والانتینیت

Also known as exitèle, exitele

Valentinite is an antimony oxide mineral with formula Sb2O3. Valentinite crystallizes in the orthorhombic system and typically forms as radiating clusters of euhedral crystals or as fibrous masses. It is colorless to white with occasional shades or tints of yellow and red. It has a Mohs hardness of 2.5 to 3 and a specific gravity of 5.76. Valentinite occurs as a weathering product of stibnite and other antimony minerals. It is dimorphous with the isometric antimony oxide senarmontite.

Key facts

Mineral.name: Valentinite
Mineral.image: Valentinite-205948.jpg
Mineral.caption: A sample of valentinite from Algeria (size: 6.9 x 4.4 x 3.3 cm)
Mineral.category: Oxide minerals
Mineral.formula: Sb2O3
Mineral.IMAsymbol: Vln
Mineral.strunz: 4.CB.55
Mineral.system: Orthorhombic
Mineral.class: Dipyramidal (mmm) H-M symbol: (2/m 2/m 2/m)
Mineral.symmetry: Pccn
Mineral.unit cell: a = 4.91 Å, b = 12.46 Å c = 5.42 Å; Z = 4
Mineral.color: Colorless, snow-white, pale yellow, pink, gray to brownish
Mineral.habit: Prismatic crystals, sometimes flattened, fan-shaped or stellate aggregates of crystals; lamellar, columnar, granular, massive.
Mineral.cleavage: {110}, perfect; {010}, imperfect
Mineral.tenacity: Brittle
Mineral.mohs: 2.5–3
Mineral.luster: Adamantine, pearly on cleavages
Mineral.streak: White