| Id | 97 |
| Identification Type | Mineral |
| Name | Siderite |
| Distinguishing Features | |
| Description | Transparent pale green to orange-brown. Nonpleochroic. High-order birefringence. Moderate relief.
Form is somewhat diverse, due to varying means of formation. Common forms are elongate laths with squared off ends and parallel sides (easily distinguished from rice grain shaped aragonite and more rhombic calcite), twinned "bowtie" shapes of multiple laths, or granular rounded euhedra. Requiring reduced iron, siderite, FeCO3, usually forms deep in the water column, when anoxic bottom waters mix with carbonate-rich surface waters, or diagenetically. Massive amounts of siderite may be precipitated rapidly, and may or may not be cemented with siderite or other phases. |
| Tags | carbonate green brown |
| External Resources | Siderite on MinDat |
| Imposters |
Rhodochrosite
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| Images |
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