Zabuyelite

Zabuyelite
Zabuyelite crystals found in spodumene
General
Category	Carbonate mineral
Formula (repeating unit)	Li2CO3
IMA symbol	Zab[1]
Strunz classification	5.AA.05
Crystal system	Monoclinic
Crystal class	Prismatic (2/m) (same H-M symbol)
Space group	C2/c
Identification
Formula mass	73.89 g/mol
Color	Colorless
Cleavage	{100} perfect; {011} good
Tenacity	Brittle
Mohs scale hardness	3
Streak	White
Specific gravity	2.09
Optical properties	Biaxial (–)
Refractive index	nα = 1.4285, nβ = 1.5672, nγ = 1.5743
Birefringence	δ = 0.1458
Pleochroism	none
2V angle	25°
References	[2][3][4]

Zabuyelite is the natural mineral form of lithium carbonate, with a formula Li₂CO₃. It was discovered in 1987 at Lake Zabuye, Tibet, after which it is named. It forms colorless vitreous monoclinic crystals.

It occurs as inclusions within halite in lithium rich evaporites and as solid phase in fluid inclusions in the mineral spodumene. Associated minerals include halite, gaylussite and northupite in the Tibet locality.^[4]

In addition to the Tibetan salt lake it has been reported from Bikita and Kamativi in Zimbabwe, from Kings Mountain, Cleveland County, North Carolina, US and the Tanco pegmatite, Bernic Lake, Manitoba, Canada.^[4]