Moissanite

Moissanite
Moissanite
General
Category	Mineral species
Formula; (repeating unit)	SiC
IMA symbol	Moi
Strunz classification	1.DA.05
Crystal system	6H polytype, most common: hexagonal
Crystal class	6H polytype: dihexagonal pyramidal (6mm) ; H-M symbol: (6mm)
Space group	6H polytype: P63mc
Identification
Color	Colorless, green, yellow
Crystal habit	Generally found as inclusions in other minerals
Cleavage	(0001) indistinct
Fracture	Conchoidal – fractures developed in brittle materials characterized by smoothly curving surfaces, e.g., quartz
Mohs scale hardness	9.25
Luster	Adamantine to metallic
Streak	Greenish gray
Diaphaneity	Transparent
Specific gravity	3.218–3.22
Refractive index	nω = 2.654 nε = 2.967
Birefringence	0.313 (6H form)
Dispersion	0.104
Ultraviolet fluorescence	Orange-red
Melting point	2730 °C (decomposes)
Solubility	None
Other characteristics	Not radioactive, non-magnetic
References

Moissanite (/ˈmɔɪsəˌnaɪt/)^[5] is naturally occurring silicon carbide and its various crystalline polymorphs. It has the chemical formula SiC and is a rare mineral, discovered by the French chemist Henri Moissan in 1893. Silicon carbide or moissanite is useful for commercial and industrial applications due to its hardness, optical properties and thermal conductivity.

^ Warr, L.N. (2021). "IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols". Mineralogical Magazine. 85 (3): 291–320. Bibcode:2021MinM...85..291W. doi:10.1180/mgm.2021.43. S2CID 235729616.
^ Moissanite. Webmineral
^ Moissanite. Mindat
^ Anthony, John W.; Bideaux, Richard A.; Bladh, Kenneth W. and Nichols, Monte C. (eds.) "Moissanite" Archived 2016-03-03 at the Wayback Machine. Handbook of Mineralogy. Mineralogical Society of America
^ "Moissanite". Oxford English Dictionary (Online ed.). Oxford University Press. (Subscription or participating institution membership required.)