THE MINERAL TINAKSITE

Chemistry: K2Na(CaMn++)2(TiFe)Si6O17(OH)2, Potasium Sodium Calcium Manganese Titanium Iron Oxide Silicate Hydroxide.
Class: Silicates
Subclass: Inosilicates
Uses: Only as a mineral specimen.
Specimens

Tinaksite is named for some of the minerals in its composition (Titanium, Sodium, Potasium, Silicon).

Tinaksite is most commonly found as salmon colored fibrous aggregates in charoite specimens. It is often chatoyant, resulting in a very pretty specimen against the purple charoite.

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS:

Color is pink, pale yellow or light brown.
Transparency: Specimens are transparent to translucent.
Luster: Vitreous.
Crystal System is triclinic.
Crystal Habit is fibrous or slender prisms (prismatic).
Hardness is 6.
Specific Gravity is 2.82 (average).
Streak is white.
Notable Occurrences are Murun, Siberia, Russia.
Best Field Indicators are locality, color, crystal habit and associations.