THE MINERAL LORENZENITE
- Chemistry: Na2Ti2Si2O9, Sodium Titanium Silicate.
- Class: Silicates
- Subclass: Inosilicates
- Uses: mineral specimens
Specimens
Lorenzenite is a rare mineral that was only discribed in the last 50 years. It is found on both the coast of Greenland and on the Kola Pennisula from where many new and rare minerals have been and are still being discovered. Ramsayite is the old russian name for lorezenite. Now the name Ramsayite is a synonym for lorenzenite. Lorenzenite has a rather high luster which is due to the titanium content. Other titanium minerals also have high lusters especially the mineral rutile, TiO2.
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS:
- Color is a brown, yellow-brown to dark brown.
- Luster is vitreous to submetallic.
- Transparency: Crystals are transparent to translucent.
- Crystal System is Orthorhombic.
- Crystal Habit is prismatic with six sides, two of the sides are often flattened to form a nearly tabular crystal with a pointed termination.
- Hardness is 6.
- Specific Gravity is approximately 3.4+ (above average for translucent minerals)
- Streak is light brown.
- Notable Occurrences: Narsarsuk, Greenland and Kola Pennisula, Russia.
- Best Field Indicators are color, luster, density and locallity.
 Amethyst Galleries' Mineral Gallery MINERALS |
LORENZENITE specimen lrz-1
$ 45.00
$ 45.00
Dims: 3-3/4" x 3" x 2"
Wt: 11.7 oz
Kola Peninsula, Russia
Brought over from "the motherland," this specimen boasts dozens of needlelike crystals of either epidote or hornblende. They are dominated by a large, well-formed crystal of Lorenzenite. I personally believe that this crystal is doubly-terminated, though more than 80% of one end is covered with rock...I just have that feeling! The matrix rock that this crystal is affixed to seems to be largely made up of broken Lorenzenite crystals that are strewn amongst the not-quite-identified needles that I mentioned earlier. The complete crystal is brown, opaque, and has a small amount of damage on one of the exposed primary termination faces. There is some matrix still stuck to the face right next to the damage. It's still a wonderful and definitely uncommon collectible with a fair price.
lrz-1 ($ 45.00)
Kola Peninsula, Russia
LORENZENITE specimen lrz-2
$ 57.00
$ 57.00
Dims: 2.1 x 1.7 x 1.1" (5.3 x 4.3 x 2.8 cm)
Wt: 1.74 oz. (49.5 g)
Kola Peninsula, Russia
This large thumbnail specimen consists of a single Lorenzenite crystal that rests in what appears to be a metamorphic host rock. The crystal has dimensions of 0.9 x 0.6 x 0.3" (2.3 x 1.5 x 0.8 cm) and is in excellent condition, showing only very minor damage on a few of its most exposed edges. Its orthorhombic prismatic form is excellent, with well-defined edges and clean faces that possess either a dull, waxy or a matte luster. Its color is a moderately dark brown and it is definitely opaque. The host rock in which it rests is dark gray in color and is permeated by many thin, black needles of a mineral that I cannot identify.
lrz-2 ($ 57.00)
Kola Peninsula, Russia
LORENZENITE specimen lrz-3
$ 45.00
$ 45.00
Dims:2.1x1.7x1.3" (5.3x4.3x3.3 cm)
Wt: 2.9oz. (81g)
Kola Peninsula, Russia
Several crystals of lorenzenite may be seen in the porphyritic matrix of this specimen. The best exposed (and largest) crystal is double terminated and measures 0.5" (1.3cm) in length. Some of the smaller crystals show minor damage, but the large crystal is perfect.
lrz-3 ($ 45.00)
Kola Peninsula, Russia