Tremolite,

Tremolite is a common amphibole, a typical constituent of metamorphosed marbles, but it can also
be found in several other environments. It typically occurs as white fibrous masses, although well
formed crystals can be found.

The Crystal Structure of tremolite

The structure of tremolite are based on the double chains of SiO4 tetrahedra, similar to the other
amphiboles, please see Introduction to amphiboles article for further details. The chemical formula
of tremolite is Ca2Mg5Si8O22(OH)2 and the idealized structure are shown in figure 1.

Tremolite is traditionally considered part of a tremolite-actinolite-ferro-actinolite series. The series is

distinguished on the Mg/(Mg+Fe2+ ) ratio; 1Tremolite 0.9 actinolite 0.5 ferro-actinolite. Fluor
may replace the (OH) groups and fluor dominant tremolites have been known for several decades,
but was just recently (2016) approved as a separate mineral.

B= Ca

C = Mg5

W = OH A=

B=Ca

Figure 1: Tremolite structure viewed perpendicular to the double chain showing the ideal content of each site: A = vacant (
dotted circle), B = Ca ( green circles), C= Mg5 ( blue circles), SiO4 tetrahedra ( grey triangles) and W=OH ( red circles).
 H

100
210
010

H
Figure 2: Idealized tremolite crystals.
Tremolite, when occuring in crystals,
typically forms slender, flattened six sided
prisms

Ca 57 Deg

Figure 3: The amphibole I-Beam structure along the C-axix show the relative position of the double chains to each other.
The dotted line show the cleavage angles of the amphiboles. The red lines show the idealized breakingline in relation to the
I beams. Illustration after Zussmann (1978) THE CRYSTAL STRUCTURES OF AMPHIBOLE AND SERPENTINE MINERALS.
National Bureau of Standards Special Publication 506. Proceedings of the Workshop on Asbestos.

Physical Properties of tremolite

Tremolite is most frequently whitish, beige or light brownish. It may however also be various shades
of green, from greenish white to an intense chrome green. It can also be brown, also dark brown to
almost black, as well as any shade from pink to lavender to lilac.
Tremolite normally occurs as fibrous aggregates and fans, sometimes in the form of hairlike
aggregates and even as asbestos. It can occasionally form individual crystals. Tremolites cleavage
are the typical amphibole cleavage in to direction (57 and 123), but this can be difficult to observe
in fibrous aggregates. Its fracture across the cleavage is uneven.
Individual crystals have a glassy lustre, whereas more fibrous aggregates may have a silky or even
dull lustre. Its hardness is 5-6, but may appear lower due to the fibrous nature of many aggregates.
Its streak is white and its density is 2.99-3.03 SG.

Similar Minerals to tremolite

The amphiboles are distinguished from the pyroxenes on the angles between the cleavage planes.
Tremolite can often be visually identified due to its light color and occurrence in dolomite marbles.

In ore mineralization and ultramafic rocks. It can be mistaken for cummingtonite or anthophyllite,
but tremolite can easily be distinguished from these minerals with EDS.

It can be difficult to separate green tremolite from actinolite without a reliable quantitative analysis
since Fe colors both minerals. Many dark colored tremolites, in particular when occurring in slightly
unusual environments, are often erroneously named as a more exotic amphibole.
Applications of tremolite
Tremolite is an important constituent in the jade variety nephrite, which has been an important gem
and ornamental stone for thousands of years.
Tremolite asbestos has been used in asbestos products, and in some places, such as around Kabul,
Afghanistan, naturally occurring tremolite asbestos contaminate the soil and lead to asbestos
related diseases.

Naming and Discovery of tremolite

Tremolite was named after Val Tremola in Switzerland by Johann Georg Albrecht Hpfner in 1789.
Tremolite does however not occur in Val Tremola, and it is believed that Hpfners material
originated from Campolungo, Tessin, Switzerland, which is considered the type locality. Hpfner
also published a chemical analysis performed by Henri Struve, and one of Struves tremolite
specimens are still held by Muse Cantonal de Gologie in Lausanne, Switzerland.
Hpfner was however not the first to describe this mineral from Campolungo. The Italian professor
Ermenegildo Pini described the geology of this area in several publications in the 1780-ties, and
described a mineral corresponding to the physical appearance of tremolite as scerlo bianco ( i.e white
schorl).
The first recorded locality is however Sebeu de Jos, Transsylvania, Romania. Johann Ehrenreich von
Fichtel described Sulenspath and Sternspath from there in 1782, both corresponding to tremolite in
todays nomenclature.

Historical and varietal names

As for any mineral known since the late 18th century, tremolite has been given many different
names. These has partly been misidentifications, partly published as competing names and partly as
varieties.
Other varieties include chrome-tremolite which is a tremolite with a vivid green color, due to a small
content of Chrome and/or Vanadium.
Fluoro-tremolite is often used as a name for Fluor bearing tremolites. This practice should be
abandoned, as fluoro-tremolite is a valid mineral since 2016, and it requires a Fluor content of more
than 1 apfu.
Hexagonite is a name commonly used for lilac, pink or lavender tremolite. The color is due to trace
amounts of trivalent Manganese.

Origin/geologic environment
Tremolite is a very common mineral in metamorphosed carbonate rocks, in particular dolomites
where it may be the only silicate mineral. It is also common in metamorphosed argilluous carbonates
where tremolite occurs with flogopite and talc. In these environments, tremolite may also form
pseudomorphs after diopside.

Tremolite is also common in metasomatically altered mafic and ultra-mafic rocks, often associated
with talc, actinolite and carbonates, and may be found in Mg-rich skarns.
Occurences of tremolite
There are numerous occurrences of tremolite world-wide. As tremolite predominantly occurs in
metamorphic rocks it can be found over large areas and many similar localities in regionally
metamorphosed rocks. The listed localities are included to show examples of tremolite in form and
color as well as geological environments

The zoisite var tanzanite locality at Merelani, Tanzania also contains the arguably best tremolite
crystals in the world. Tremolite can form transparent, well developed stubby prismatic crystals up to
several cm long. The crystals may have perfect end terminations and have a vivid green color caused
by traces ( ~0.3%) of Vanadium. Attractive combo-specimens with deep blue tanzanite and green
tremolite are known. The tremolite is found in calc-silicate boudins within kyanite-graphite gneiss
horizons enclosed in a garnet sillimanite gneiss, but near the contact with dolomites. The tremolites
contain significant amounts of Al ( some analyses corresponds to magnesio-hornblende), thus
indicating a higher temperature of formation (~800 deg C) than the tanzanite (~600 deg C)

Tremolite is a common mineral in the Grenvillian Upper Marble Formation in St. Lawrence County in
New Jersey, USA. The tremolite, alongside talc, anthofyllite and serpentine has been formed by
metamorphic reactions between the marble and quartzite. Colorless and white tremolite are
predominantly found directly in the marble and large subhedral crystals to more than 50cm long and
15 cm thick can be found. Terminated, well-formed crystals rarely exceeds 10cm. Tremolite var.
hexagonite is found in nearly mono-mineralic zones between the massive talc ore and
hanging wall dolomite, and the individual crystals are normally less than 1cm, but individual crystals
exceeding 10 cm are known.

The caledonides in the Northern part of Norway carry several horizons of dolomite marble. Many of
these hosts tremolite, and the shores of Store Akersvatn, Nordland, Norway is a good example in
this respect. In the dolomitic marble, crystals of white/mauve? tremolite can be found as individual
needles or stellate aggregates. The individual needles can reach lengths up to 50cm, but is rarely
longer than 10-15 cm. The locality is also interesting because of tremolite pseudomorphs after large
(10 cm+) diopside crystals.