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Euxenite



Euxenite
CategoryOxide mineral
Chemical formula(Y,Ca,Ce,U,Th)(Nb,Ta,Ti)2O6
Identification
ColorBlack, brownish black,greenish black
Crystal habitMassive, anhedral crystals in matrix
Crystal systemOrthorhombic
TwinningCommon on [201]
CleavageNone
FractureConchoidal to subconchoidal
Mohs Scale hardness5.5 to 6.5
LusterBrilliant submetallic, waxy to resinous on fractures
Refractive indexn = 2.06 - 2.24
Optical PropertiesIsotropic
StreakYellowish, grayish, or reddish brown
Specific gravity4.7 to 5
DiaphaneityOpaque, translucent on thin edges
Other CharacteristicsMetamict - originally crystalline, now amorphous due to radiation damage. Radioactive
References[1][2][3]

Euxenite or euxenite-Y is a brownish black mineral with a metallic luster. It contains calcium, niobium, tantalum, cerium, titanium, yttrium, and typically uranium and thorium, with some other metals. The chemical formula is: (Y,Ca,Ce,U,Th)(Nb,Ta,Ti)2O6. It occurs in granite pegmatites and detrital black sands.[1] It is commonly partially amorphous due to radiation damage.

It was first described in 1870 and named for From the Greek (εΰζευος), hospitable or friendly to strangers, in allusion to the many rare elements that it contains.[3][2]

It is found in many locations worldwide, notably its type locality in Jolster, Sondfjord, Norway.[2] Other locations include include the Ural Mountains of Russia; Sweden; Minas Gerais, Brazil; Ampangabe, Madagascar; Ontario, Canada; and in Arizona, Wyoming and Colorado in the U. S. A.[4]

Euxenite is used as an ore of the rare earth elements it contains. Rare large crystals have also been used in jewelry.[4]

References

  1. ^ a b http://rruff.geo.arizona.edu/doclib/hom/euxenitey.pdf Minderal Handbook
  2. ^ a b c http://webmineral.com/data/Euxenite-(Y).shtml Webmineral data
  3. ^ a b http://www.mindat.org/min-1425.html Mindat
 
This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Euxenite". A list of authors is available in Wikipedia.
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