Drew's Hornblende Site
     
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HORNBLENDE
Hornblende is not the prettiest or most valuble mineral but there is much to say about it. Its colors range from dark green to black. It has few uses alone and is not worth very much, but the materials that it contains are very useful in many industries. Hornblende is very interesting. Hornblende is actually a name given to multiple minerals that are very hard to tell apart by simple and regular tests. It is a member of the monoclinic crystal system. The word hornblende was originated by the german words horn and blende. You will learn a lot about this special mineral while navigating through this site.

LOCATIONS OF HORNBLENDE
Hornblende is most commonly located and mined in Sweden as crystals. It is also located in Bancroft, Ontario; Norway; Bohemia; Mt. Vesuvius, Italy and New York, USA. There are a few more locations that are not mentioned that hornblende is found in as well. These however are the best places to find it. (maps located on photo page)

Chemical Formula and Mineral Composition Group
Hornblende's chemical formula is Ca2(Mg,Fe,Al)5(OH)2[(Si,Al)4O11]2 this means that it contains and is made up of Calcium Sodium Magnesium Iron Aluminum Silicate and Hydroxide
.
Its mineral composition group is silicates. Silicates are the largest and most interesting and complicated group. 30% of all minerals fall into this group. Some scientist have estimated that nearly 90% of all of the earths crust is in the silicates category. They are made up of oxygen and silicon and are very abundant.

Uses of Hornblende
Hornblende is used for few things. It is mostly used for simply specimen purposes, yet it contains the two very useful materials, aluminum and iron.

Aluminum is used for many things which include buildings and structures, many transportation vehicles, packaging, and electrical equipment.

Iron is used for many things as well. It is one of the three magnetic metals. A large majority of iron is made into steel for construction uses such as manhole covers.