Vesuvianite with Grossular
Garnet
CHEMISTRY - Ca10Mg2Al4(SiO4)5(Si2O7)2(OH)4
CRYSTALLOGRAPHY - Tetrahedral or Monoclinic
CRYSTAL GROWTH AND HABITS - Vesuvianite commonly forms long prismatic crystals or short pyramidal crystals. Crystals may show very complex face forms, up to 30 on one crystal.
COLOR AND OPTICAL PROPERTIES - Yellow, green, brown, colorless to white, blue, green or pinkish, commonly zoned. Transparent to translucent.
HARDNESS - 6 - 7
SPECIFIC GRAVITY - 3.32 - 3.43
LUSTER - Vitreous
STREAK - White
BREAKABILITY - Vesuvianite has poor to very poor cleavage along (110), (100) and (001). It has subconchoidal to irregular fracture and is brittle.
OCCURRENCE - Vesuvianite is typically found in skarns produced by contact or regional metamorphism of limestone. It is also found in mafic and ultramafic rocks and is serpentine rich rocks. It is uncommon in alkali igneous rocks.
ASSOCIATED MINERALS - It is associated with Grossular Garnet, Diopside, Epidote, Wollastonite, Scapolite, Calcite and Spinel.
MINERAL NAME - It is named for its occurrence at Vesuvius, Italy.