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Ilmenite

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Spizzicatore Hill, Allumiere, Tolfa Mts District, Rome Province, Latium, Italy
© Di Domenico Dario

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Formula:
Fe
2+
 
TiO
 
3
System:TrigonalColour:Iron black or black
Lustre:Metallic, Sub-MetallicHardness:5 - 6
Member of:Ilmenite Group
Name:Named after its type locality in the Ilmen Mountains, Russia.


Geikielite-Ilmenite Series, Ilmenite-Pyrophanite Series. The iron analogue of Geikielite, Pyrophanite, and Ecandrewsite.

May be confused with minerals of the Crichtonite Group and with Hematite.

Classification of Ilmenite

IMA status:Valid - first described prior to 1959 (pre-IMA) - "Grandfathered"
Strunz 8th edition ID:4/C.05-20
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:4.CB.05

4 : OXIDES (Hydroxides, V[5,6] vanadates, arsenites, antimonites, bismuthites, sulfites, selenites, tellurites, iodates)
C : Metal: Oxygen = 2: 3,3: 5, and similar
B : With medium-sized cations
Dana 8th edition ID:4.3.5.1

4 : SIMPLE OXIDES
3 : A2X3
Hey's CIM Ref.:7.9.15

7 : Oxides and Hydroxides
9 : Oxides of Ti
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Type Occurrence of Ilmenite

Type Locality:Ilmen Natural Reserve, Ilmen Mts, Chelyabinsk Oblast', Southern Urals, Urals Region, Russia
Year of Discovery:1827

Occurrences of Ilmenite

Geological Setting:Common accessory mineral in igneous rocks. Also occurs in placer deposits.

Physical Properties of Ilmenite

Lustre:Metallic, Sub-Metallic
Diaphaneity (Transparency):Opaque
Colour:Iron black or black
Streak:Black to reddish brown
Hardness (Mohs):5 - 6
Hardness (Vickers):VHN100=566 - 698 kg/mm2
Tenacity:Brittle
Cleavage:None Observed
Parting:On {0001}, {1011} due to twinning (?).
Fracture:Conchoidal, Sub-Conchoidal
Density (measured):4.68 - 4.76 g/cm3
Density (calculated):4.789 g/cm3

Crystallography of Ilmenite

Crystal System:Trigonal
Class (H-M):3 - Rhombohedral
Space Group:R3
Cell Parameters:a = 5.08854(7) Å, c = 14.0924(3) Å
Ratio:a:c = 1 : 2.769
Unit Cell Volume:V 316.01 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:6
Morphology:Commonly thick tabular {0001}. Sometimes in thin laminae; also acute rhombohedral. Compact massive; as embedded grains.
Twinning:1. On {0001}; 2. On {1011}, lamellar.
Crystal Atlas:
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Ilmenite no.1 - Goldschmidt (1913-1926)
Ilmenite no.2 - Goldschmidt (1913-1926)
Ilmenite no.29 - Goldschmidt (1913-1926)

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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.

Optical Data of Ilmenite

Type:Uniaxial (-)
Type:Anisotropic
Anisotropism:Strong in shades of gray
Bireflectance:Strong O=pinkish brown E= dark brown
Colour in reflected light:Greyish white with brown tint
Pleochroism:Weak

Chemical Properties of Ilmenite

Formula:
Fe
2+
 
TiO
 
3
Essential elements:Fe, O, Ti
All elements listed in formula:Fe, O, Ti
Common Impurities:Mn,Mg,V

Relationship of Ilmenite to other Species

Series:Forms a series with Geikielite (see here)
Forms a series with Pyrophanite (see here)
Member of:Ilmenite Group
Other Members of Group:

- +
Ecandrewsite
(Zn,Fe
2+
 
,Mn
2+
 
)TiO
 
3
Geikielite
MgTiO
 
3
Pyrophanite
Mn
2+
 
TiO
 
3
Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):

- +
4.CB.05Brizziite
NaSb
5+
 
O
 
3
4.CB.05Corundum
Al
 
2
O
 
3
4.CB.05Ecandrewsite
(Zn,Fe
2+
 
,Mn
2+
 
)TiO
 
3
4.CB.05Eskolaite
Cr
 
2
O
 
3
4.CB.05Geikielite
MgTiO
 
3
4.CB.05Hematite
Fe
 
2
O
 
3
4.CB.05Karelianite
V
3+
2
O
 
3
4.CB.05Melanostibite
Mn
2+
 
(Sb
5+
 
,Fe
3+
 
)O
 
3
4.CB.05Pyrophanite
Mn
2+
 
TiO
 
3
4.CB.05Akimotoite
(Mg,Fe
2+
 
)SiO
 
3
4.CB.05Auroantimonate
AuSbO
 
3
4.CB.05Romanite
(◻,Pb,Ca)UFe
2+
2
(Ti,Fe
3+
 
)
 
6
Ti
 
12
O
 
38
4.CB.05UM1998-11-O-AuHSb
Au
+
2
Sb
3+
 
O
 
2
(OH)
4.CB.05Tistarite
Ti
3+
2
O
 
3
4.CB.10Avicennite
Tl
 
2
O
 
3
4.CB.10Bixbyite
Mn
3+
2
O
 
3
4.CB.15Armalcolite
(Mg,Fe
2+
 
)Ti
 
2
O
 
5
4.CB.15Pseudobrookite
Fe
 
2
TiO
 
5
4.CB.15Mongshanite
(Mg,Cr,Fe
2+
 
)
 
2
(Ti,Zr)
 
5
O
 
12
4.CB.20Zincohögbomite-2N2S
[(Zn,Al,Fe
2+
 
)
 
3
(Al,Fe
3+
 
,Ti)
 
8
O
 
15
(OH)]
 
2
4.CB.20Zincohögbomite-2N6S
[(Zn,Mg)
 
7
(Al,Fe
3+
 
,Ti)
 
16
O
 
31
(OH)]
 
2
4.CB.20Magnesiohögbomite-6N6S
[(Mg,Fe
2+
 
)
 
3
(Al,Ti,Fe
3+
 
)
 
8
O
 
15
(OH)]
 
6
4.CB.20Magnesiohögbomite-2N3S
[(Mg,Fe
2+
 
,Zn)
 
4
(Al,Ti,Fe
3+
 
)
 
10
O
 
19
(OH)]
 
2
4.CB.20Magnesiohögbomite-2N2S
[(Mg,Fe
2+
 
)
 
3
[Al
 
7
(Ti,Fe
3+
 
)]O
 
15
(OH)]
 
2
4.CB.20Ferrohögbomite-6N12S
[(Fe
2+
 
,Mg,Zn)
 
5
(Al,Ti,Fe
3+
 
)
 
12
O
 
23
(OH)]
 
6
4.CB.25Pseudorutile
Fe
 
2
Ti
 
3
O
 
9
4.CB.25Kleberite
FeTi
 
6
O
 
11
(OH)
 
5
4.CB.30Berdesinskiite
V
3+
2
TiO
 
5
4.CB.30Oxyvanite
V
3+
2
V
4+
 
O
 
5
4.CB.35Olkhonskite
(Cr,V)
 
2
Ti
 
3
O
 
9
4.CB.35Schreyerite
V
3+
2
Ti
 
3
O
 
9
4.CB.40Kamiokite
Fe
 
2
Mo
 
3
O
 
8
4.CB.40Nolanite
(V
3+
 
,Fe
3+
 
,Fe
2+
 
,Ti)
 
10
O
 
14
(OH)
 
2
4.CB.40Rinmanite
Zn
 
2
Sb
 
2
Mg
 
2
Fe
 
4
O
 
14
(OH)
 
2
4.CB.40Iseite
Mn
 
2
Mo
 
3
O
 
8
4.CB.40Majindeite
Mg
 
2
Mo
 
3
O
 
8
4.CB.45Claudetite
As
 
2
O
 
3
4.CB.45Stibioclaudetite
AsSbO
 
3
4.CB.50Arsenolite
As
 
2
O
 
3
4.CB.50Sénarmontite
Sb
 
2
O
 
3
4.CB.55Valentinite
Sb
 
2
O
 
3
4.CB.60Bismite
Bi
 
2
O
 
3
4.CB.65Sphaerobismoite
Bi
 
2
O
 
3
4.CB.70Sillénite
Bi
 
12
SiO
 
20
4.CB.75Kyzylkumite
V
3+
2
TiO
 
6
4.CB.80Tietaiyangite
Fe
3+
4
Fe
2+
 
TiO
 
9
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:

- +
7.9.1Hongquiite
TiO
7.9.2Rutile
TiO
 
2
7.9.3Anatase
TiO
 
2
7.9.4Brookite
TiO
 
2
7.9.5Geikielite
MgTiO
 
3
7.9.6Perovskite
CaTiO
 
3
7.9.7Kassite
CaTi
 
2
O
 
4
(OH)
 
2
7.9.8Tausonite
SrTiO
 
3
7.9.9Crichtonite
(Sr,La,Ce,Y)(Ti,Fe
3+
 
,Mn)
 
21
O
 
38
7.9.10Lucasite-(Ce)
CeTi
 
2
(O,OH)
 
6
7.9.11Hibonite
(Ca,Ce)Al
 
12
O
 
19
7.9.12Yttrocrasite-(Y)
(Y,Th,Ca,U)(Ti,Fe)
 
2
(O,OH)
 
6
7.9.13Pyrophanite
Mn
2+
 
TiO
 
3
7.9.14Iwakiite
Mn(Fe,Mn)
 
2
O
 
4
7.9.16Pseudobrookite
Fe
 
2
TiO
 
5
7.9.17Ulvöspinel
Fe
 
2
TiO
 
4
7.9.18Pseudorutile
Fe
 
2
Ti
 
3
O
 
9
7.9.19Freudenbergite
Na
 
2
(Ti,Fe)
 
8
O
 
16
7.9.20Kennedyite
MgFe
3+
2
Ti
 
3
O
 
10
7.9.21Armalcolite
(Mg,Fe
2+
 
)Ti
 
2
O
 
5
7.9.22Högbomite
(Mg,Fe)
 
2
(Al,Ti)
 
5
O
 
10
7.9.23Qandilite
(Mg,Fe)
 
2
(Ti,Fe,Al)O
 
4
7.9.24Cafetite
(Ca,Mg)(Fe,Al)
 
2
Ti
 
4
O
 
12
 · 4H
 
2
O
7.9.25Loveringite
(Ca,Ce)(Ti,Fe,Cr,Mg)
 
21
O
 
38
7.9.26Lindsleyite
(Ba,Sr)(Ti,Zr,Fe,Cr)
 
21
O
 
38
7.9.27Priderite
K(Ti
4+
7
Fe
3+
 
)O
 
16
7.9.28Jeppeite
(K,Ba)
 
2
(Ti,Fe)
 
6
O
 
13
7.9.29Ankangite
Ba(Ti,V
3+
 
,Cr)
 
8
O
 
16
7.9.30Ecandrewsite
(Zn,Fe
2+
 
,Mn
2+
 
)TiO
 
3
7.9.31Landauite
NaMnZn
 
2
(Ti,Fe)
 
6
Ti
 
12
O
 
38

Other Names for Ilmenite

Synonyms:
Axotomous EisenerzCibdelophaneHaplotypiteIlmenite (of Kupffer)Mänaken
Mohsite (of Levy)Para-ilmeniteTitaneisenerzTitanic IronTitanioferrite
Other Languages:
Basque:Ilmenita
Czech:Ilmenit
Dutch:Ilmeniet
Finnish:Ilmeniitti
French:Ilménite
Titane oxydé ferrifère
German:Ilmenit
Eisenhaltiges Titanerz
Eisentitan
Hystatisches Eisenerz
Titaneisen
Titaneisenstein
Greek:Ιλμενίτης
Hebrew:אילמניט
Hungarian:Ilmenitcsoport
Italian:Ilmenite
Japanese:イルメナイト
Lithuanian:Ilmenitas
Norwegian (Bokmål):Ilmenitt
Polish:Ilmenit
Portuguese:Ilmenita
Romanian:Ilmenit
Russian:Ильменит
Simplified Chinese:钛铁矿
Slovak:Ilmenit
Spanish:Ilmenita
Ukrainian:Ільменіт
Varieties:
Cr-rich PicroilmeniteFerrian IlmeniteGuadarramiteHystatiteIserine
KibdelophaneMagnesian menaccaniteMagnetoilmeniteManaccaniteManganilmenite
Manganoan IlmenitePicrocrichtonitePicroilmenitePicrotitaniteSilico-ilmenite
Washingtonite

Other Information

Other Information:Weakly magnetic
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 Ilmenite

Reference List:

- +
Palache, Charles, Harry Berman & Clifford Frondel (1944), The System of Mineralogy of James Dwight Dana and Edward Salisbury Dana Yale University 1837-1892, Volume I: Elements, Sulfides, Sulfosalts, Oxides. John Wiley and Sons, Inc., New York. 7th edition, revised and enlarged: 534-541.

Neumann, E.-R. (1974) The distribution of Mn 2+ and Fe 2+ between ilmenites and magnetites in igneous rocks. American Journal of Science: 274: 1074-1088.

Grew, E.S. (1980a) Sillimanite and ilmenite from high grade metamorphic rocks of Antarctica and other areas. Journal of Petrology: 21: 39-68.

Arculus, R.J., Dawson, J.B., Mitchell, R.H., Gust, D.A., and Holmes, R.D. (1984) Oxidation states of the upper mantle recorded by megacryst ilmenite in kimberlite and type A and B spinel Iherzolites. Contri butions to Mineralogy and Petrology: 85: 85-94.

Mineralogical Journal (Japan)(1989): 14: 179.

Anthony, J.W., Bideaux, R.A., Bladh, K.W., and Nichols, M.C. (1995) Handbook of Mineralogy, Volume II. Silica, Silicates. Mineral Data Publishing, Tucson, AZ, 904pp., 2 volumes: 264.

Internet Links for Ilmenite

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    • Localities for Ilmenite

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    Locality Updated: Blue Moon Mine (Porcupine Mine; Blue Cloud Mine; Red Cloud Mine; Percupine Mine; American Eagle Mine; Bullion Hill Mine), Quartzburg, Hornitos District, West Belt, Mariposa Co., California, USAFrom Chester S. Lemanski, Jr., 19th Jun 2013 19:01:06