Augite is a single chain inosilicate
mineralA mineral is a naturally occurring solid chemical substance formed through biogeochemical processes, having characteristic chemical composition, highly ordered atomic structure, and specific physical properties. By comparison, a rock is an aggregate of minerals and/or mineraloids and does not...
, (Ca,Na)(Mg,Fe,Al)(Si,Al)
2O
6. The
crystalA crystal or crystalline solid is a solid material whose constituent atoms, molecules, or ions are arranged in an orderly repeating pattern extending in all three spatial dimensions. The scientific study of crystals and crystal formation is known as crystallography...
s are monoclinic and prismatic. Augite has two prominent cleavages, meeting at angles near 90 degrees.
Characteristics
Augite is a
solid solutionA solid solution is a solid-state solution of one or more solutes in a solvent. Such a mixture is considered a solution rather than a compound when the crystal structure of the solvent remains unchanged by addition of the solutes, and when the mixture remains in a single homogeneous phase...
in the
pyroxeneThe pyroxenes are a group of important rock-forming inosilicate minerals found in many igneous and metamorphic rocks. They share a common structure consisting of single chains of silica tetrahedra and they crystallize in the monoclinic and orthorhombic systems...
group.
DiopsideDiopside is a monoclinic pyroxene mineral with composition MgCaSi2O6. It forms complete solid solution series with hedenbergite and augite, and partial solid solutions with orthopyroxene and pigeonite. It forms variably colored, but typically dull green crystals in the monoclinic prismatic class...
and
hedenbergiteHedenbergite, CaFeSi2O6, is the iron rich end member of the pyroxene group having a monoclinic crystal system. The mineral is extremely rarely found as a pure substance, and usually has to be synthesized in a lab. It was named in 1819 after M.A. Ludwig Hedenberg, who was the first to define...
are important endmembers in augite, but augite can also contain significant
aluminiumAluminium or aluminum is a silvery white member of the boron group of chemical elements. It has the symbol Al, and its atomic number is 13. It is not soluble in water under normal circumstances....
,
titaniumTitanium is a chemical element with the symbol Ti and atomic number 22. It has a low density and is a strong, lustrous, corrosion-resistant transition metal with a silver color....
, and
sodiumSodium is a chemical element with the symbol Na and atomic number 11. It is a soft, silvery-white, highly reactive metal and is a member of the alkali metals; its only stable isotope is 23Na. It is an abundant element that exists in numerous minerals, most commonly as sodium chloride...
and other elements. The calcium content of augite is limited by a miscibility gap between it and
pigeonitePigeonite is a mineral in the clinopyroxene group. It has a general formula of Si2O6. The calcium cation fraction can vary from 5% to 25%, with iron and magnesium making up the rest of the cations....
and orthopyroxene: when occurring with either of these other pyroxenes, the calcium content of augite is a function of temperature and pressure, but mostly of temperature, and so can be useful in reconstructing temperature histories of rocks. With declining temperature, augite may exsolve lamellae of pigeonite and/or orthopyroxene. There is also a miscibility gap between augite and
omphaciteOmphacite is a member of the pyroxene group of silicate minerals with formula: Si2O6. It is a variably deep to pale green or nearly colorless variety of pyroxene. Omphacite compositions are intermediate between calcium-rich augite and sodium-rich jadeite. It crystallizes in the monoclinic system...
, but this gap occurs at lower temperature and is not well understood.
Locality
It is found in
igneous rockIgneous rock is one of the three main rock types, the others being sedimentary and metamorphic rock. Igneous rock is formed through the cooling and solidification of magma or lava...
s; for example,
gabbroGabbro refers to a large group of dark, coarse-grained, intrusive mafic igneous rocks chemically equivalent to basalt. The rocks are plutonic, formed when molten magma is trapped beneath the Earth's surface and cools into a crystalline mass....
and
basaltBasalt is a common extrusive volcanic rock. It is usually grey to black and fine-grained due to rapid cooling of lava at the surface of a planet. It may be porphyritic containing larger crystals in a fine matrix, or vesicular, or frothy scoria. Unweathered basalt is black or grey...
. It also occurs in relatively high-temperature
metamorphic rockMetamorphic rock is the transformation of an existing rock type, the protolith, in a process called metamorphism, which means "change in form". The protolith is subjected to heat and pressure causing profound physical and/or chemical change...
s such as
maficMafic is an adjective describing a silicate mineral or rock that is rich in magnesium and iron; the term is a portmanteau of the words "magnesium" and "ferric". Most mafic minerals are dark in color and the relative density is greater than 3. Common rock-forming mafic minerals include olivine,...
granuliteGranulites are medium to coarse–grained metamorphic rocks that have experienced high temperature metamorphism, composed mainly of feldspars sometimes associated with quartz and anhydrous ferromagnesian minerals, with granoblastic texture and gneissose to massive structure...
.
Occasional specimens have a shiny appearance that give rise to the mineral's name, which is from the Greek
augites, meaning "brightness", although ordinary specimens have a dull (dark green, brown or black) finish.
Shajar
Shajar also known as
Shazar is an augite with natural design on it which can be found under
Ken RiverThe Ken River is one the major rivers of the Bundelkhand region of central India, and flows through two states, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh...
in
BundelkhandBundelkhand anciently known as Chedi Kingdom is a geographic region of central India...
.
The main use of stone is for ornaments, jewellery and decorative items. Local jewelers export raw Shajar Stone and Shajar items to different parts of India.
Banda is one city famous for trade of Shazar stone since ancient times.
Shazar was discovered about 400 years ago in Banda. The one who discovered it, was an Arab. He was mesmerized by its colorful patterns which looks like leaves and trees and so he named it Sazar (in Arabic it means tree). Due to regional touch, Sazar became Shazar. In Urdu, it is called Haqiq and in Hindi it is Sphatic. In English, Shazar is known as Dendrite Augite. It is homogenous stone and found in different colors and patterns.
AugiteAugite is a single chain inosilicate mineral, 2O6. The crystals are monoclinic and prismatic. Augite has two prominent cleavages, meeting at angles near 90 degrees.-Characteristics:Augite is a solid solution in the pyroxene group...
s are basically of Four types:
- Plane Augite
- Ring Augite
- Lenin Augite
- Dendrite Augite
Of the above
Dendrite Augite is known as Shazar in Indian sub-continent. It is also known as Tree Augite or Fungus Augite.