# Clintonite

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> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Clintonite.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clintonite
> Source revision: 1331298001
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{{Short description|Phyllosilicate mineral in the brittle mica group}}
{{distinguish|text=a political supporter of [Bill Clinton](/source/Bill_Clinton), [Hillary Clinton](/source/Hillary_Clinton), or [Clintonism](/source/Clintonism)}}
{{infobox mineral
| name    = Clintonite
| category = [Phyllosilicate](/source/Phyllosilicate) minerals
| group = [Mica](/source/Mica) group, brittle mica group
| image       = Clintonite-Spinel-235093.jpg
| imagesize   = 
| alt         = 
| caption     = Clintonite with spinel on orthoclase matrix from Amity, New York (size: 9.3 × 5.7 × 3.8 cm)
| formula     = {{chem|Ca|(Mg|,Al)|3|(Al|3|Si)|O|10|(OH)|2}}
| IMAsymbol=Cln<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Warr|first=L.N.|date=2021|title=IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols|journal=Mineralogical Magazine|volume=85|issue=3|pages=291–320|doi=10.1180/mgm.2021.43|bibcode=2021MinM...85..291W|s2cid=235729616|doi-access=free}}</ref>
| molweight   = 
| strunz      = 
| dana        = 
| system      = [Monoclinic](/source/Monoclinic)
| class       = Prismatic (2/m) <br/>or domatic (m)
| symmetry    = ''C2/m'' or (?)
| unit cell   = a = 5.204&nbsp;Å, <br/>b = 9.026&nbsp;Å, <br/>c = 9.812&nbsp;Å; <br/>β = 100.35°; Z&nbsp;=&nbsp;2
| color       = Colorless, yellow, orange, red-brown, brown, green
| colour      = 
| habit       = Tabular pseudohexagonal crystals; foliated or lamellar radiated; massive
| twinning    = Spiral polysynthetic twinning
| cleavage    = Perfect on {001}
| fracture    = 
| tenacity    = Brittle
| mohs        = 3.5 on {001}, 6 at angle to {001}
| luster      = Vitreous, pearly, submetallic
| streak      = White, slightly yellow-gray
| diaphaneity = Transparent to translucent
| gravity     = 3.0–3.1
| density     = 
| polish      = 
| opticalprop = Biaxial (−)
| refractive  = n<sub>α</sub> = 1.643 – 1.648 n<sub>β</sub> = 1.655 – 1.662 n<sub>γ</sub> = 1.655 – 1.663
| birefringence = δ = 0.012 – 0.015
| pleochroism = X = colorless, pale orange, red-brown; Y = Z = pale brownish yellow, pale green
| 2V          = Measured: 2° to 40°
| dispersion  = 
| extinction  = 
| length fast/slow =
| fluorescence = 
| absorption  = 
| melt        = 
| fusibility  = 
| diagnostic  = 
| solubility  = 
| impurities  = 
| alteration  = 
| other       = 
| references  = <ref>[https://www.mineralienatlas.de/lexikon/index.php/MineralData?mineral=Clintonite Mineralienatlas]</ref><ref name=Webmin>[http://webmineral.com/data/Clintonite.shtml Webmineral]</ref><ref name=Mindat>[http://www.mindat.org/min-1088.html Mindat with location data]</ref><ref name=HBM>[http://rruff.geo.arizona.edu/doclib/hom/clintonite.pdf Handbook of Mineralogy]</ref>
}}
'''Clintonite''' is a [calcium](/source/calcium) [magnesium](/source/magnesium) [aluminium](/source/aluminium) [phyllosilicate](/source/phyllosilicate) mineral. It is a member of the [margarite](/source/margarite) group of [mica](/source/mica)s and the subgroup often referred to as the "brittle" micas. Clintonite has the [chemical formula](/source/chemical_formula) {{chem|Ca|(Mg|,Al)|3|(Al|3|Si)|O|10|(OH)|2}}. Like other micas and [chlorite](/source/Chlorite_group)s, clintonite is [monoclinic](/source/monoclinic) in crystal form and has a perfect basal [cleavage](/source/Cleavage_(crystal)) parallel to the flat surface of the plates or scales. The [Mohs hardness](/source/Mohs_hardness) of clintonite is 6.5, and the [specific gravity](/source/specific_gravity) is 3.0 to 3.1. It occurs as variably colored, colorless, green, yellow, red, to reddish-brown masses and radial clusters.

The brittle micas differ chemically from the micas in containing less [silica](/source/silica) and no [alkali](/source/alkali)s, and from the chlorites in containing much less water; in many respects, they are intermediate between the micas and chlorites.<ref>{{EB1911|inline=y|wstitle=Clintonite|volume=6|page=530|first=Leonard James|last=Spencer|author-link=Leonard James Spencer}}</ref> Clintonite and its [iron](/source/iron)-rich variety [xanthophyllite](/source/xanthophyllite) are sometimes considered the calcium analogues of the [phlogopite](/source/phlogopite)s.<ref>{{cite journal|author=Alietti, Elisa|display-authors=etal|title=Clintonite-1M: Crystal chemistry and its relationships to closely associated Al-rich phlogopite|journal=American Mineralogist|volume=82|pages=936–945|year=1997|issue=9–10 |url=http://www.minsocam.org/MSA/AmMin/TOC/Articles_Free/1997/Alietti_p936-945_97.pdf|doi=10.2138/am-1997-9-1011|bibcode=1997AmMin..82..936A }}</ref>

Typical formation environment is in [serpentinized](/source/Serpentinite) [dolomitic](/source/Dolomite_(mineral)) [limestone](/source/limestone) and [contact metamorphosed](/source/Contact_metamorphism) [skarn](/source/skarn)s. It occurs with [talc](/source/talc), [spinel](/source/spinel), [grossular](/source/grossular), [vesuvianite](/source/vesuvianite), [clinopyroxene](/source/clinopyroxene), [monticellite](/source/monticellite), [chondrodite](/source/chondrodite), [phlogopite](/source/phlogopite), chlorite, [quartz](/source/quartz), [calcite](/source/calcite) and [dolomite](/source/Dolomite_(mineral)).<ref name=HBM/>

Clintonite was first described in 1843 for an occurrence in [Orange County, New York](/source/Orange_County%2C_New_York). It was named for [De Witt Clinton](/source/De_Witt_Clinton) (1769–1828).<ref name=Mindat/>

==See also==
*[List of minerals](/source/List_of_minerals)
*[List of minerals named after people](/source/List_of_minerals_named_after_people)

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Phyllosilicates}}

Category:Magnesium minerals
Category:Calcium minerals
Category:Aluminium minerals
Category:Monoclinic minerals
Category:Minerals in space group 12
Category:Brittle mica group

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Clintonite](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clintonite) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clintonite?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.