Villiaumite

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Template:Infobox mineral Villiaumite is a rare halide mineral composed of sodium fluoride, NaF. It is very soluble in water and some specimens fluoresce under long and short wave ultraviolet light. It has a Mohs hardness of 2.5 and is usually red, pink, or orange in color. It is toxic to humans.<ref name=Mindat/>

The red color is due to a broad absorption peaking at 512 nm. It is a result of radiation damage to the crystal.<ref name="gp">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Occurrence

File:Villiaumite2 - Poudrette quarry, Mont Saint-Hilaire, Quebec, Canada.jpg
Villiaumite, (field of view 7.1 x 4.7 mm), Poudrette quarry, Mont Saint-Hilaire, Quebec, Canada

It occurs in nepheline syenite intrusives and in nepheline syenite pegmatites. It occurs associated with aegirine, sodalite, nepheline, neptunite, lamprophyllite, pectolite, serandite, eudialyte, ussingite, chkalovite and zeolites.<ref name=Handbook/> It has been reported from Minas Gerais, Brazil; Mont Saint-Hilaire, Quebec, Canada; the Ilimaussaq complex of Greenland; Lake Magadi, Kenya; Windhoek District, Namibia; the Fen Complex, Telemark, Norway; the Khibiny and Lovozero Massifs, Kola Peninsula, Russia; Porphyry Mountain, Boulder County, Colorado and Point of Rocks Mesa, Colfax County, New Mexico, US.<ref name=Mindat/>

It was first described in 1908 for an occurrence in Los Islands, Guinea and named after the French explorer, Maxime Villiaume.<ref name=Mindat/>

See also

References

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