Wollastonite : a versatile industrial mineral

Members of the Engineering Geology and Ground Water Branches, U.S. Geological Survey

doi:10.3133/fs00201

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Wollastonite : a versatile industrial mineral

Members of the Engineering Geology and Ground Water Branches, U.S. Geological Survey

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Abstract

Wollastonite is a chemically simple mineral named in honor of English mineralogist and chemist Sir W.H. Wollaston (1766–1828). It is composed of calcium (Ca) and silicon and oxygen (SiO2, silica) with the chemical formula CaSiO3. Although much wollastonite is relatively pure CaSiO3, it can contain some iron, magnesium, manganese, aluminum, potassium, sodium, or strontium substituting for calcium in the mineral structure. Pure wollastonite is bright white; the type and amount of impurities can produce gray, cream, brown, palegreen, or red colors.

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Members of the Engineering Geology and Ground Water Branches, U.S. Geological Survey. 2001. Wollastonite : a versatile industrial mineral. https://doi.org/10.3133/fs00201

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