Jadarite

Jadarite
Jadarite on display at the Natural History Center in Svilajnac, Serbia
General
Category	Nesosilicate
Formula (repeating unit)	LiNaSiB3O7OH
Strunz classification	9.AJ.40
Crystal system	Monoclinic
Crystal class	Prismatic (2/m) (same H-M symbol)
Space group	P21/n
Unit cell	a = 6.816(2), b = 13.789(2) c = 6.758(2) [Å]; β = 111.08(2)°; Z = 4
Identification
Formula mass	219.46 g/mol
Color	White
Crystal habit	As microscopic anhedral grains
Fracture	Irregular to conchoidal
Tenacity	Brittle
Mohs scale hardness	4 - 5
Luster	Dull
Streak	White
Diaphaneity	Translucent to opaque
Specific gravity	2.45
Optical properties	Biaxial
Ultraviolet fluorescence	Weak pink to orange under UV
References

Jadarite is a white, earthy monoclinic silicate mineral, whose chemical formula is: LiNaSiB₃O₇(OH) or Na₂OLi₂O(SiO₂)₂(B₂O₃)₃H₂O.

It was discovered in November 2006, in drill core from the Jadar Valley (Serbian Cyrillic: Јадар, Jadar) in Serbia, from which it is named. It was confirmed as a new mineral after scientists at the Natural History Museum in London and the National Research Council of Canada conducted tests on it. Exploration geologists from Rio Tinto Exploration discovered the mineral as small rounded nodules in drill core, and after being unable to match it with previously known minerals enlisted the expertise of Chris Stanley, from the Natural History Museum, who later described it as being unique to mineralogy.

Jadarite's chemical formula is very close to the formula ("sodium lithium boron silicate hydroxide with fluorine") invented for the fictional substance kryptonite in the 2006 film Superman Returns. This coincidence attracted mass-media attention, and jadarite was covered by ABC, BBC, CNN, Washington Post, and Yahoo, among others.