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Dolomite (Photo) [abbr. Dol ]

Year of discovery: 1791 (World), 1891 (Japan)

Locality list: 559 localities of dolomite

• CaMg(CO₃)₂
• [Ca²⁺][Mg²⁺][(CO₃)₂]^4-

• Class: Dolomite group
• Class: Carbonate
• Variety: Protodolomite
• Soluble in: hot HCl (with bubbles), warm HNO₃ (with bubbles), warm H₂SO₄ (with bubbles)
• Insoluble in: cold HCl
• Fluorescence: UV excitation (Blue-Yellow, Some examples), Phosphorescence (Bluish white), Triboluminescence
• Substitution pseudomorph: Replace Calcite, Aragonite, Baryte, Fluorite, or Cerussite.
• Incrustation pseudomorph: Replaced by Vauquelinite.

• Ca => Mg: Magnesite

• Mg => Fe: Ankerite
• Mg => Mn: Kutnohorite
• Mg => Zn: Minrecordite

• Color: Colorless, White
• Tarnish: Pale brown (Fe-bearing dolomite)
• Streak: White
• Luster: Vitreous
• Diaphaneity: Transparent-Translucent

• Habit: Rhombohedral

• Cleavage: Perfect on {1011} (3 planes)
• Hardness: 3.5-4
• Density: 2.9

• System: Trigonal
• Group: (-3), R(-3)
• Lattice: a=4.8, c=16.0

Etymology: Deodat Dolomieu, French mineralogist