Loading AI tools
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Gabronite or Gabbronite is a former name for a mineral found in Norway, no longer widely used. It describes a form of scapolite or nepheline.
This article contains too many or overly lengthy quotations. (October 2019) |
Mindat.org defines the term "Gabbronite" as:
Wiktionary defines "Gabbronite" as "A compact variety of scapolite, resembling gabbro."
The term is sometimes used in modern geological descriptions. Thus a description of the Matamec Ecological Reserve in Quebec, Canada says, "Elsewhere, igneous rock is composed of anorthosite, gabronite and granite."[2]
A web search is likely to show a polished mostly-black stone used in jewelry.
William Phillips (1773–1828) lists the mineral under SILEX, and describes it as follows:[3]
GABRONITE. The Gabronite occurs massive, and is of a bluish or greenish grey colour; its fracture is lamellar, it is translucent on the edges, and hard enough to scratch glass, though not to give fire with the steel. Its specific gravity is nearly 3; and it is composed of 54 per cent of silex, 24 of alumine, 1.5 of magnesia, 17.25 of potash and soda, 1.25 of the oxides of iron and manganese, and 2 of water. The Gabronite has only been found in Norway. The bluish variety, near Arendahl, with hornblend; the greenish, at Fredericksvarn [Stavern], disseminated in a large grained sienite.[3]
According to Parker Cleaveland (1780–1858) the mineral is probably a variety of Fettstein. Cleaveland defines it as follows:[4]
GABRONITE. HAUT. BRONGNIART. It occurs in masses, whose structure is more of less distinctly foliated, or sometimes compact. Its lustre is glistening, and somewhat resinous; and its fracture is uneven or splintery. It scratches glass, but scarcely gives sparks with steel. It is more or less translucent at the edges; and its colors are gray, bluish or greenish gray, and sometimes red.
Before the blowpipe it melts with some difficulty into an opaque white globule. It contains, according to John, silex 54.0, alumine 24.0, potash and soda 17.25, magnesia 1.5, oxides of iron and manganese 1.25, water 2.0.
This mineral is by some referred to the Scapolite; but, if the preceding analysis is correct, the union is inadmissible.
The Gabronite is found in Norway near Arendal; also at Friedrichswärn, where it occurs in sienite.[4]
Webster's 1828 English Dictionary gives:
Armand Dufrénoy (1792–1857) describes the mineral as:[6]
Seamless Wikipedia browsing. On steroids.
Every time you click a link to Wikipedia, Wiktionary or Wikiquote in your browser's search results, it will show the modern Wikiwand interface.
Wikiwand extension is a five stars, simple, with minimum permission required to keep your browsing private, safe and transparent.