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Kämmererite  (Chromian variety of Clinochlore)
Current inventory:  0 gems
 

Chemistry:  Mg₅(Al,Cr)₂Si₃O₁₀ (OH)₈

Discovered in 1851 (Clinochlore);   IMA status: Valid (Clinochlore) (pre-IMA; Grandfathered).
Kämmererite is named after A. Kämmerer, the mining director at St. Petersberg. The name Clinochlore is from the Greek words klino meaning oblique and chloros meaning green.

Classification

Mineral Classification:

Silicates

Strunz 8th Ed. ID:

8/H.23-20

8 : Silicates
H : Phyllosilicates (layered), Tetragonal or pseudotetragonal layered structures [Si4O10]4- and others
23 : Chlorite group

Crystal Data

Crystallography:

Monoclinic - Prismatic

Crystal Habit:

Crystals are thin to thick pseudohexagonal crystals, with tapering pyramidal faces, to 10 cm

Twinning:

Twin plane [001]; twin axis [310], composition plane [001].

Physical Properties

Cleavage:

[001] Perfect

Fracture:

Uneven

Tenacity:

Laminae flexible, inelastic

Moh's Hardness:

2.0 - 2.5

Density:

2.64 (g/cm³)

Luminescence:

None

Radioactivity:

Not Radioactive

Optical Properties

Color:

Bright Purple to Deep Crimson Red

Transparency:

Transparent, Translucent, Opaque

Luster:

Vitreous

Refractive Index:

1.597 - 1.600  Biaxial ( - ) or ( + )

Birefringence:

0.0030

Dispersion:

r < v

Pleochroism:

Strong; violet/crimson red

Occurances

Geological Setting:

In chromite deposits, associated with clinochlore and uvarovite.

Type Locality:

Kop Krum Mine, Kop Daglari, Erzurum District, Eastern Anatolia, Turkey

Year Discovered:

1851 (Clinlchlore)

View mineral photos:

Kämmererite Mineral Photos and Locations

More Information

Mindat.org  (Kämmererite)
Mindat.org   (Chromian Clinochlore)
Mindat.org   (Clinochlore)
Webmineral.com  (Clinochlore)

Kämmererite, or Chromian Clinochlore, is the very rare red to purple Chromium rich variety of Clinochlore. It is a very beautiful mineral with intense color. Kämmererite is micaceous so it is extraordinarily difficult to facet because of its perfect basal cleavage. Faceted gems are extremely rare and those that exist are usually very small.

The most notable current source of Kämmererite is the Kop Krum Mine, Erzurum District, Eastern Anatolia, Turkey.
 

  
Kämmererite gems for sale:

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