earth science

Xonotlite

Xonotlite is a earth science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Xonotlite rather than just read about it. In short: Xonotlite, or eakleite, is a mineral of general formula Ca6Si6O17(OH)2 named by the German mineralogist Karl Friedrich August Rammelsberg in 1866. The name originates from its discovery locality, Tetela de Xonotla, Puebla, Mexico.

Key takeaways

Xonotlite belongs to earth science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Xonotlite to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Xonotlite from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Xonotlite, or eakleite, is a mineral of general formula Ca6Si6O17(OH)2 named by the German mineralogist Karl Friedrich August Rammelsberg in 1866. The name originates from its discovery locality, Tetela de Xonotla, Puebla, Mexico. Although it was discovered in 1866, it was first described by Taylor in 1959. It is approved by the IMA, but it is a grandfathered species, meaning the name represents a valid species til this day.

Properties Xonotlite is an inosilicate with double dreier chains, of which several polytypes are known. The known polytypes are Ma2bc, Ma2b2c and M2a2bc. It is a calcium silicate hydrate (CSH) mineral related to the tobermorite group. It can be colorless, gray, light gray, lemon white, or pink. It is transparent with a vitreous to silky luster. It leaves a white streak. Xonotlite is rated 6.5 on the Mohs scale of hardness. It crystallizes in the monoclinic – prismatic crystal system, with typically an acicular crystal form or habit, meaning it occurs as needle-like crystals. It is massive, meaning individual crystals are hard to tell apart as they form large masses. It mainly consists of oxygen (42.52%), calcium (33.63%) and silicon (23.57%), and includes hydrogen (0.28%), the four main elements present in calcium silicate hydrates. It is a luminescent mineral; under short ultraviolet light, it has a weak gray-white fluorescence, and under long UV, it is weak white. It is not a magnetic mineral and is not radioactive.

Environment and mining

Xonotlite occurs as veins in serpentinite and contact metamorphism aureoles. Associated minerals include apophyllite, diopside, stilbite, tobermorite, clinohedrite, thaumasite, laumontite and wollastonite. The most common impurities include iron, magnesium and carbon dioxyde (CO2) impurities. It has many type localities, the most notable one being Tetela de Ocampo, Mexico.

See also Gyrolite – Rare phyllosilicate mineral crystallizing in small spheres Tacharanite – Calcium aluminium silicate hydrate mineral Tobermorite – Inosilicate alteration mineral in metamorphosed limestone and in skarn

References

Further reading Taylor, H. F. W. (June 1959). "The transformation of tobermorite into xonotlite". Mineralogical Magazine and Journal of the Mineralogical Society. 32 (245): 110–116. Bibcode:1959MinM...32..110T. doi:10.1180/minmag.1959.32.245.03. eISSN 2515-821X. ISSN 0369-0148.

External links

Webmineral data Mineral Data Publishing Archived 2010-06-28 at the Wayback Machine Mindat with location data

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Xonotlite

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Xonotlite claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In earth science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Xonotlite before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Xonotlite ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Xonotlite

In research: Xonotlite appears in earth science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Xonotlite in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Xonotlite is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Calcium minerals, Cement, Hydrate minerals, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Xonotlite outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Xonotlite in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Xonotlite means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Xonotlite out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Xonotlite in simple terms?

Why does Xonotlite matter?

Because it connects several earth science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Xonotlite?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Xonotlite.