The composition of sillimanite is Al[AlSiO5], and it crystallizes in an orthorhombic crystal system. The crystals are acicular, usually in the form of radiating fibrous aggregates. The colour is grey, brown or greyish green. It has a vitreous or silky lustre and uneven fractures. Its specific gravity is 3.23–3.25, and its Mohs hardness is 7. Sillimanite is a standard mineral of metamorphic rocks and is common in intrusive rocks, contact metamorphic zones with aluminium-rich rocks, and crystalline schist and gneiss.
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(2020). Sillimanite. In: Chen, A., Ng, Y., Zhang, E., Tian, M. (eds) Dictionary of Geotourism. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-2538-0_2252
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-2538-0_2252
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