Gaidonnayite

gaidonnayite

hilairite

catapleiite

benitoite

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Formula: Na2ZrSi3O9.2H2O
Cyclosilicate (ring silicate), gaidonnayite group, orthorhombic paramorph of monoclinic catapleiite
Crystal System: Orthorhombic
Specific gravity: 2.67 measured, 2.70 calculated
Hardness: 5
Streak: White
Colour: Colourless, may be pale yellow, pale brown to brown, pale grey, grey-green.
Solubility: Gelatises in acids Dana
Common impurities: Ti,Nb,Ca,K
Environments:

Pegmatites

Gaidonnayite occurs in altered pegmatites and miarolitic cavites in nepheline syenite (Webmin).

At the type locality, the Poudrette quarry, Mont Saint-Hilaire, Montérégie, Québec, Canada, gaidonnayite occurs in altered pegmatite dikes in an intrusive alkaline gabbro-syenite complex, and rarely in miarolytic cavities in nepheline syenite and breccia cavities; also in an igneous sill in limestone (Dana, HOM). Associated minerals include siderite, analcime, hilairite, aegirine, calcite, albite, catapleiite, zircon, pyrochlore, ancylite and burbankite (HOM).

At the Kipawa syenite complex, Temiscamingue county, Quebec, Canada, gaidonnayite occurs in eudialyte-rich pegmatite lenses as a late-stage alteration product of vlasovite (Dana), associated with vlasovite, gittinsite and apophyllite (HOM).

At Narssarssuk, Greenland, Denmark, gaidonnayite occurs in a vein of aegirine syenite (Dana), associated with natrolite, aegirine, albite and siderite (HOM, Dana).

At Bronnebukta, Norway, gaidonnayite occurs in a nepheline syenite pegmatite (Dana).

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