are transparent as individuals, though clusters are only dimly translucent, at best.
no photo
art-6 ($ 72.00)
Artinite Pit, San Benito County, California, U.S.A.
ARTINITE specimen art-7
$ 57.00
Dims: 3.1 x 1.9 x 1.3" (7.9 x 4.9 x 3.3 cm)
Wt: 3.7 oz. (104 g)
Clear Creek, San Benito County, California, U.S.A.
Several intergrown clusters of radiating Artinite needles rest on the green serpentine base of this hand specimen. Individual clusters do not exceed a diameter of 0.4" (1.0 cm), and all appear to be in very good condition- light crushing damage exists in a few places. All likely have excellent monoclinic form, though they are too thin for one to study this even with a loupe, and their white color and pearly luster are standard. A thin, dull, white crust rests between the clusters and the serpentine base.
no photo
art-7 ($ 57.00)
Clear Creek, San Benito County, California, U.S.A.
ARTINITE specimen art-8
$ 75.00
Dims: 4.0 x 3.8 x 3.8" (10.1 x 9.6 x 9.5 cm)
Wt: 1 lb., 14.3 oz. (859 g)
San Benito County, California, U.S.A.
Several rounded, partly intergrown Artinite clusters rest on the serpentine base of this cabinet piece. These clusters are in excellent condition and reach 0.4" (1.0 cm) in diameter. Each is made up of hundreds of radiating Artinite needles that do not exceed 0.3" (8 mm) in length. Though they are too fine to effectively study even with a loupe, their uniformity suggests good monoclinic form. Though they are colorless and transparent as individuals, the clusters are effectively white and opaque. They also show the standard pearly luster.
no photo
art-8 ($ 75.00)
San Benito County, California, U.S.A.
ARTINITE specimen art-9
$ 60.00
Dims: 2.9 x 2.1 x 1.9" (7.5 x 5.3 x 4.8 cm)
Wt: 4.2 oz. (118 g)
Artinite Pit, Clear Creek Drainage, San Benito County, California, U.S.A.
Many round clusters of acicular Artinite needles are scattered about the base rock of this cabinet piece. Though some of the clusters are broken and incomplete, their crystals are generally in excellent condition. They do not exceed 0.3" in length and though they are too fine to study with a loupe, the crystals likely have excellent monoclinic form. All have the standard milky-white color and pearly luster, and the base rock is serpentine, of course.
no photo
art-9 ($ 60.00)
Artinite Pit, Clear Creek Drainage, San Benito County, California, U.S.A.
ARTINITE specimen art-10
$ 48.00
Dims: 3.7 x 2.4 x 2.4" (9.4 x 6.2 x 6.0 cm)
Wt: 7.5 oz. (214 g)
Artinite Pit, Clear Creek Drainage, San Benito County, California, U.S.A.
A crust of intergrown Artinite clusters rests on the serpentine base of this cabinet specimen. These clusters show some damage, but are generally in good condition. Each contains scores of radiating Artinite needles that are too fine to easily study with a loupe. They likely have very good monoclinic form, however, and show the standard milky-white color and pearly luster.
no photo
art-10 ($ 48.00)
Artinite Pit, Clear Creek Drainage, San Benito County, California, U.S.A.
ARTINITE specimen art-11
$ 25.00
Dims: 3.3 x 2.9 x 2.3" (8.3 x 7.3 x 5.9 cm)
Wt: 9.9 oz. (281 g)
Artinite Pit, Clear Creek Drainage, San Benito County, California, U.S.A.
Several veins of radial Artinite extend through the serpentine host of this cabinet piece. The fine needle-like crystals are generally compact, but some can be studied as individuals. Though too fine to properly view without magnification, all likely have very good monoclinic form. They show the standard milky-white color and pearly luster of their specie.
no photo
art-11 ($ 25.00)
Artinite Pit, Clear Creek Drainage, San Benito County, California, U.S.A.
ARTINITE specimen art-13
$ 84.00
Dims: 3.59x2.32x0.74" (9.11x5.90x1.88cm)
Wt: 3.50oz (99.3g)
Artinite Pit, San Benito County, California, USA
This artinite specimen is a little unusual, in that many of the sprays of white, acicular artinite crystals appear to originate in the air - we see them from the bottom. Of course, they really formed in a crevice in the serpentine host rock, and when the "top" slab of serpentine was removed, these stayed attached to the other side. This does give us a chance to examine the growth of these crystals more closely than normal. The other side of the host serpentine also is covered with sprays of artinite, although these are generally flattened, and some of that host is present as well. Lastly, on one side of the specimen is a nearly solid greenish-white sheet with a matt like appearance. A loupe reveals this to be densely intergrown artinite - the individual acicular crystals may be seen along some of the edges.
no photo
art-13 ($ 84.00)
Artinite Pit, San Benito County, California, USA
ARTINITE specimen art-14
$ 30.00
Dims: 3.30x2.69x1.52" (8.37x6.82x3.87cm)
Wt: 7.23oz (205g)
Artinite Pit, San Benito County, California, USA
This specimen contains many loose, roughtly spherical aggregates of fine artinite crystals largely coating one surface, plus some crusts which are dense intergrowths of artinite crystals, plus a crevice completely filled with more artinite. Their white color contrasts nicely with the background, a thin pale green crust of serpentine, itself on a dull gray host rock.
no photo
art-14 ($ 30.00)
Artinite Pit, San Benito County, California, USA
ARTINITE specimen art-15
$ 78.00
Dims: 2.81x1.84x0.85" (7.15x1.84x0.85cm)
Wt: 3.75oz (106.3g)
Arinite Pit, San Benito County, California, USA
This serpentine host rock displays a fairly dense intergrowth of artinite clusters on one surface. While the individual crystals are excellent, in lengths of 6 to 9mm with a bright adamantine luster and very likely colorless and transparent, in the aggregate they appear slightly yellow and rather dull due to the interplay of light among the tiny crystals.
no photo
art-15 ($ 78.00)
Arinite Pit, San Benito County, California, USA
ARTINITE specimen art-16
$ 25.00
dims mm=66.96x39.17x26.45
wt g=74.6
Artenite Pit, San Benito County, California, USA
This specimen was extracted from a sample whose many crevices were nearly filled with artenite crystals. Both sides of this specimen are largely covered with intergrown sprays of the acicular transparent and lustrous crystals - it is only unfortunate that there are no isolated sprays to admire.
no photo
art-16 ($ 25.00)
Artenite Pit, San Benito County, California, USA
 

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