Broegger (1893) recognized that some minerals that show crystal form are, nevertheless, structurally amorphous but have attained this state in a different manner than glasses or rigid gels. He wrote: “For this third class of amorphous substances there is proposed the name metamict (from μ∈ταμιγννμ, mix otherwise, that is by a molecular rearrangement to another structure than the original crystalline) amorphous substance. The reason for the amorphous rearrangement of the molecules might perhaps be sought in the lesser stability which so complicated a crystal molecule as that of these minerals must have in the presence of outside influences.”
Properties
Many of the features of metamict minerals had been recognized earlier; some were not recognized till a later date. The more significant features are:
Optically isotropic—Many metamict substances are heterogeneous, being partly isotropic and partly anisotropic.
Pyrognomic, i.e., readily becoming incandescent on heating—In this regard there...
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Broegger, W. C., 1893. Amorf: Salmonsens Store Illustrerede Konversationslexicon, 1, Copenhagen, 742–743.
Faessler, A., 1942. Untersuchungen zum Problem des metamikten Zustandes, Zeitsch. Krist., 104, 81–113.
Goldschmidt, V. M., 1924. Über die Umwandlung krystallisierter Minerale in den metamikten Zustand (Isotropisierung), Norsk. Ak. Skr., ser. I, 1(5), 51–58.
Holland, H. D., and Gottfried, D., 1955. The effect of nuclear radiation on the structure of zircon, Acta Crystallogr., 8, 291–300.
Kurath, Sheldon F., 1957. Storage of energy in metamict minerals, Am. Mineralogist, 42, 91–99.
Mitchell, Richard S., 1973. Metamict minerals: A review. Pt. I, Chemical and physical characteristics, occurrence. Pt. II, Origin of metamictization, methods of analysis, miscellaneous topics, Mineral. Rec., 4, 177–182, 214–223
Pellas, P.:, 1954. Sur la formation de l'état métamicte dans le zircon, Bull. Soc. Fr. Mineral. Cristallogr., 77, 447–460.
Vegard, L., 1916. Results of crystal analysis, Philos. Mag., 32, 65–96.
Cross-references
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1981 Hutchinson Ross Publishing Company
About this entry
Cite this entry
Pabst, A. (1981). Metamict state . In: Mineralogy. Encyclopedia of Earth Science. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/0-387-30720-6_73
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/0-387-30720-6_73
Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA
Print ISBN: 978-0-87933-184-9
Online ISBN: 978-0-387-30720-6
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive