# Stichtite

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Hydrotalcite group mineral

Stichtite Stichtite on serpentine, Dundas, Tasmania General Category Carbonate minerals Formula Mg6Cr2CO3(OH)16·4H2O IMA symbol Stt[1] Strunz classification 5.DA.50 Crystal system Trigonal Crystal class Hexagonal scalenohedral (3m) H-M symbol: (3 2/m) Space group R3m Unit cell a = 6.19, c = 46.47 [Å]; Z = 3 Identification Colour Lilac to rose-pink Crystal habit Fibrous to platy aggregates Cleavage Perfect on {0001} Tenacity flexible, not elastic Mohs scale hardness 1.5–2 Lustre Waxy to resinous Streak Very pale lilac to white Diaphaneity Transparent Specific gravity 2.16 Optical properties Uniaxial (+) Refractive index nω = 1.516 nε = 1.542 Birefringence δ = 0.026 Pleochroism Weak; O = dark rose-pink to lilac E = light rose-pink to lilac References [2][3][4]

**Stichtite** is a mineral, a [carbonate](/source/Carbonate_mineral) of [chromium](/source/Chromium) and [magnesium](/source/Magnesium); formula Mg6Cr2[C](/source/Carbon)[O](/source/Oxygen)3(O[H](/source/Hydrogen))16·4[H2O](/source/Water). Its colour ranges from pink through lilac to a rich purple colour. It is formed as an alteration product of [chromite](/source/Chromite)-containing [serpentine](/source/Serpentine_group). It occurs in association with [barbertonite](/source/Barbertonite) (the [hexagonal](/source/Hexagonal_crystal_system) [polymorph](/source/Polymorphism_(materials_science)) of Mg6Cr2CO3(OH)16·4H2O), chromite and [antigorite](/source/Antigorite).[2]

Discovered in 1910 on the west coast of [Tasmania](/source/Tasmania), [Australia](/source/Australia), it was first recognised by A.S. Wesley a former chief chemist with the [Mount Lyell Mining and Railway Company](/source/Mount_Lyell_Mining_and_Railway_Company), it was named after [Robert Carl Sticht](/source/Robert_Carl_Sticht) the manager of the mine.[5]

It is observed in combination with green serpentine at Stichtite Hill near the Dundas Extended Mine, [Dundas](/source/Dundas%2C_Tasmania) – east of [Zeehan](/source/Zeehan%2C_Tasmania), as well as on the southern shore of [Macquarie Harbour](/source/Macquarie_Harbour). It is exhibited in the West Coast Pioneers Museum in Zeehan. The only commercial mine for stichtite serpentine is located on Stichtite Hill[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*]. Stichtite has also been reported from the [Barberton District](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Barberton_District&action=edit&redlink=1), [Transvaal](/source/Transvaal_Province); Darwendale, [Zimbabwe](/source/Zimbabwe); near [Bou Azzer](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bou_Azzer&action=edit&redlink=1), [Morocco](/source/Morocco); [Cunningsburgh](/source/Cunningsburgh), the [Shetland Islands](/source/Shetland_Islands) of [Scotland](/source/Scotland); [Langban](/source/Langban), [Varmland](/source/Varmland), [Sweden](/source/Sweden); the [Altai Mountains](/source/Altai_Mountains), [Russia](/source/Russia); [Langmuir Township](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Langmuir_Township&action=edit&redlink=1), [Ontario](/source/Ontario) and the [Megantic, Quebec](/source/Megantic%2C_Quebec); [Bahia, Brazil](/source/Bahia%2C_Brazil); and the [Keonjhar district](/source/Keonjhar_district), [Orissa, India](/source/Orissa%2C_India).[2]

It is sometimes used as a gemstone.[6]

		- Stichtite on serpentine, New Amianthus Mine, [Transvaal](/source/Transvaal_Province) South Africa

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** Warr, L.N. (2021). ["IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols"](https://doi.org/10.1180%2Fmgm.2021.43). *Mineralogical Magazine*. **85** (3): 291–320. [Bibcode](/source/Bibcode_(identifier)):[2021MinM...85..291W](https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2021MinM...85..291W). [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1180/mgm.2021.43](https://doi.org/10.1180%2Fmgm.2021.43). [S2CID](/source/S2CID_(identifier)) [235729616](https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:235729616).

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-HBM_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-HBM_2-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-HBM_2-2) [Stichtite data in the Handbook of Mineralogy](http://rruff.info/doclib/hom/stichtite.pdf)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Mindat_3-0)** [Stichtite on Mindat.org](http://www.mindat.org/min-3784.html)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Webmin_4-0)** [Stichtite data on Webmineral.com](http://webmineral.com/data/Stichtite.shtml#.U590bfldXfI)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** Tasmania Department of Mines, Geological Survey Record Number 9 *Catalogue of the Minerals of Tasmania*. Revised edition 1970, page 96

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["Stichtite gemstone information"](https://www.gemdat.org/gem-3784.html).

## External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to [Stichtite](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Stichtite).

- [http://www.asap.unimelb.edu.au/bsparcs/biogs/P002619b.htm](http://www.asap.unimelb.edu.au/bsparcs/biogs/P002619b.htm) Sticht, Robert Carl – Bright Sparcs Biographical entry

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