Tremolite is a member of the amphibole group of minerals. The fibrous form of tremolite is one of the six recognized types of asbestos. This material is toxic and inhaling the fibers can lead to asbestosis and lung cancer both pleural and peritoneal mesothelioma. Fibrous tremolite is sometimes found as a contaminant in vermiculite, chrysotile, and talc. Tremolite was first described in 1789 for an occurrence in Campolungo, Piumogna Valley, Leventina, Ticino (Tessin), Switzerland. Even though fibrous tremolite is considered a hazard to living beings, approximately 36,500 tonnes of tremolite asbestos are mined annually in India. It is otherwise only found as a contaminant with other minerals.

Within the metaphysical realm of minerals, tremolite is one of the high vibration crystals, and resonates with a powerful energy. Its energy is felt within the highest chakras... and is particularly noticeable at both the third eye and crown chakra. Its energy is known to help the believer to open new pathways in the brain, allowing them to access the morphic field of knowledge. The believer may progress up from the crown chakras into the transpersonal chakras, where they will be enabled to access information available in the spiritual realms.

Please note that MIROFOSS does not suggest in any way that minerals should be used in place of proper medical and psychological care. This information is provided here as a reference only.

Tremolite was historically used in a variety of commercial and industrial products because of its ability to insulate and fireproof materials. However, due to the health issues created by various asbestos minerals, tremolite is now seldomly used.

Tremolite can be found as a result of contact metamorphism of Ca-Mg siliceous sediments, regional greenschist metamorphism of ultramafic rocks or magnesium carbonate rocks.

Tremolite forms a series with actinolite and ferro-actinolite. Pure magnesium tremolite is creamy white, but the colour grades to dark green with increasing iron content. Tremolite is an indicator of metamorphic grade since at high temperatures it converts to diopside.

Other than in the basic mineral form, tremolite can be found in two distinct varieties:

Chrome-Tremolite

Hexagonite

Cleavage	Perfect, Distinct
Colour(s)	Colourless, Brown, Gray, White, Light green
Specific Gravity	3.05
Diaphaneity	Transparent to Translucent
Fracture	Sub Conchoidal - Fractures developed in the brittle materials characterized by semi-curving surfaces
Mohs Hardness	5.0 to 6.0
Luminescence	Fluorescent, Short UV - yellow, Long UV - pink
Luster	Vitreous to Pearly
Streak	White
Habit(s)	Columnar to Massive fibrous to Massive granular
Radioactivity	Non-radioactive
Magnetism	Non-magnetic

The following health hazards should be noted when handling tremolite:

BIOHAZARD Tremolite can cause asbestosis, lung cancer, and both pleural and peritoneal mesothelioma.

The following image shows the Elemental breakdown of the mineral tremolite along with the mineral crystal structure.

Crystal System	Monoclinic
Class	Prismatic
Axial Ratios	a : b : c = 0.5449 : 1 : 0.2923
Morphology	Elongated, stout prismatic, bladed crystals
Optical Data Type	Biaxial (-)
Pleochroism (x)	Colourless
Pleochroism (y)	Colourless
RL Values	nα = 1.599 - 1.612 nβ = 1.613 - 1.626 nγ = 1.625 - 1.637
2V	Measured: 88° to 80°, Calculated: 82° to 84°
Max Birefringence	δ = 0.026 (See colour chart at right)
Surface Relief	Moderate
Dispersion	Weak r < v

Tremolite can be referenced in certain current and historical texts under the following seven names:

Abhazite	Abkhazite	Calamite	Grammatite
Peponite	Raphilite	Sebesite

The mineral tremolite can be translated into the following select languages:

Arabic	الترموليت	Bulgarian	тремолита	Chinese (Sim)	透闪石
Croatian	tremolit	Czech	Tremolit	Danish	Tremoliet
Dutch	tremoliet	Esperanto		Estonian	tremoliiti
Finnish	Tremoliitti	French	Trémolite	German	Tremolith
Greek	τρεμολίτης	Hebrew	טרמוליט	Hungarian	tremolit
Italian		Japanese	透閃石	Korean	트레
Latin		Lithuanian	tremolitas	Norwegian
Persian	ترمولیت	Polish	Tremolit	Portuguese	tremolita
Romanian	tremolit	Russian	Тремолит	Slovak	Tremolit
Spanish	Tremolita	Swedish	tremolit	Tagalog
Turkish	tremolitlere	Ukrainian	тремоліт	Vietnamese

The MIROFOSS database offers free printable geological identification tags for personal and non-profit use. These tags can be used to properly identify mineral samples in your collection. -Click here- to download a full size jpeg image for a tremolite identification tag; which can be printed on paper or used with a plastic laser printer.

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Chemical Composition	Hawthorne, F.C. and Grundy, H.D. (1976) The crystal chemistry of the amphiboles; IV, X-ray and neutron refinements of the crystal structure of tremolite. Canadian Mineralogist: 14: 334-345.
Crystallography	Hawthorne, F.C., Della Ventura, G., and Robert, J.-L. (1996) Short-range order of (Na,K) and Al in tremolite: An infrared study. American Mineralogist: 81: 782-784.
Crystallography	Ishida, K. Hawthorne, F.C., and Ando, Y. (2002) Fine structure of infrared OH-stretching bands in natural and heat-treated amphiboles of the tremolite-ferroactinolite series. American Mineralogist: 87: 891-898.
History	Hawthorne, F. C. and Oberti, R. (2006): On the classification of amphiboles. Canadian Mineralogist 44, 1-21.
Geograpcial Data	Mindat.org. Retrieved on 2012-04-26
Physical Identification	Webmineral.com. Retrieved on 2012-04-26.
Nover 28, 2013	The last time this page was updated
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