Chondrodite
Image: Robert M. Lavinsky (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Mineral NameChondrodite
Chemical Formula(Mg,Fe)₅(SiO₄)₂(F,OH,O)₂
Mohs Hardness6
Crystal Systemmonoclinic
Lustervitreous
Streak Colorwhite
Cleavagepoor on {001}
Fractureconchoidal
Specific Gravity3.1
Colorsyellow, orange, red, brown, green, colorless
Transparencytransparent
Type LocalityLadjuar Medam (Lajur Madan; Lapis-lazuli Mine), Sar-e-Sang District, Koksha Valley, Badakhshan Province, Afghanistan
Mineral GroupSilicates (Humite Group)
Usescollector, gemstone (rarely)
Associated Mineralsspinel, phlogopite, calcite, magnetite, diopside
Rarityuncommon
Description
This specimen features several translucent, orange-brown chondrodite crystals with a vitreous luster, embedded in a matrix and associated with a dark, likely black, spinel crystal.
Geological Context
Chondrodite typically forms in metamorphosed impure limestones and dolomites, often in contact metamorphic aureoles or skarns, under high-temperature, low-pressure conditions.
