Zakharovite is a rare phyllosilicate mineral with the chemical formula Na₄Mn₅Si₁₀O₂₅(OH)₈·8H₂O. It is characterized by its light brown to yellowish-brown color, silky luster, and fibrous habit, often occurring in radiating aggregates. Discovered in the Lovozero Massif in Russia, it is named after the Russian mineralogist Mark Mikhailovich Zakharov.
Etymology and Discovery
Zakharovite was first described in 1982 from the Kaskairon River Valley in the Khangilas Region of the Lovozero Massif, Kola Peninsula, Murmansk Oblast, Russia. It was named in honor of Professor Mark Mikhailovich Zakharov (born 1930), a prominent Russian mineralogist and petrographer from Moscow State University.Physical Properties
- Color: Light brown, yellowish-brown, beige
- Streak: White
- Luster: Silky
- Diaphaneity: Translucent
- Crystal System: Hexagonal
- Crystal Habit: Fibrous, acicular, radiating aggregates
- Mohs Hardness: 2.5
- Cleavage: Perfect on {0001}
- Fracture: Flexible
- Specific Gravity: 2.76 g/cm³
Chemical Properties
- Chemical Formula: Na₄Mn₅Si₁₀O₂₅(OH)₈·8H₂O
- Class: Silicates; Phyllosilicates
Optical Properties
- Optical Class: Uniaxial (-)
- Refractive Indices: nω = 1.542, nε = 1.528