Actinolite (calcium magnesium iron silicate)
Color: light to medium green.
Moh’s hardness: 5-6
Refractive index: 1.61
Critical angle: 38°
Specific gravity: 3.03-3.07
Cleavage: Perfect, two directions, cleaves
very easily.
Fracture: Uneven
Dispersion: Weak
Heat sensitivity: Low
Pleochroism: Dichroic. Light to medium green.
Birefringence (double refraction): medium
(.026)
Crystal structure: Monoclinic
Cutting: Cut with an extra fine lap.
Sharp
corners tend to fray. C axis cuts slower and smoother than A/B axis.
Polishing: Alumina on tin or tin/lead at
slow speed.
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