analcime

mineral

Also known as: analcite

Written and fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Article History

Also called:: analcite

Related Topics:: feldspathoid

See all related content

analcime, common feldspathoid mineral, a hydrated sodium aluminosilicate (NaAlSi₂O₆·H₂O) that occurs in seams and cavities in basalt, diabase, granite, or gneiss and in extensive beds thought to have formed by precipitation from alkaline lakes. Analcime is found in Trentino, Italy; New Zealand; and Wyoming and Utah in the United States. Although a feldspathoid, analcime is closely related to the zeolite minerals with which it is sometimes classed. Its name is derived from the Greek analkis, “weak,” which refers to the weak electrical charge generated by heating or rubbing it. For detailed physical properties, see feldspathoid (table).

This article was most recently revised and updated by Amy Tikkanen.