What is "ferrierite"

n. (context mineral English) Any of a group of orthorhombic zeolite minerals.

The ferrierite group of zeolite minerals (the FER structure) consists of three very similar species: ferrierite- Mg, ferrierite- Na, and ferrierite- K, based on the dominant cation in the A location. Ferrierites are orthorhombic minerals with highly variable cationic composition, (Na,K)Mg(Si,Al)O(OH)·9HO. Calcium and other ions are often also present. They are found in vitreous to pearly, often radiating, spherical aggregates of thin blade-shaped transparent to translucent crystals.

Ferrierite typically occurs as an alteration mineral in basaltic rocks and in tuffaceous sediments. In North America, it is found at Kamloops Lake, BC, Canada (the original type locality) and Leavitt Lake, California. Ferrierite was named for Canadian geologist and mining engineer Walter Frederick Ferrier (1865–1950).