Minerals & Gemstone 480x104
wpdiamonds.com



Advertising Information

Buergerite Crystals on Matrix

The Mineral buergerite




Buergerite is a rare member of the Tourmaline group. It was first discovered in 1966, and its locality was subsequently forgotten until the noted Mexican mineral collector Dr. Miguel Romero hired two exploration geologists to search and find the deposit. Subsequent finds have yielded very little material, and good specimens of this rare form of Tourmaline remain difficult to obtain. Buergerite is named in honor of Martin J. Buerger (1903-1986), a prominent mineralogist and professor of mineralogy at Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Chemical Formula NaFe2+3Al6(BO3)3Si6O18O3F
Composition Sodium iron iron aluminum fluoro-boro-silicate
Color Bronze-like dark yellowish brown to nearly black.
Streak White
Hardness 7 - 7.5
Crystal System Hexagonal
3D Crystal Atlas
(Click for animated model) 
Crystal Forms
and Aggregates
Crystals are usually three sided prisms, and are usually short and stubby, though elongated crystals exist as well. Terminations can be both simple and complex, and growth layers are often present. Occurs in columnar aggregates and as dense agglomerated prisms.
Transparency Translucent to opaque.
Specific Gravity 3.3
Luster Vitreous, submetallic, greasy
Cleavage 3,2
Fracture Conchoidal to uneven
Tenacity Brittle
In Group Silicates; Cyclosilicates; Tourmaline Group
Striking Features Crystal habits, color, and locality.
Environment In igneous rhyolite deposits.
Rock Type Igneous
Popularity (1-4) 3
Prevalence (1-3) 3
Demand (1-3) 2


Buergerite AUCTIONS
OTHER NAMES
Fluor-buergerite Fluor-buergerite is the IMA-recognized name of Buergerite since 2011. The renaming was due to recent analysis of fluorine present in the chemical structure of this mineral at the type locality. Most collectors still refer to this mineral as Buergerite, and have not adopted the new, lengthier name.



USES
Buergerite, being a very rare form of Tourmaline, is an expensive and cherished collectors mineral.

NOTEWORTHY LOCALITIES
The type locality of this mineral where all collectible specimens have come from is Mexquitic, in San Luis Potosí, Mexico. The chemical makeup of Buergerite suggests that it should be more globally distributed, and although subsequent localities have since been discovered, they have not produced any collectible specimens of interest.

COMMON MINERAL ASSOCIATIONS
Opal, Biotite, Feldspars

DISTINGUISHING SIMILAR MINERALS
Dravite - Does not occur in igneous rhyolite environments.


buergerite PHOTOS
 
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
 
DISCUSSIONView Forum | Post to Forum
Have a question about Buergerite? Visit our Q&A Community and ask the experts!
PAGE SPONSOR  

To sponsor this page, click here.

Let us know how we can update this page
(Click for more details)
We strive for accurate content and locality information. If you feel any of the content is incorrect, or if you feel we are missing vital locality information, please fill out the form below so we can update the site. If you are requesting a locality be added, please only include significant locality occurences for the mineral.