orthorhombic system

07-01

Posted on by Jean Constant

07-01. Natrolite #7.

Last of the natrolites. Nice way to start the month of July, its cell structure is turning into a country flower bunch!

I was intrigued by the strong warm color pattern it inspired me – then I read the source file credits: a little mineral from the Northern countryside of Russia. The matryoshka girls must be smiling at me!

Interestingly, I just checked on what “Matryoshka” means and found this: Matryoshkas are used metaphorically as a design paradigm known as the “matryoshka principle”. It denotes a recognizable relationship of “object-within-similar-object” that appears in the design of many natural or crafted objects. It sure makes sense for today’s mineral!

It sure makes sense for today’s mineral!

From a resource by Seryotkin, Bakakin, Fursenko, Belitsky, Joswig, and Radaelli: neutron diffraction study of a natrolite from the Khibiny massif, Kola Peninsula, Russia.

07-01

Posted on by Jean Constant

06-30. Natrolite #6.

Three enlarged atoms of radius 6.5. Normally they should have been of radius 1.5. It makes for an unusual flower arrangement!

From a resource by Alberti A, Cruciani G, Dauru,  “order-disorder in natrolite-group minerals”.

06-30

06-28

Posted on by Jean Constant

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.

06-28

06-27

Posted on by Jean Constant

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.

06-27

06-25

Posted on by Jean Constant

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…

06-25