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Zircon

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Gilgit, Gilgit District, Gilgit-Baltistan (Northern Areas), Pakistan
© Joseph A. Freilich

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Formula:
ZrSiO
 
4
System:TetragonalColour:Colourless, yellow, ...
Lustre:Adamantine, Vitreous, GreasyHardness:7½
Member of:Zircon Group
Name:From the Arabic (and, in turn, from the Persian "azargun") "zar", gold, plus "gun", coloured, referring to one of the many colors that the mineral may display.
Dimorph of:Reidite
Isostructural with:Chernovite-(Y), Hafnon, Thorite, Wakefieldite-(Y), Xenotime-(Y)


Zircon Group. The zirconium analogue of Thorite and Hafnon. Zircon-Hafnon Series. The low-pressure dimorph of Reidite.

Zircon, zirconium orthosilicate, is found in most igneous rocks and some metamorphic rocks as small crystals or grains, mostly widely distributed and rarely more than 1% of the total mass of the rock. It is also found as alluvial grains in some sedimentary rocks due to its high hardness. Zircon has a high refraction index and, when the crystals are large enough, is often used as a gemstone.

Classification of Zircon

IMA status:Valid - first described prior to 1959 (pre-IMA) - "Grandfathered"
Strunz 8th edition ID:8/A.09-10
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:9.AD.30

9 : SILICATES (Germanates)
A : Nesosilicates
D : Nesosilicates without additional anions; cations in [6] and/or greater coordination
Dana 8th edition ID:51.5.2.1

51 : NESOSILICATES Insular SiO4 Groups Only
5 : Insular SiO4 Groups Only with cations in >[6] coordination
Hey's CIM Ref.:14.10.1

14 : Silicates not Containing Aluminum
10 : Silicates of Zr or Hf
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Occurrences of Zircon

Geological Setting:An accessory mineral in igneous and metamorphic rocks.

Physical Properties of Zircon

Lustre:Adamantine, Vitreous, Greasy
Diaphaneity (Transparency):Transparent, Translucent, Opaque
Comment:Greasy when metamict.
Colour:Colourless, yellow, grey, reddish-brown, green, brown, black
Streak:White
Hardness (Mohs):7½
Tenacity:Brittle
Cleavage:Poor/Indistinct
Indistinct on {110}{111}
Fracture:Conchoidal
Density (measured):4.6 - 4.7 g/cm3
Density (calculated):4.714 g/cm3

Crystallography of Zircon

Crystal System:Tetragonal
Class (H-M):4/mmm (4/m 2/m 2/m) - Ditetragonal Dipyramidal
Space Group:I41/amd {I41/a 2/m 2/d}
Cell Parameters:a = 6.607(1) Å, c = 5.982(1) Å
Ratio:a:c = 1 : 0.905
Unit Cell Volume:V 261.13 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:4
Morphology:Tabular to square prismatic crystals.
Twinning:On {101}
Comment:May be metamict
Crystal Atlas:
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Zircon no.9 - Goldschmidt (1913-1926)
Zircon no.24 - Goldschmidt (1913-1926)
Zircon no.66 - Goldschmidt (1913-1926)
Zircon no.81 - Goldschmidt (1913-1926)
Zircon no.97 - Goldschmidt (1913-1926)
Zircon no.133 - Goldschmidt (1913-1926)
Zircon no.137 - Goldschmidt (1913-1926)
Zircon - {100}, {301}, {101}

About Crystal Atlas

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The mindat.org Crystal Atlas allows you to view a selection of crystal drawings of real and idealised crystal forms for this mineral and, in certain cases, 3d rotating crystal objects. You need Java to see these. You can download Java for free - click here to download Java

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Structure
  Reference
Hazen R M Finger L W (1979) Crystal structure and compressibility of zircon at high pressure crystal No. 1, 1 atm - before P. American Mineralogist 64:196-201.

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More Crystal Structures
Click here to view more crystal structures at the American Mineralogist Crystal Structure Database
X-Ray Powder Diffraction:
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Radiation - Copper Kα
Data Set:
Horizontal Axis: ° to ° Vertical Axis: % Source Data: Filtered Data:
Data courtesy of RRUFF project at University of Arizona, used with permission.
X-Ray Powder Diffraction:
d-spacingIntensity
4.434 (45)
3.302 (100)
2.518 (45)
2.066 (20)
1.908 (14)
1.712 (40)
1.651 (14)

Optical Data of Zircon

Type:Uniaxial (+)
RI values: nω = 1.925 - 1.961 nε = 1.980 - 2.015
Maximum Birefringence:δ = 0.055

Chart shows birefringence interference colour range (at 30µm thickness) and does not take into account mineral colouration.
Surface Relief:Very High
Dispersion:Very strong
Pleochroism:Weak

Chemical Properties of Zircon

Formula:
ZrSiO
 
4
Essential elements:O, Si, Zr
All elements listed in formula:O, Si, Zr
Common Impurities:Hf,Th,U,TR,O,H,H2O,Fe,Al,P

Relationship of Zircon to other Species

Series:Forms a series with Hafnon (see here)
Member of:Zircon Group
Other Members of Group:

- +
Hafnon
HfSiO
 
4
Stetindite
Ce
4+
 
SiO
 
4
Thorite
(Th,U)SiO
 
4
Thorogummite
(Th,U)(SiO
 
4
)
 
1-x
(OH)
 
4x
Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):

- +
9.AD.05Larnite
Ca
 
2
SiO
 
4
9.AD.10Calcio-Olivine
Ca
 
2
SiO
 
4
9.AD.15Merwinite
Ca
 
3
Mg(SiO
 
4
)
 
2
9.AD.20Bredigite
Ca
 
7
Mg(SiO
 
4
)
 
4
9.AD.25Andradite
Ca
 
3
Fe
3+
2
(SiO
 
4
)
 
3
9.AD.25Almandine
Fe
2+
3
Al
 
2
(SiO
 
4
)
 
3
9.AD.25Calderite
(Mn
2+
 
,Ca)
 
3
(Fe
3+
 
,Al)
 
2
(SiO
 
4
)
 
3
9.AD.25Goldmanite
Ca
 
3
V
3+
2
(SiO
 
4
)
 
3
9.AD.25Grossular
Ca
 
3
Al
 
2
(SiO
 
4
)
 
3
9.AD.25Henritermierite
Ca
 
3
(Mn
3+
 
,Al)
 
2
(SiO
 
4
)
 
2
(OH)
 
4
9.AD.25Hibschite
Ca
 
3
Al
 
2
(SiO
 
4
)
 
3-x
(OH)
 
4x
9.AD.25Hydroandradite
Ca
 
3
Fe
3+
2
(SiO
 
4
)
 
3-x
(OH)
 
4x
9.AD.25Katoite
Ca
 
3
Al
 
2
(SiO
 
4
)
 
3-x
(OH)
 
4x
9.AD.25Kimzeyite
Ca
 
3
(Zr,Ti)
 
2
((Si,Al,Fe
3+
 
)O
 
4
)
 
3
9.AD.25Knorringite
Mg
 
3
Cr
 
2
(SiO
 
4
)
 
3
9.AD.25Majorite
Mg
 
3
(Fe
2+
 
,Si,Al)
 
2
(SiO
 
4
)
 
3
9.AD.25Morimotoite
Ca
 
3
(Ti,Fe
2+
 
,Fe
3+
 
)
 
2
((Si,Fe
3+
 
)O
 
4
)
 
3
9.AD.25Pyrope
Mg
 
3
Al
 
2
(SiO
 
4
)
 
3
9.AD.25Schorlomite
Ca
 
3
(Ti,Fe
3+
 
)
 
2
((Si,Fe
3+
 
)O
 
4
)
 
3
9.AD.25Spessartine
Mn
2+
3
Al
 
2
(SiO
 
4
)
 
3
9.AD.25Uvarovite
Ca
 
3
Cr
 
2
(SiO
 
4
)
 
3
9.AD.25Wadalite
(Ca,Mg)
 
6
(Al,Fe
3+
 
)
 
4
((Si,Al)O
 
4
)
 
3
O
 
4
Cl
 
3
9.AD.25Holtstamite
Ca
 
3
(Al,Mn
3+
 
)
 
2
(SiO
 
4
)
 
2
(OH)
 
4
9.AD.25Kerimasite
Ca
 
3
Zr
 
2
(SiO
 
4
)(Fe
3+
 
O
 
4
)
 
2
9.AD.25Toturite
Ca
 
3
Sn
 
2
(SiO
 
4
)(Fe
3+
 
O
 
4
)
 
2
9.AD.25Momoiite
(Mn
2+
 
,Ca)
 
3
V
3+
2
(SiO
 
4
)
 
3
9.AD.30Coffinite
(U
4+
 
,Th)(SiO
 
4
)
 
1-x
(OH)
 
4x
9.AD.30Hafnon
HfSiO
 
4
9.AD.30Thorite
(Th,U)SiO
 
4
9.AD.30Thorogummite
(Th,U)(SiO
 
4
)
 
1-x
(OH)
 
4x
9.AD.30Stetindite
Ce
4+
 
SiO
 
4
9.AD.35Huttonite
ThSiO
 
4
9.AD.35Tombarthite-(Y)
Y
 
4
(Si,H
 
4
)
 
4
O
 
12-x
(OH)
 
4+2x
9.AD.40Eulytine
Bi
 
4
(SiO
 
4
)
 
3
9.AD.45Reidite
ZrSiO
 
4
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:

- +
14.10.2Hafnon
HfSiO
 
4
14.10.3Zektzerite
LiNa(Zr,Ti,Hf)Si
 
6
O
 
15
14.10.4Parakeldyshite
Na
 
2
ZrSi
 
2
O
 
7
14.10.5Vlasovite
Na
 
2
ZrSi
 
4
O
 
11
14.10.6Keldyshite
(Na,H)
 
2
ZrSi
 
2
O
 
7
14.10.7Gaidonnayite
Na
 
2
Zr(Si
 
3
O
 
9
) · 2H
 
2
O
14.10.8Terskite
Na
 
4
ZrSi
 
6
O
 
16
 · 2H
 
2
O
14.10.9Elpidite
Na
 
2
ZrSi
 
6
O
 
15
 · 3H
 
2
O
14.10.10Hilairite
Na
 
2
Zr[SiO
 
3
]
 
3
 · 3H
 
2
O
14.10.11Petarasite
Na
 
5
Zr
 
2
(Si
 
6
O
 
18
)(Cl,OH) · 2H
 
2
O
14.10.12Khibinskite
K
 
2
ZrSi
 
2
O
 
7
14.10.13Wadeite
K
 
2
Zr(Si
 
3
O
 
9
)
14.10.14Dalyite
K
 
2
ZrSi
 
6
O
 
15
14.10.15Kostylevite
K
 
2
Zr(Si
 
3
O
 
9
) · H
 
2
O
14.10.16Umbite
K
 
2
(Zr,Ti)Si
 
3
O
 
9
 · H
 
2
O
14.10.17Paraumbite
K
 
3
Zr
 
2
H(Si
 
3
O
 
9
)
 
2
 · nH
 
2
O
14.10.18Georgechaoite
NaKZr[Si
 
3
O
 
9
] · 2H
 
2
O
14.10.19Gittinsite
CaZrSi
 
2
O
 
7
14.10.20Calciocatapleiite
CaZr(Si
 
3
O
 
9
) · 2H
 
2
O
14.10.21Calciohilairite
CaZr[SiO
 
3
]
 
3
 · 3H
 
2
O
14.10.22Armstrongite
CaZr[Si
 
6
O
 
15
] · 3H
 
2
O
14.10.23Lemoynite
(Na,K)
 
2
CaZr
 
2
Si
 
10
O
 
26
 · 5H
 
2
O
14.10.24Catapleiite
Na
 
2
Zr(Si
 
3
O
 
9
) · 2H
 
2
O
14.10.25Baghdadite
Ca
 
3
(Zr,Ti)(Si
 
2
O
 
7
)O
 
2
14.10.26Lovozerite
Na
 
2
CaZr(H
 
4
Si
 
6
O
 
18
) · H
 
2
O
14.10.27Låvenite
(Na,Ca)
 
2
(Mn
2+
 
,Fe
2+
 
)(Zr,Ti)(Si
 
2
O
 
7
)(O,OH,F)
 
2
14.10.28Penkvilksite
Na
 
4
Ti
 
2
Si
 
8
O
 
22
 · 4H
 
2
O
14.10.29Darapiosite
KNa
 
2
(Zn,Li)
 
3
(Mn,Zr)
 
2
[Si
 
12
O
 
30
]
14.10.30Bazirite
BaZr(Si
 
3
O
 
9
)
14.10.31Komkovite
BaZr[Si
 
3
O
 
9
] · 3H
 
2
O
14.10.32Zirsinalite
Na
 
6
(Ca,Mn
2+
 
,Fe
2+
 
)Zr(Si
 
6
O
 
18
)
14.10.33Tranquillityite
(Fe
2+
 
,Ca)
 
8
(Zr,Y)
 
2
Ti
 
3
(SiO
 
4
)
 
3
O
 
4

Other Names for Zircon

Synonyms:
AzoriteCirconeLyncuriteMeta-Zircon (of Leitz)Oesterdite
OstraniteTachyaphaltiteTurmaliZirconite
Other Languages:
Basque:Zirkoi
Bulgarian:Циркон
Catalan:Zircó
Croatian:Cirkon
Czech:Zirkon
Dutch:Zirkoon
Esperanto:Zirkono
Finnish:Zirkoni
French:Zircon
Açorite
Jargon de Ceylan
German:Zirkon
Azorit
Oesterdit
Örstedit
Örstettit
Ostranit
Polykrasilith
Zirkonit
Hebrew:זירקון
Hungarian:Cirkon
Italian:Zircone
Japanese:ジルコン
鋯石
Latin:Lyncurion
Lyncurion (of Theophrastus)
Lithuanian:Cirkonas
Norwegian (Bokmål):Zirkon
Polish:Cyrkon
Portuguese:Zircão
Romanian:Zircon
Russian:Циркон
Serbian (Cyrillic Script):Циркон
Simplified Chinese:锆石
Slovak:Zirkón
Spanish:Zircón
Açorita
Azorita
Oesterdita
Ostranita
Œrsdedtita
Zirconita
Swedish:Zirkon
Ukrainian:Циркон
Varieties:
AlviteArshinoviteBeccariteCalyptoliteCyrtolite
Hafnian ZirconHyacinthJargoonMalaconMatura Diamond
OerstediteOerstedtiteOrvilliteOyamaliteRibeirite
StarliteUraniferous ZirconYamaguchilite

Other Information

Fluorescence in UV light:Virtually all zircon is fluorescent, from dull to bright in intensity, and in shades of yellow, golden-yellow and yellow-brown (SW UV). This property is often diagnostic in identification.
Thermal Behaviour:Thermoluminescent
Other Information:Cathodoluminescent.
Health Warning:No information on health risks for this material has been entered into the database. You should always treat mineral specimens with care.

References for Zircon

Reference List:

- +
Werner, A.G. (1783), in Romé de l'Isle - Cristallographie, 2nd ed., Paris, 2, 229.

Trofimov, A.K. (1962) The luminescence spectrum of zircon. Geochemistry 1962: 1102-1108.

American Mineralogist (1979): 64: 196.

Pupin, J.P. (1980) Zircon and granite petrology. Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology: 73: 207-220.

Watson, E.B. and Cherniak, D.J. (1997) Oxygen diffusion in zircon. Earth and Planetary Science Letters: 148: 527-544.

Wang, R.C., Zhao, G.T., Lu, J.J., Chen, X.M., Xu, S.J., and Wang, D.Z. (2000) Chemistry of Hf-rich zircons from the Laoshan I- and A-type granites, eastern China. Mineralogical Magazine: 64: 867-877.

Parry, W.T., Wilson, P.N., Moser, D., and Heizler, M.T. (2001) U-Pb dating of zircon and 40Ar/39Ar dating of biotite at Bingham, Utah. Economic Geology: 96: 1671-1683.

Gucsik, A., Koeberl, Ch, Brandstätter, F., Reimold, W.U., and Libowitzky, E. (2002) Cathodoluminescence, electron microscopy, and Raman spectroscopy of shock-metamorphosed zircon. Earth and Planetary Science Letters: 202: 495-509.

Valley, J. (2003) Oxygen isotopes in zircon. Rev. Mineral. Geochem.: 53: 343-385.

Zhang, A.C., Wang, R.C., Hu, H., Zhang, H., Zhu, J.C., and Chen, X.M. (2004b) Chemical evolution of Nb-Ta oxides and zircon from the Koktokay no. 3 granitic pegmatite, Altai, northwestern China. Mineralogical Magazine: 68(5): 739-756.

Mindat.org articles about Zircon

Article entries:
Rout 80 Road Cut,, Mount Arlington New JerseyFred A. Schuster

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