Melilite



Melilite refers to a mineral of the melilite group. Minerals of the group are solid solutions of several endmembers, the most important of which are gehlenite and åkermanite. A generalized formula for common melilite is (Ca,Na)2(Al,Mg,Fe)[(Al,Si)SiO7]. Discovered in 1793 near Rome, it has a yellowish, greenish brown color. The name derives from the Greek words meli (μέλι) "honey" and lithos (λίθους) "stone".