Zirkelite is an oxide mineral with the chemical formula (Ca,Th,Ce)Zr(Ti,Nb)2O7. It occurs as well-formed fine sized isometric crystals. It is a black, brown or yellow mineral with a hardness of 5.5 and a specific gravity of 4.7.
Zirkelite | |
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General | |
Category | Oxide mineral |
Formula (repeating unit) | (Ti,Ca,Zr)O(2−x) |
IMA symbol | Zke[1] |
Strunz classification | 4.DL.05 |
Crystal system | Isometric |
Crystal class | Hexoctahedral (m3m) H-M symbol: (4/m 3 2/m) |
Unit cell | a = 5.02 Å, Z = 4 |
Identification | |
Color | Black, reddish brown |
Crystal habit | Crystalline, metamict, pseudocubic |
Cleavage | None |
Fracture | Brittle |
Luster | Resinous |
Streak | Brownish grey |
Diaphaneity | Subtranslucent to opaque[2] |
Density | 4.7 |
Other characteristics | Radioactive |
Name and discovery
editZirkelite was first discovered in Brazil in 1895. It was named for German petrographer Ferdinand Zirkel (1838–1912).
Occurrence
editInitial discovery was from the Jacupiranga carbonatite, Sao Paulo, Brazil. It is also found in Canada, Kazakhstan, Norway, Russia, South Africa, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Warr, L.N. (2021). "IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols". Mineralogical Magazine. 85 (3): 291–320. Bibcode:2021MinM...85..291W. doi:10.1180/mgm.2021.43. S2CID 235729616.
- ^ "Zirkelite Mineral Data".