Artinite

Artinite is a hydrated basic magnesium carbonate mineral with formula: Template:Chem2. It forms white silky monoclinic prismatic crystals that are often in radial arrays or encrustations. It has a Mohs hardness of 2.5 and a specific gravity of 2.

It occurs in low-temperature hydrothermal veins and in serpentinized ultramafic rocks. Associated minerals include brucite, hydromagnesite, pyroaurite, chrysotile, aragonite, calcite, dolomite and magnesite.<ref name=HBM/>

It was first reported in 1902 in Lombardy, Italy. It was named for Italian mineralogist, Ettore Artini (1866–1928).<ref name=Mindat/>

File:Artinite-148070.jpg

Artinite sometimes forms balls of radiating, fibrous crystals. Specimen from New Idria district, California US. Size: 9.2 x 5.2 x 1.5 cm.