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low tridymite

mineral
Also known as: alpha-tridymite, low-tridymite

Quick Summary

Low tridymite is a mineral form of silica (SiO2) that is stable at temperatures between 870° and 1,470° C. It is one of three modifications of tridymite, alongside high-tridymite and middle-tridymite. Tridymite itself is a polymorph of silica, meaning it shares the same chemical composition as other silica minerals like quartz and cristobalite but has a different crystal structure.123

Tridymite typically forms thin, hexagonal plates, often twinned. It is commonly found in igneous rocks, such as trachytes, and can also be present in meteorites. Tridymite is a silicate mineral, a large group of silicon-oxygen compounds that are abundant in Earth's crust and upper mantle.145

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