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Foordite

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Manono, Katanga (Shaba), Democratic Republic of Congo (Zaïre)
© Thomas Witzke

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Formula:
(Sn,Pb)(Nb,Ta)
 
2
O
 
6
System:MonoclinicHardness:6


Foordite-Thoreaulite Series.

Classification of Foordite

IMA status:Approved
Strunz 8th edition ID:4/D.29-10
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:4.DG.15

4 : OXIDES (Hydroxides, V[5,6] vanadates, arsenites, antimonites, bismuthites, sulfites, selenites, tellurites, iodates)
D : Metal: Oxygen = 1:2 and similar
G : With large (+- medium-sized) cations; chains of edge-sharing octahedra
Dana 8th edition ID:8.3.10.2

8 : MULTIPLE OXIDES CONTAINING NIOBIUM,TANTALUM OR TITANIUM
3 : AB2O6
Hey's CIM Ref.:18.1.23

18 : Niobates and Tantalates
1 : Niobates and tantalates containing neither rare earths nor U
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Type Occurrence of Foordite

Type Locality:Lutsiro, Sebeya river, Rwanda
Year of Discovery:1988

Physical Properties of Foordite

Hardness (Mohs):6

Crystallography of Foordite

Crystal System:Monoclinic
Cell Parameters:a = 17.09Å, b = 4.87Å, c = 5.55Å
β = 90.85°
Ratio:a:b:c = 3.509 : 1 : 1.14
Unit Cell Volume:V 461.87 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)

Optical Data of Foordite

Type:Biaxial (+)
Dispersion:strong

Chemical Properties of Foordite

Formula:
(Sn,Pb)(Nb,Ta)
 
2
O
 
6
Essential elements:Nb, O, Sn
All elements listed in formula:Nb, O, Pb, Sn, Ta
Common Impurities:Pb

Relationship of Foordite to other Species

Series:Forms a series with Thoreaulite (see here)
Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):
4.DG.05Euxenite-(Y)
(Y,Ca,Ce,U,Th)(Nb,Ta,Ti)
 
2
O
 
6
4.DG.05Fersmite
(Ca,Ce,Na)(Nb,Ta,Ti)
 
2
(O,OH,F)
 
6
4.DG.05Kobeite-(Y)
(Y,Zr)
 
2
(Ti,Fe
3+
 
)
 
2
(O,OH)
 
7
4.DG.05Loranskite-(Y)
(Y,Ce,Ca)ZrTaO
 
6
 (?)
4.DG.05Polycrase-(Y)
Y(Ti,Nb)
 
2
O
 
6
4.DG.05Tanteuxenite-(Y)
(Y,Ce,Ca)(Ta,Nb,Ti)
 
2
(O,OH)
 
6
4.DG.05Uranopolycrase
(U
4+
 
,Y)(Ti,Nb)
 
2
O
 
6
4.DG.05Yttrocrasite-(Y)
(Y,Th,Ca,U)(Ti,Fe)
 
2
(O,OH)
 
6
4.DG.10β-Fergusonite-(Y)
YNbO
 
4
4.DG.10β-Fergusonite-(Nd)
(Nd,Ce)NbO
 
4
4.DG.10β-Fergusonite-(Ce)
(Ce,La,Nd)NbO
 
4
4.DG.10Yttrotantalite-(Y)
(Y,Ca,U
4+
 
,Fe
2+
 
)
 
2
(Ta,Nb)
 
2
O
 
8
4.DG.10Beta-Fergusonite-(Nd)
4.DG.15Thoreaulite
SnTa
 
2
O
 
6
4.DG.20Raspite
PbWO
 
4
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:
18.1.1Lithiotantite
Li(Ta,Nb)
 
3
O
 
8
18.1.2Lueshite
NaNbO
 
3
18.1.3Natroniobite
NaNbO
 
3
18.1.4Franconite
Na
 
2
Nb
 
4
O
 
11
·9H
 
2
O
18.1.5Natrotantite
Na
 
2
Ta
 
4
O
 
11
18.1.6Irtyshite
Na
 
2
(Ta,Nb)
 
4
O
 
11
18.1.7Rankamaite
(Na,K,Pb,Li)
 
3
(Ta,Nb,Al)
 
11
(O,OH)
 
30
18.1.8Kalipyrochlore
(K,Sr)
 
2-x
Nb
 
2
O
 
6
(O,OH)·nH
 
2
O
18.1.9Calciotantite
CaTa
 
4
O
 
11
18.1.10Rynersonite
Ca(Ta,Nb)
 
2
O
 
6
18.1.11Microlite
(Ca,Na)
 
2
Ta
 
2
O
 
6
(O,OH,F)
18.1.12Belyankinite
Ca
 
1-2
(Ti,Zr,Nb)
 
5
O
 
12
 · 9H
 
2
O (?)
18.1.13Latrappite
(Ca,Na)(Nb,Ti,Fe)O
 
3
18.1.14Hochelagaite
(Ca,Na,Sr)(Nb,Ti,Si,Al)
 
4
O
 
11
·8H
 
2
O
18.1.15Bariomicrolite
Ba(Ta,Nb)
 
2
(O,OH)
 
7
18.1.16Parabariomicrolite
BaTa
 
4
O
 
10
(OH)
 
2
·2H
 
2
O
18.1.17Bariopyrochlore
(Ba,Sr)
 
2
(Nb,Ti)
 
2
(O,OH)
 
7
18.1.18Alumotantite
AlTaO
 
4
18.1.19Simpsonite
Al
 
4
(Ta,Nb)
 
3
O
 
13
(OH,F)
18.1.20Sosedkoite
(K,Na)
 
5
Al
 
2
(Ta,Nb)
 
22
O
 
60
18.1.21Thoreaulite
SnTa
 
2
O
 
6
18.1.22Stannomicrolite
(Sn,Fe,Mn)
 
2
(Ta,Nb,Sn)
 
2
(O,OH)
 
7
18.1.24Changbaiite
PbNb
 
2
O
 
6
18.1.25Plumbopyrochlore
(Pb,Y,U,Ca)
 
2-x
Nb
 
2
O
 
6
(OH)
18.1.26Plumbomicrolite
(Pb,Ca,U)
 
2
Ta
 
2
O
 
6
(OH)
18.1.27Stibiocolumbite
Sb(Nb,Ta)O
 
4
18.1.28Stibiotantalite
Sb(Ta,Nb)O
 
4
18.1.29Natrobistantite
(Na,Cs)Bi(Ta,Nb,Sb)
 
4
O
 
12
18.1.30Cesplumtantite
(Cs,Na)
 
2
(Pb,Sb
3+
 
)
 
3
Ta
 
8
O
 
24
18.1.31Stibiomicrolite
(Sb,Ca,Na)
 
2
(Ta,Nb)
 
2
O
 
7
18.1.32Cesstibtantite
(Cs,Na)SbTa
 
4
O
 
12
18.1.33 Stibobetafite
(Ca,Sb)
 
2
(Ti,Nb,Ta)
 
2
(O,OH)
 
7
18.1.34Bismutotantalite
Bi(Ta,Nb)O
 
4
18.1.35Bismutomicrolite
(Bi,Ca)(Ta,Nb)
 
2
O
 
6
(OH)
18.1.36Tantalite-(Mn)
MnTa
 
2
O
 
6
18.1.37Gerasimovskite
(Mn,Ca)(Nb,Ti)
 
5
O
 
12
·9H
 
2
O
18.1.38Tapiolite-(Mn)
(Mn,Fe)(Ta,Nb)
 
2
O
 
6
18.1.39Columbite-(Mn)
(Mn,Fe)(Nb,Ta)
 
2
O
 
6
18.1.40Wodginite
Mn(Sn,Ta)Ta
 
2
O
 
8
18.1.41Ixiolite
(Ta,Nb,Sn,Fe,Mn)
 
4
O
 
8
18.1.42Columbite-(Fe)
FeNb
 
2
O
 
6
18.1.43Tantalite-(Fe)
FeTa
 
2
O
 
6
18.1.44Columbite
(Fe,Mn)(Nb,Ta)
 
2
O
 
6
18.1.45Tantalite
(Fe,Mn)(Ta,Nb)
 
2
O
 
6
18.1.46Tapiolite
(Fe,Mn)(Ta,Nb)
 
2
O
 
6
18.1.47Tapiolite-(Fe)
(Fe,Mn)(Ta,Nb)
 
2
O
 
6
18.1.48Columbite-(Mg)
(Mg,Fe,Mn)(Nb,Ta)
 
2
O
 
6
18.1.50Strüverite
(Ti,Ta,Fe)O
 
2
18.1.51 Staringite
(Fe,Mn)
 
x
(Ta,Nb)
 
2x
Sn
 
6-3x
O
 
12

Other Names for Foordite

Synonyms:
IMA1984-070
German names:
Foordit
Russian names:
Фурдит
Spanish names:
Foordita

Other Information

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 Foordite

Reference List:American Mineralogist: 75: 707.

Canadian Mineralogist: 26: 899-903.

Articles/Blogs about Foordite

Internet Links for Foordite

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    Localities for Foordite

    (TL) indicates type locality. ? indicates mineral may be doubtful at this locality. All other localities listed without reference should be considered as uncertain and unproven until references can be found.
    Democratic Republic of Congo (Zaïre)
     
    • Katanga (Shaba)
    		T. Witzke, unpublished microprobe analysis
    • Kivu
    		No reference listed
    Rwanda
     
    • Sebeya river
    		Can. Min. (1988) 26, 889; Am. Min. (1990) 75, 707
    Mineral and/or Locality
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