06-29
06-29. Natrolite #5.
From a resource by Stuckenschmidt Kassner, Joswig and Baur.
Author: Jean Constant
06-28
06-28. Natrolite #4.
This tiny crystal is in a constant state of chaos! Even a close up of the unit cell shows how busy all the atoms are, working at expanding in perfect little balls of needles.
06-27
06-27. Natrolite #3.
Either porcupine or crystal needles – the geometry of the natrolite inspires some strange design. Something to ponder on later I guess.
There are times even the scientist seem to agree to this: Here is the title of their paper: Flexibility and distortion of the framework of natrolite crystal structures.
From a resource by Baur, Kassner, Kim, and Sieber.
06-26
06-26. Natrolite #2.
From a resource by Wang and Bish – structure of an alpha1-metanatrolite.
06-25
06-25. Natrolite #1.
Natrolite. An odd little mineral that looks like the back of a porcupine! It will be the mineral of week 26 of this 1/2 way done, tour of Geometry of planet Earth.
Natrolite got its name in 1803 from German chemist Martin H. Klaprot. It is an orthorhombic crystal, transparent, translucent and of symmetry Fdd2. Natrolite and the larger family of Zeolites crystals assist the environment by absorbing toxic products. Today it is used in water purifiers and chemical filters.
It is found in Australia, Germany, India, Russia, the Czech Republic and the USA. It seems to be another mineral that meets my strange findings relating to mineral, culture, and people. Here – courtesy of Minerals.net : “In the “Garden State” New Jersey, very large crystals up to 10 cm; in Australia, rounded spiky puffs come from Cape Grim, Tasmania; white slender crystal groups from Puy de Marmant, Puy de Dôme, France; white and light pink needle sprays from Piz. Sella, Bolzano Province, Italy”….Broad archetypes I know, but still, interesting connection…
06-24
06-24. Samsonite #7.
This 7 days tour of a Samsonite crystal unit cell was fun. A visual journey at the atomic level. The color scheme was a little stern but the playfulness of its structure made up well for it.
From a resource by Edenharter and Nowacki.
06-23
06-23. Samsonite #6.
From a resource by Hruskova and Synecek. Flight of a Samsonite crystal over the Harz mountains.
