Clinozoisite is a complex

calcium Calcium is a chemical element with the symbol Ca and atomic number 20. As an alkaline earth metal, calcium is a reactive metal that forms a dark oxide-nitride layer when exposed to air. Its physical and chemical properties are most similar ...

aluminium Aluminium (aluminum in American and Canadian English) is a chemical element with the symbol Al and atomic number 13. Aluminium has a density lower than those of other common metals, at approximately one third that of steel. It has ...

sorosilicate mineral with formula: Ca₂Al₃(Si₂O₇)(SiO₄)O(OH). It forms a continuous solid solution series with epidote by substitution of iron(III) in the aluminium (m3 site) and is also called ''aluminium epidote''. Clinothulite is a manganese bearing variety with a pinkish hue due to substitution of Mn(III) in the aluminium site. It was originally discovered in 1896 in East Tyrol,

Austria Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous c ...

, and is so-named because of its resemblance to

zoisite Zoisite, first known as saualpite, after its type locality, is a calcium aluminium hydroxy sorosilicate belonging to the epidote group of minerals. Its chemical formula is Ca2 Al3( Si O4)(Si2O7)O(O H). Zoisite occurs as prismatic, orthorhomb ...

and its mono''clinic'' crystal structure. It occurs in rocks which have undergone low to medium grade regional metamorphism and in

contact metamorphism Metamorphism is the transformation of existing rock (the protolith) to rock with a different mineral composition or texture. Metamorphism takes place at temperatures in excess of , and often also at elevated pressure or in the presence of ch ...

of high calcium sedimentary rocks. It also occurs in

saussurite Saussurite is a mineral aggregate which is formed as a hydrothermal alteration product of plagioclase feldspar.. It appears very similar to zoisite with a green or grayish-green color, it has been used as a substitute or simulant for jade. Saussur ...

alteration of plagioclase. Jadeite bearing pyroxene minerals have suggested Clinozoisite and

paragonite Paragonite is a mineral, related to muscovite. Its empirical formula is . A wide solvus separates muscovite from paragonite, such that there is little solid solution along the vector Na+ K+ and apparent micas of intermediate composition is most c ...

are associated and derived from lawsonite releasing Quartz and water via the following reaction: 4CaAl2Si2O8(H2O)2 + NaAlSi2O6 <=> 2Ca2Al3Si3O12(OH) + NaAl3Si3O10(OH)2 + SiO2 + 6H2O

References

*Nesse, William D., "Introduction to Mineralogy," (c)2000 Oxford University Press Sorosilicates Epidote group Calcium minerals Aluminium minerals Monoclinic minerals Minerals in space group 11 {{silicate-mineral-stub