Evenkite
| Evenkite | |
|---|---|
| General | |
| Category | Organic mineral |
| Formula | C24H50 |
| IMA symbol | Evk |
| Strunz classification | 10.BA.50 |
| Crystal system | Orthorhombic |
| Crystal class | Dipyramidal (mmm) H-M symbol: (2/m 2/m 2/m) |
| Space group | Pbcm |
| Unit cell | a = 7.47, b = 4.98, c = 65.85 [Å]; Z = 4 |
| Identification | |
| Color | Colorless or pale yellow |
| Crystal habit | Tabular pseudohexagonal crystals, granular, disseminated |
| Twinning | Polysynthetic |
| Cleavage | {001} Perfect |
| Mohs scale hardness | 1 |
| Luster | Waxy |
| Diaphaneity | Transparent |
| Specific gravity | 0.87 |
| Optical properties | Biaxial (+) |
| Refractive index | nα = 1.504 nβ = 1.504 nγ = 1.553 |
| Birefringence | δ = 0.049 |
| References | |
Evenkite is a rare hydrocarbon mineral with formula C24H50; specifically, H3C–(CH2)22–CH3, the alkane n-tetracosane. It occurs as very soft (Mohs hardness 1) transparent crystals, colorless to yellow, with a waxy luster. The softness is a characteristic of crystalline long-chain alkanes, which are the main constituents of paraffin wax.
Evenkite one of very few minerals that consist of crystalline hydrocarbons, which include carpathite (pure crystalline coronene, a polyaromatic hydrocarbon). It is also one of the few non-porous minerals that floats on water. It has been claimed to be the same as hatchettite.