Mineral Factbook

Diopside

CaMgSi2O6IMA symbol: Diapproved

Diopside is a silicate mineral with the formula CaMgSi2O6, crystallizing in the monoclinic system. It has a calculated density of 3.308 g/cm3. Its streak is white.

Photos

Diopside specimen photo
Francesco Bini · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
Diopside specimen photo
Galuskin, E.V.; Galuskina, I.O.; Kusz, J.; Książek, M.; Vapnik, Y.; Zieliński, G. · CC BY 4.0 · Commons
Diopside specimen photo
Shannon Heinle · CC0 · Commons
Diopside specimen photo
Tiia Monto · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Commons

Crystallography

Crystal systemmonoclinic crystal systemWikidata (CC0)
Space groupC 1 2/c 1
Cell (Å, °)a = 9.6912, b = 8.8986, c = 5.2531; α = 90, β = 105.99, γ = 90
Cell volume435.49 ų, Z = 4
Axial ratios1.0891:1:0.5903calculated from COD 9004022
Source structureCOD 9004022 (American Mineralogist, 2006) — 1 of 121 structures

Powder X-ray diffraction (calculated)

2θ (degrees, Cu Kα1)I/I₀ (max 100)
d (Å)2.9832.5252.5062.8822.9323.217
I/I₀10041.641.63726.824.2

xrd-v1: CuKa1 1.5406A, 2theta 5-90, top10, Imax=100, no DW/PO. Computed from COD 9004022; idealized occupancies, no preferred orientation.

Physical properties

Density (calculated)3.308 g/cm³calculated from COD 9004022
Streak
whitesingle sourceWikidata (CC0)

Chemistry (calculated)

Molecular weight216.55 g/molcalculated from the IMA formula
Composition (wt%)Ca 18.51%, Mg 11.22%, Si 25.94%, O 44.33%

Classification

Nickel-Strunz (10th)9.DA.15Wikidata (CC0)
Nickel-Strunz (9th)9.DA.15Wikidata (CC0)
Dana (8th)65.1.3a.1Wikidata (CC0)