http://www.mindat.org/msgboard-90.html Fri, 24 May 2013 12:39:55 +0000 Phorum 5.2.15a http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,90,203841,274589#msg-274589 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,90,203841,274589#msg-274589 I ave added the descriptive text to the Xenotime article and give you credit at the bottom. You have better read it over and make sure I didn't screw it up too bad.]]> Rock Currier Best Minerals X Mon, 22 Oct 2012 11:58:45 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,90,203841,274556#msg-274556 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,90,203841,274556#msg-274556
By the way Slyudorudnik locality also is quartz deposit - but in this case granulated super-pure quartz for manufacturing of super-pure quartz-glass crucible for silicon monocrystals growth for electronic.]]> Pavel Kartashov Best Minerals X Sun, 21 Oct 2012 18:01:40 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,90,203841,274480#msg-274480 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,90,203841,274480#msg-274480 \What it the main ore they are mining?]]> Rock Currier Best Minerals X Sat, 20 Oct 2012 08:53:18 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,90,203841,274418#msg-274418 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,90,203841,274418#msg-274418 Pavel Kartashov Best Minerals X Fri, 19 Oct 2012 14:51:48 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,90,203841,274402#msg-274402 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,90,203841,274402#msg-274402 Yes, a worthy addition! I have put it in the article. Can you tell us something about the deposit?]]> Rock Currier Best Minerals X Fri, 19 Oct 2012 11:01:06 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,90,203841,274345#msg-274345 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,90,203841,274345#msg-274345 www.mindat.org] :-)]]> Pavel Kartashov Best Minerals X Thu, 18 Oct 2012 15:48:09 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,90,203841,256438#msg-256438 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,90,203841,256438#msg-256438 Thanks for bringing this mistake to our attention. I have removed the offending image. Yes, Vans is better, but yours is good enough so I put it in the article.]]> Rock Currier Best Minerals X Tue, 27 Mar 2012 06:00:56 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,90,203841,256391#msg-256391 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,90,203841,256391#msg-256391 Kelly Nash Best Minerals X Mon, 26 Mar 2012 19:51:03 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,90,203841,256384#msg-256384 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,90,203841,256384#msg-256384 You may wish to add Xenotime-(Yb) to this article. There appears to be such an animal.]]> Rock Currier Best Minerals X Mon, 26 Mar 2012 19:02:52 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,90,203841,204239#msg-204239 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,90,203841,204239#msg-204239 Cheers,
Harjo]]> Harjo Neutkens Best Minerals X Wed, 01 Dec 2010 07:24:55 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,90,203841,204227#msg-204227 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,90,203841,204227#msg-204227
Silicon may to replace in xenotimes only P not Y&REE, and only for stabilization structure during incorporation of U&Th - according to scheme Y³⁺ + P⁵⁺ = U⁴⁺ + Si⁴⁺. Similar situation is with calcium - 2Y³⁺ = U⁴⁺ + Ca²⁺.
By the way, note small but very interesting compositionally specimen [www.mindat.org] which mark out connection in system xenotime-pretulite-wakefieldite.
Besides that, we also have some xenotime here in Russia. ;) It isn't so nice as from Pakistan but quite large sometimes - up to match-box size (Mt Ploskaya).
I found, that Russian xenotimes were absent on mindat, and upload couple of photos - [www.mindat.org] and [www.mindat.org]

Pavel]]> Pavel Kartashov Best Minerals X Wed, 01 Dec 2010 01:57:53 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,90,203841,203956#msg-203956 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,90,203841,203956#msg-203956 Harjo Neutkens Best Minerals X Mon, 29 Nov 2010 12:29:22 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,90,203841,203955#msg-203955 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,90,203841,203955#msg-203955 Ralph Bottrill Best Minerals X Mon, 29 Nov 2010 12:06:19 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,90,203841,203952#msg-203952 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,90,203841,203952#msg-203952 Rock Currier Best Minerals X Mon, 29 Nov 2010 08:11:18 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,90,203841,203949#msg-203949 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,90,203841,203949#msg-203949 I changed the endlessly copied mistake, thanks again Evan!]]> Harjo Neutkens Best Minerals X Mon, 29 Nov 2010 08:04:35 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,90,203841,203948#msg-203948 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,90,203841,203948#msg-203948 Rock Currier Best Minerals X Mon, 29 Nov 2010 08:02:15 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,90,203841,203946#msg-203946 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,90,203841,203946#msg-203946 Thanks!!!]]> Harjo Neutkens Best Minerals X Mon, 29 Nov 2010 07:55:20 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,90,203841,203940#msg-203940 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,90,203841,203940#msg-203940 EMJ]]> Evan Johnson Best Minerals X Mon, 29 Nov 2010 05:50:50 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,90,203841,203932#msg-203932 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,90,203841,203932#msg-203932 Rock Currier Best Minerals X Mon, 29 Nov 2010 05:06:31 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,90,203841,203918#msg-203918 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,90,203841,203918#msg-203918 Smaller photos next to each other with a wider space in between them ask for a two line horizontal spacing. Larger photos with only very little space in between ask for a one line horizontal spacing.

Cheers,

Harjo]]> Harjo Neutkens Best Minerals X Sun, 28 Nov 2010 23:11:10 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,90,203841,203905#msg-203905 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,90,203841,203905#msg-203905 A fine addition the Best Minerals project. You even have got it in the fast navigation section. But we really must settle on the line spacing between the rows of images. One or two line spacings. If we settle on one line spacing then we must go back and make a large amount of changes to the articles.]]> Rock Currier Best Minerals X Sun, 28 Nov 2010 21:31:29 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,90,203841,203841#msg-203841 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,90,203841,203841#msg-203841 Best Minerals X and here for Best Minerals A to Z and here for Fast Navigation of completed Best Minerals articles.


Can you help make this a better article? What good localities have we missed? Can you supply pictures of better specimens than those we show here? Can you give us more and better information about the specimens from these localities? Can you supply better geological or historical information on these localities?


Xenotime-(Y)
YPO₄ Tetragonal

Xenotime-(Y) from Trimouns, France. FOV 0,3cm	© JM. Johannet

Xenotime is a rare earth phosphate mineral, whose major component is yttrium orthophosphate (YPO4). It forms a solid solution series with chernovite-(Y) (YAsO4) and therefore may contain trace impurities of arsenic, as well as silicon dioxide and calcium. The rare earths dysprosium, erbium, terbium, and ytterbium, and metal elements like thorium and uranium (all replacing yttrium) are the expressive secondary components of xenotime.
Due to uranium and thorium impurities, some xenotime specimens may be weakly to strongly radioactive. Lithiophyllite, monazite, and purpurite are sometimes grouped with xenotime in the informal "anhydrous phosphates" group. Xenotime is used chiefly as a source of yttrium and heavy lanthanide metals (dysprosium, ytterbium, erbium, and gadolinium). Occasionally, gemstones are also cut from the finer xenotime crystals.
The etymology of the name xenotime is from the Greek words "κευός vain and τιμή honor because the yttrium contained within it was first thought to be a new element. According to Vickery, the original name of the mineral was "kenotime", but due to a misprint, the "k" became an "x", and the change stuck. Xenotime was first described for an occurrence in Vest-Agder, Norway in 1832.

Crystallising in the tetragonal (I41/amd) crystal system, xenotime is typically translucent to opaque (rarely transparent) in shades of brown to brownish yellow (most common), but also reddish to greenish brown and gray.
Xenotime has a variable habit: It may be prismatic (stubby or slender and elongate) with dipyramidal terminations, in radial or granular aggregates, or rosettes. A soft mineral (Mohs hardness 4.5), xenotime is—in comparison to most other translucent minerals—fairly dense, with a specific gravity between 4.4–5.1. Its lustre, which may be vitreous to resinous, together with its crystal system, may lead to a confusion with zircon (ZrSiO4), that a similar crystal structure and with which xenotime may sometimes occur.
Xenotime has two directions of perfect prismatic cleavage and its fracture is uneven to irregular (sometimes splintery). It is considered brittle and its streak is white.
The refractive index of xenotime is 1.720-1.815 with a birefringence of 0.095 (uniaxial positive). Xenotime is dichroic with pink, yellow, or yellowish brown seen in the extraordinary ray, and brownish yellow, grayish brown or greenish brown seen in the ordinary ray. There is no reaction under ultraviolet light. While xenotime may contain significant amounts of thorium or uranium, the mineral does not undergo metamictization like sphene or zircon would.

Occurring as a minor accessory mineral, xenotime is found in pegmatites and other igneous rocks, as well as gneisses rich in mica and quartz. Associated minerals include biotite and other micas, chlorite group minerals, quartz, zircon, certain feldspars, analcime, anatase, brookite, rutile, siderite, and apatite. Xenotime is also known to be diagenetic: It may form as minute grains or as extremely thin (less than 10 µ) coatings on detrital zircon grains in siliciclastic sedimentary rocks. The importance of these diagenetic xenotime deposits in the radiometric dating of sedimentary rocks is only beginning to be realised. [Wikipedia]


Xenotime-(Y)
Austria
Salzburg, Hohe Tauern Mts, Obersulzbach valley, Hopffeld area, Hopffeldboden

Xenotime-(Y) FOV 0,3cm	© Chinellato Matteo

Xenotime-(Y) FOV 0,2cm	© Chinellato Matteo

Xenotime-(Y) FOV 0,3cm	© D.Preite

Xenotime-(Y) FOV 0,3cm	© D.Preite

Rocksled material, consisting mainly of aplitic gneisses with small miarolitic cavities hosting some rare minerals.
The best finds in the (at that times) fresh material were made in the 1980s.


Xenotime-(Y)
Austria
Salzburg, Hohe Tauern Mts, Rauris valley, Hüttwinkl valley, Lohning quarry (Lohninger quarry)

Xenotime-(Y) FOV 0,2cm	©

Xenotime-(Y) FOV 0,6cm	© AL

The bottom of the Hüttwinkl valley is filled with rocksled material, originating from different places in the Krumlbach and upper Hüttwinkl valleys. These boulders are worked in the Kaiserer and Lohning quarries. The minerals therefore, originate from a large variety of different parageneses.
Presently (2005), the Lohning quarry is not strictly active - the owner excavates marble from an upper quarry and cuts marble plates etc. for subsequent sale.


Xenotime-(Y)
Austria
Tyrol, North Tyrol, Zamser Grund (Zams valley), Schrammacher Mt., Oberschrammach glacier

Xenotime-(Y) FOV 0,3cm	© Manuele Moro

Xenotime-(Y) FOV 0,25cm	© Manuele Moro

Info needed.


Xenotime-(Y)
Belgium
Luxembourg Province, Bertrix, La Haie forest, Old quarry

Xenotime-(Y) FOV 0,3cm	© Harjo

Xenotime-(Y) FOV 0,3cm	© Harjo

Xenotime-(Y) is a rare mineral for Belgium. Reasonably nice but very small crystals have been found in the early 20th century in the classic Quartzite localities south of Brussels (Nil-St-Vincent, Opprebais, Dongelberg). Small grains have been noticed from the Ardennes.
Surprisingly, in 2005 very nice Xenotime-(Y) crystals were found in the remains of a very small old long closed and overgrown quarry. Xenotime-(Y) occurs in small cavities in a massive Quartz vein together with Rutile, Brookite, Anatase, Apatite, Titanite and Fuchsite.


Xenotime-(Y)
Brazil
Bahia, Ibitiara

Xenotime-(Y) 4,3cm	© Rob Lavinsky

Xenotime-(Y) 3,5cm	© Joseph A. Freilich

Xenotime-(Y)
Brazil
Bahia, Novo Horizonte

Xenotime, Quartz 3,3cm	© Dan Weinrich

Xenotime-(Y) 3cm	© Michael C. Roarke

Until the mid 1990's Ibitiara county was big and Remedios and Novo Horizonte
were districts of Ibitiara; then there was a vote and Novo Horizonte was
split from Ibitiara and became a new county ("município" ), and Remedios
voted to join Novo Horizonte, so now the only county that produce rutilated
quartz and rutile on hematite is Novo Horizonte, and Remedios is just a
district of Novo Horizonte.


Xenotime-(Y)
Brazil
Minas Gerais, Doce valley, Governador Valadares, Ibituruna peak, Atalaia Quarry (Ataléia Mine)

Xenotime, Quartz 2,5cm	© Martins da Pedra

Xenotime-(Y) 2,5cm	© Martins da Pedra

The Atalaia quarry is also known under the incorrect name 'Ataléia Mine'.
Aimorés pegmatite district, Eastern Brazilian pegmatite province.
Locality for outstanding large Xenotime-(Y) crystals.


Xenotime-(Y)
France
Midi-Pyrénées, Ariège, Luzenac, Trimouns Talc Mine

Xenotime-(Y) FOV 0,3cm	© JM. Johannet

Xenotime-(Y) FOV0,3cm	© Fred Kruijen

Info needed.


Xenotime-(Y)
Italy
Piedmont, Verbano-Cusio-Ossola Province, Baceno, Ossola Valley, Devero Alp (Devero Valley; Val Devero), Mount Cervandone

Xenotime-(Y) FOV 0,35cm	© Enrico Bonacina

Xenotime-(Y) FOV0,3cm	© Enrico Bonacina

Italian side of Cherbadung, Wallis (Valais), Switzerland (http://www.mindat.org/loc-3210.html).
In the rocks under the walls of the mountain often minerals are found coming from the Punta della Rossa etc. (see there).
So you can also take the minerals from the 'Ghiacciaio della Rossa' here. Although they should be cut off...


Xenotime-(Y)
Italy
Trentino-Alto Adige, Bolzano Province (South Tyrol), Vizze Valley (Pfitsch Valley)

Xenotime-(Y) FOV 0,2cm	© Chinellato Matteo

Xenotime-(Y) FOV 0,2cm	© Chinellato Matteo

Info needed.


Xenotime-(Y)
Malawi
Zomba District, Mt Malosa

Xenotime-(Y) FOV 0,1cm	© Christian Rewitzer

Xenotime-(Y) FOV 0,2cm	© C.Boutry

Alkali pegmatites with unusual REE minerals. Famous for excellent and large aegirine crystals, feldspars, arfvedsonites and rare Be minerals.


Xenotime-(Y)
Norway
Aust-Agder, Evje og Hornes

Xenotime-(Y) 1,7cm	© Volker Betz

Xenotime-(Y) 2,6cm	© Jasun McAvoy

The Evje-Iveland area is famous for its pegmatite minerals.
Info needed.


Xenotime-(Y)
Norway
Tysfjord, Hundholmen

Xenotime-(Y) FOV 0,4cm	© Knut Eldjarn

Xenotime-(Y) FOV 0,4cm	© luigi chiappino

Granite pegmatite.
Info needed.


Xenotime-(Y)
Pakistan
Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), Mulla Ghori, Khyber Agency, Zagi Mountain (Zegi Mountain)

Xenotime-(Y) 4,5cm	© Dan & Diana Weinrich Minerals

Xenotime-(Y) 1,32cm	© Aymeric

Xenotime-(Y) 7cm	© H. Obodda

Xenotime-(Y) 2,9cm	© H. Obodda

Xenotime-(Y) 1,1cm	© TVM

Xenotime-(Y) 1,2cm	© TVM

Located approximately 5.5 km southeast of the Warsak Dam, about 40km NNW of Peshawar, NWFP, Pakistan, Zagi Mountain covers an area of approximately 3 x 5 km, with an elevation of approximately 175 m above its surroundings.
Currently the best locality worldwide for Xenotime-(Y) minerals (along with a host of other well crystallised REE minerals)


Xenotime-(Y)
Russia
Northern Region, Karelia Republic, Northern Karelia, Lopatova Guba mica pit

Xenotime-(Y) FOV 1,5cm	© Pavel M. Kartashov

Mica pit in granitic pegmatite. Deposit located on Khetolambina strait shore near famous corundum deposit Khit Ostrov.


Xenotime-(Y)
Russia
Urals Region, Southern Urals, Chelyabinsk Oblast', Kyshtym (Kychtym; Kishtim), Slyudorudnik Mine

Xenotime-(Y) grains up to 3,5cm	© Pavel M. Kartashov

A mica mine located near Kyshtym.


Xenotime-(Y)
Russia
Urals Region, Southern Urals, Chelyabinsk Oblast', Astaf'evskoe (Astafievskoe) quartz deposit

Xenotime-(Y) 2.8cm tall	© Sergei Epanchintsev

This is very large quartz deposit being in operation from 30th years. Quartz veins contain pockets with great quartz crystals. This xenotime is from a such pocket (as you can to see it was ingrown into quartz, this is the reason why the crystal is scepter like). But main part of xenotime is smaller and are completely intergrowen in quartz (often together with thortveitite, pyrite, fuchsite, monazite-(Ce), gersdorfite). Quartz quarry of the deposit is 3 km long and 80-100 m deep. The deposit was initially operated for piezoelectric grade quartz, later quartz for growing of synthetic quartz.
[Pavel Kartashov 2012]



Xenotime-(Y)
Switzerland
Grischun (Grisons; Graubünden), Vorderrhein Valley, Tujetsch (Tavetsch), Curnera Valley, Cavradi gorge

Xenotime-(Y) FOV 0,4cm	© Stephan Wolfsried

Xenotime-(Y) FOV 0,3cm	© Stephan Wolfsried

Clefts and copper mineralizations in Permo-Carboniferous rocks.


Xenotime-(Y)
Switzerland
Wallis, Binn Valley, Lercheltini (Lärcheltini) area

Xenotime-(Y) FOV 0,15cm	© Enrico Bonacina

Xenotime-(Y) FOV 0,3cm	© Enrico Bonacina

Paragneisses of the Monte Leone nappe. The area encompasses the southern slopes of the upper Binn valley, stretching from northeast of the Lengenbach quarry to the northwest slope of Bochtenhorn mountain. It comprises the following localities (from northeast to southwest):
- Hinterer Kohlergraben
- Vorderer Kohlergraben
- Riggi
- Spissen
- Gorb


Xenotime-(Y)
USA
Colorado, Jefferson Co., South Platte Pegmatite District, Big Bertha Mine (Big Bertha pegmatite)

Xenotime-(Y) crystal 3cm	© 0

Xenotime-(Y) crystal 1,5cm	©

A pegmatite mine located in the SW¼ Sec 22, T.8S., R.70W. Workings include a large open cut.
Mineralization is an unzoned, lobate pegmatite body in granite.


Xenotime-(Y)
USA
Massachusets, Marlborough, I-290/I-495 interchange road cuts

Xenotime-(Y) FOV 1cm	© 2008 Peter Cristofono

Xenotime-(Y) crystal 0,6cm	©

Large road cuts on I-290 and I-495. Three phases of construction in 1970, 1973 & 1980.


Xenotime-(Y)
USA
New York, New York City, Manhattan (New York Co.), Manhattan Island, 185th Street & Harlem Speedway

Xenotime-(Y) crystal 0,25cm	© Van King

A 4mm Xenotime-(Y) xl	©

Granite pegmatites in outcrops and street excavations at the east end of 185th street, near the Harlem River.


[Harjo Neutkens 2010]


Click here to view Best Minerals X and here for Best Minerals A to Z and here for Fast Navigation of completed Best Minerals articles.

[Harjo Neutkens 2010]]]> Harjo Neutkens Best Minerals X Sun, 28 Nov 2010 14:07:27 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,90,129417,129417#msg-129417 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,90,129417,129417#msg-129417
Ideally what we want to know about each significant mineral from each locality is:

1. What is the largest crystal of the mineral that the locality has produced?
2. What do the best specimens from this locality look like and where can one be seen?
3. Does the locality produce a variety of different kinds of specimens of this species, and what do the best of each type look like and how many of them were found etc.
4. What are the associated minerals found with this species and what is its geological setting?
5. How abundant are these specimens and when were they found? A type locality? In other words, how rare are they.
6. How do they compare to other specimens of the same mineral from other localities?
7. How much is it worth. This should probably be optional, but in cases where specimens are worth thousands of dollars we should probably say something of the value of these things.
8. What kind of care and feeding do these specimens require? Are they delicate, radioactive, unstable, color changeable etc.?
9. Are the specimens commonly faked, and if so, how to tell if they are?
10. Are there any interesting stories relating to the collecting of these specimens or their discovery as a new mineral?

Of course this is in reality impractical, but if we keep these questions in mind, we will do a lot better job when writing about them.]]> Rock Currier Best Minerals X Fri, 06 Mar 2009 11:31:21 +0000