Field book of common rocks and minerals : $b for identifying the rocks and minerals of the United States and interpreting their origins and meaningsLoomis, Frederic Brewster
Science
Field book of common rocks and minerals : $b for identifying the rocks and minerals of the United States and interpreting their origins and meanings
Loomis, Frederic Brewster
Minerals -- United States; Rocks -- United States
Pyrolusite occurs in soft masses and incrustations, usually leaving a
sooty mark on the fingers. Sometimes it seems to be in crystals, but
these are pseudomorphs which have the form of manganite, from which the
pyrolusite has formed as a result of the water having been driven from
the manganite. Frequently pyromorphite and manganite will be found
together, and in some cases the outer part of a mass or crystal will be
pyrolusite, while the center is still manganite. Psilomelane is another
oxide of manganese with water and may appear very like pyrolusite, but
both manganite and psilomelane have much greater hardness than does
pyrolusite. If there is difficulty in deciding about pyrolusite, it may
be placed in a closed tube and heated. It will not be affected by the
heat, while, under the same circumstances, both manganite and
psilomelane will give off water vapor.
Pyrolusite usually occurs in black streaks or pockets in residual clays
which have formed as a result of the decomposition of limestones. It may
also occur in dendritic forms in seams and crevices (see manganite). It
is found in Vermont, Massachusetts, Virginia, Arkansas, Colorado,
California, etc.
Psilomelane
MnO₂·H₂O
Occurs in compact botryoidal or stalactitic masses; hardness 5-6;
specific gravity 4.2; color black; streak brownish-black; luster
metallic; opaque on thin edges.
Psilomelane is very like pyrolusite, and often occurs with it. It is
distinguished by its greater hardness, and the fact, that when heated in
a closed tube, it gives off water vapor. From manganite it is more
easily distinguished, for it never occurs in crystals, while the
manganite is usually crystalline. This and pyrolusite are the principal
ores of manganese.
Wad is an impure form of psilomelane, having some iron oxide mixed with
the manganese oxide, usually limonite; or the impurity may take the form
of a copper, cobalt, lithium or barium oxide.
Psilomelane is found at Brandon, Vt., in Arkansas, Colorado, California,
etc.
Manganite
Mn₂O₃·H₂O
Pl. 22
Occurs in prismatic crystals, or in columnar or fibrous masses; hardness
4; specific gravity 4.4; color steel gray; streak reddish-black; luster
submetallic; opaque on thin edges.
This is the form taken by manganese oxide when it crystallizes in the
presence of moisture, and pyrolusite frequently changes to manganite
when exposed to moisture. The crystals are orthorhombic prisms, with
striated sides and the ends truncated. These prisms usually occur in
bundles and give the mineral a fibrous appearance. Manganite is not hard
to identify, the striations on the crystals and the streak being very
characteristic.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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