What is Hornblende?
Hornblende: Large Group of Dark-Coloured Minerals
Hornblende is a common name for a group of minerals within the amphibole family.
These minerals, which are typically dark-coloured, are difficult to distinguish from each other without detailed chemical analysis. For this reason, they're known collectively as hornblende.
Amphiboles are a larger group of minerals known for their prismatic or needle-like crystals. They’re commonly found in metamorphic and igneous rocks.
While hornblende is a subgroup of amphiboles, not all amphiboles are hornblende. The name ‘hornblende’ is used for minerals in the amphibole group with a similar appearance and characteristics but whose chemical composition can vary.
The crystal structure of amphiboles can include a wide range of chemical elements, including hydrogen, oxygen, sodium, potassium, magnesium, aluminium, silicon, calcium, manganese, and iron.
The minerals in the hornblende group don’t have any real use in industry and are mainly valued as mineral specimens.
