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Titanite

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Ettringer Bellerberg Mt., Ettringen, Mayen, Eifel Mts, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany
© Stephan Wolfsried

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Formula:
CaTi[O|SiO
 
4
]
System:MonoclinicColour:Colourless, brown, ...
Lustre:Adamantine, ResinousHardness:5 - 5½
Name:The name reflects its titanium content.
Isostructural with:Durangite, Tilasite


Titanite Group. The titanium analogue of Malayaite.

Forms a series with Malayaite.

Also known as Sphene, this calcium titanium silicate forms flattened wedge-shaped crystals, commonly twinned with prominent re-entry angles; massive, compact and lamellar forms are also found. It occurs as an accessory mineral in igneous rocks; in schists, gneisses and other metamorphic rocks, and is also found as a detrital mineral in some sedimentary deposits.

Classification of Titanite

IMA status:Valid - first described prior to 1959 (pre-IMA) - "Grandfathered"
Strunz 8th edition ID:8/B.12-10
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:9.AG.15

9 : SILICATES (Germanates)
A : Nesosilicates
G : Nesosilicates with additional anions; cations in > [6] +- [6] coordination
Dana 8th edition ID:52.4.3.1

52 : NESOSILICATES Insular SiO4 Groups and O,OH,F,H2O
4 : Insular SiO4 Groups and O, OH, F, and H2O with cations in [6] and/or >[6] coordination
Hey's CIM Ref.:14.9.6

14 : Silicates not Containing Aluminum
9 : Silicates of Ti
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Occurrences of Titanite

Geological Setting:Common accessory mineral in intermediate and felsic plutonic rocks, pegmatites, alpine veins. Also in some gneisses, schists and skarns.

Physical Properties of Titanite

Lustre:Adamantine, Resinous
Diaphaneity (Transparency):Transparent, Translucent, Translucent on thin edges
Colour:Colourless, brown, green, yellow, rose-red or black.
Streak:White
Hardness (Mohs):5 - 5½
Cleavage:Distinct/Good
Good on {110}
Parting:Due to twinning on {221}
Density (measured):3.48 - 3.6 g/cm3
Density (calculated):3.53 g/cm3

Crystallography of Titanite

Crystal System:Monoclinic
Class (H-M):2/m - Prismatic
Cell Parameters:a = 7.057Å, b = 8.707Å, c = 6.555Å
β = 113.81°
Ratio:a:b:c = 0.81 : 1 : 0.753
Unit Cell Volume:V 368.49 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:4
Morphology:Crystals are wedge shaped, compact, massive.
Twinning:On {100}, contact and penetration, less commonly lamellar on {221}
Comment:May be metamict
Crystal Atlas:
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Titanite no.31 - Goldschmidt (1913-1926)
Titanite no.203 - Goldschmidt (1913-1926)

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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X-Ray Powder Diffraction:
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Radiation - Copper Kα
Data Set:
Horizontal Axis: ° to ° Vertical Axis: % Source Data: Filtered Data: Peaks:
Data courtesy of RRUFF project at University of Arizona, used with permission.

Optical Data of Titanite

Type:Biaxial (+)
RI values: nα = 1.843 - 1.950 nβ = 1.870 - 2.034 nγ = 1.943 - 2.110
2V:Measured: 17° to 40°, Calculated: 68° to 82°
Maximum Birefringence:δ = 0.100 - 0.160

Chart shows birefringence interference colour range (at 30µm thickness) and does not take into account mineral colouration.
Surface Relief:Very High
Dispersion:r > v extreme
Pleochroism:Visible
Comments:X= nearly colorless
Y= yellow to green
Z= red to yellow orange

Chemical Properties of Titanite

Formula:
CaTi[O|SiO
 
4
]
Essential elements:Ca, O, Si, Ti
All elements listed in formula:Ca, O, Si, Ti
Common Impurities:Fe,Y,Mn,Al,Ce,Sr,Na,Nb,Ta,Al,Mg,V,F,Zr,Sn

Relationship of Titanite to other Species

Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):
9.AG.05Abswurmbachite
CuMn
3+
6
O
 
8
(SiO
 
4
)
9.AG.05Braunite
Mn
2+
 
Mn
3+
6
[O
 
8
|SiO
 
4
]
9.AG.05Neltnerite
CaMn
3+
6
[O
 
8
|SiO
 
4
]
9.AG.10Långbanite
(Mn
2+
 
,Ca)
 
4
(Mn
3+
 
,Fe
3+
 
)
 
9
Sb
5+
 
[O
 
8
|SiO
 
4
]
 
2
9.AG.15Malayaite
CaSn[O|SiO
 
4
]
9.AG.15Vanadomalayaite
CaV
4+
 
[O|SiO
 
4
]
9.AG.20Cerite-(Ce)
(Ce,Ca)
 
9
(Mg,Fe)Si
 
7
(O,OH,F)
 
28
9.AG.20Cerite-(La)
(La,Ce,Ca)
 
9
(Fe,Ca,Mg)(SiO
 
4
)
 
3
[SiO
 
3
(OH)]
 
4
(OH)
 
3
9.AG.25Trimounsite-(Y)
Y
 
2
Ti
 
2
[O
 
5
|SiO
 
4
]
9.AG.25Yftisite-(Y)
(Y,Dy,Er)
 
4
(Ti,Sn)O(SiO
 
4
)
 
2
(F,OH)
 
6
9.AG.30Sitinakite
KNa
 
2
Ti
 
4
Si
 
2
O
 
13
(OH)·2H
 
2
O
9.AG.35Kittatinnyite
Ca
 
2
Mn
 
2
Mn(SiO
 
4
)
 
2
(OH)
 
4
·9H
 
2
O
9.AG.40Natisite
Na
 
2
Ti[O|SiO
 
4
]
9.AG.40Paranatisite
Na
 
2
Ti[O|SiO
 
4
]
9.AG.45Törnebohmite-(Ce)
(Ce,La)
 
2
Al(SiO
 
4
)
 
2
OH
9.AG.45Törnebohmite-(La)
(La,Ce)
 
2
Al(SiO
 
4
)
 
2
OH
9.AG.50Kuliokite-(Y)
Y
 
4
Al(SiO
 
4
)
 
2
(OH)
 
2
F
 
5
9.AG.55Chantalite
CaAl
 
2
[(OH)
 
4
|SiO
 
4
]
9.AG.60Mozartite
CaMn
3+
 
[OH|SiO
 
4
]
9.AG.60Vuagnatite
CaAl[OH|SiO
 
4
]
9.AG.65Hatrurite
Ca
 
3
[O|SiO
 
4
]
9.AG.70Jasmundite
Ca
 
11
[O
 
2
|S|(SiO
 
4
)
 
4
]
9.AG.75Afwillite
Ca
 
3
[HSiO
 
4
]
 
2
 · 2H
 
2
O
9.AG.80Bultfonteinite
Ca
 
2
[F|HSiO
 
4
] · H
 
2
O
9.AG.85Zoltaiite
BaV
4+
2
V
3+
12
Si
 
2
O
 
27
9.AG.90Tranquillityite
(Fe
2+
 
,Ca)
 
8
(Zr,Y)
 
2
Ti
 
3
[O
 
4
|SiO
 
4
]
 
3
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:
14.9.1Natisite
Na
 
2
Ti[O|SiO
 
4
]
14.9.2Lorenzenite
Na
 
2
Ti
 
2
[O
 
3
|Si
 
2
O
 
6
]
14.9.3Lintisite
LiNa
 
3
Ti
 
2
[O|Si
 
2
O
 
6
]
 
2
 · 2H
 
2
O
14.9.4Davanite
K
 
2
TiSi
 
6
O
 
15
14.9.5Kazakovite
Na
 
6
Ti[Si
 
6
O
 
16
(OH)
 
2
]
14.9.7Ohmilite
Sr
 
3
(Ti,Fe
3+
 
)[(O,OH)|(Si
 
2
O
 
6
)
 
2
] · 2-3H
 
2
O
14.9.8Lamprophyllite
(Sr,K,Ba)
 
2
(Na,Ti,Mn
2+
 
,Fe
3+
 
)
 
4
Ti
 
2
[O|(O,OH,F)|Si
 
2
O
 
7
]
 
2
14.9.9Benitoite
BaTi[Si
 
3
O
 
9
]
14.9.10Batisite
Na
 
2
BaTi
 
2
[O|Si
 
2
O
 
6
]
 
2
14.9.11Fresnoite
Ba
 
2
Ti[O|Si
 
2
O
 
7
]
14.9.12Joaquinite-(Ce)
Ba
 
2
NaCe
 
2
FeTi
 
2
Si
 
8
O
 
26
(OH,F) · H
 
2
O
14.9.13Orthojoaquinite-(Ce)
Ba
 
2
NaCe
 
2
FeTi
 
2
Si
 
8
O
 
26
(O,OH) · H
 
2
O
14.9.14Strontiojoaquinite
Sr
 
2
Ba
 
2
(Na,Fe)
 
2
Ti
 
2
Si
 
8
O
 
24
(O,OH)
 
2
·H
 
2
O
14.9.15Bario-orthojoaquinite
(Ba,Sr)
 
4
Fe
 
2
Ti
 
2
Si
 
8
O
 
26
·H
 
2
O
14.9.16Strontio-orthojoaquinite
Sr
 
2
Ba
 
2
(Na,Fe)
 
2
Ti
 
2
Si
 
8
O
 
24
(O,OH)
 
2
·H
 
2
O
14.9.17Bafertisite
Ba(Fe
3+
 
,Mn
2+
 
)
 
2
Ti[O|(O,OH)
 
2
|Si
 
2
O
 
7
]
14.9.18Hejtmanite
Ba(Mn
2+
 
,Fe
2+
 
)
 
2
Ti[O|(OH,F)
 
2
|Si
 
2
O
 
7
]
14.9.19Delindeite
(Na,K)
 
2.7
(Ba,Ca)
 
4
(Ti,Fe,Al)
 
6
Si
 
8
O
 
26
(OH)
 
14
14.9.20Barytolamprophyllite
(Ba,Na)
 
2
(Na,Ti,Fe
3+
 
)
 
4
Ti
 
2
[O|(OH,F)|Si
 
2
O
 
7
]
 
2
14.9.21Trimounsite-(Y)
Y
 
2
Ti
 
2
[O
 
5
|SiO
 
4
]
14.9.22Perrierite-(Ce)
(Ce,Ca,Th)
 
4
(Mg,Fe
2+
 
)
 
2
(Ti,Fe
3+
 
)
 
3
[O
 
4
|Si
 
2
O
 
7
]
 
2
14.9.23Chevkinite
(Ca,Ce,Th)
 
4
(Fe,Mn)
 
2
(Ti,Fe)
 
3
Si
 
4
O
 
22
14.9.24Strontiochevkinite
(Sr,La,Ce,Ca)
 
4
Fe
3+
 
(Ti,Zr)
 
2
Ti
 
2
[O
 
4
|Si
 
2
O
 
7
]
 
2
14.9.25Tisinalite
Na
 
3
H
 
3
(Mn,Ca,Fe)TiSi
 
6
(O,OH)
 
18
·2H
 
2
O
14.9.26Neptunite
Na
 
2
KLi(Fe
2+
 
,Mn
2+
 
)
 
2
Ti
 
2
[Si
 
8
O
 
24
]
14.9.27Manganoneptunite
Na
 
2
KLi(Mn
2+
 
,Fe
2+
 
)
 
2
Ti
 
2
[Si
 
8
O
 
24
]
14.9.28Kupletskite
(K,Na)
 
3
(Mn,Fe)
 
7
Ti
 
2
Si
 
8
O
 
26
(OH)
 
4
F
14.9.29Astrophyllite
(K,Na)
 
3
(Fe,Mn)
 
7
Ti
 
2
Si
 
8
O
 
24
(O,OH)
 
7
14.9.30Hydroastrophyllite
(H
 
3
O,K,Ca)
 
3
(Fe,Mn)
 
5-65
Ti
 
2
Si
 
8
(O,OH)
 
31
14.9.31Magnesioastrophyllite
(Na,K)
 
4
Mg
 
2
(Fe,Fe,Mn)
 
5
Ti
 
2
Si
 
8
O
 
24
(O,OH,F)
 
7
14.9.32Baratovite
KCa
 
7
(Ti,Zr)
 
2
Li
 
3
Si
 
12
O
 
36
F
 
2
14.9.34Aenigmatite
Na
 
2
Fe
2+
5
TiO
 
2
]Si
 
6
O
 
18
]
14.9.35Schorlomite
Ca
 
3
(Ti,Fe
3+
 
)
 
2
[(Si,Fe
3+
 
,Fe
2+
 
)O
 
4
]
 
3
14.9.36Tinaksite
K
 
2
Na(Ca,Mn
2+
 
)
 
2
Ti[O|Si
 
7
O
 
18
(OH)]
14.9.37Janhaugite
(Na,Ca)
 
3
(Mn,Fe)
 
3
(Ti,Zr,Nb)
 
2
Si
 
4
O
 
15
(OH,F,O)
 
3
14.9.38Koashvite
Na
 
6
(Ca,Mn)(Ti,Fe)Si
 
6
O
 
18
·H
 
2
O

Other Names for Titanite

Synonyms:
AspideliteCastelliteLederite (of Shepard)LiguriteMenakerz
SphenSpheneTitanite (of Klaproth)
German names:
AspidelitBraunmenakerzGelbmenakerzLiguritSemelin
SpinellinTitanit
Japanese names:
くさび石
Russian names:
Титанит
Spanish names:
AspidelitaLiguritaTitanita
Varieties:
Eucolite-TitaniteGreenoviteGrothiteKeilhauiteStanniferous Titanite
Yttrian Titanite

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 Titanite

Reference List:Jaffe, H.W. (1947), Re-examination of sphene, American Mineralogist: 32: 637-642.

Speer, J.A. & Gibbs, G.V. (1976): The crystal structure of the synthetic titanite CaOTiOSiO4, and the domain textures of natural titanites. Am. Mineral., 61, 238-247.

Neues Jahrbuch für Mineralogie, Monatshefte (1984): 251-256.

European Journal of Mineralogy (1992): 4: 307.

Urusov, V.S., Eremin, N.N., Yakubovich, O.V. (1995): Electron-density distribution in Ca{TiO[SiO4]} titanite. Crystallogr. Reports, 40, 442-448.

Hammer, V.M.F., Beran, A., Endisch, D., and Rauch, F. (1996) OH concentrations in natural titanites determined by FTIR spectroscopy and nuclear reaction aalysis. European Journal of Mineralogy: 8: 281-288.

Della Ventura, G., Bellatreccia, F., and Williams, C.T. (1999) Zr- and LREE-rich titanite from Tre Croci, Vico Volcanic complex (Latium, Italy). Mineralogical Magazine: 63: 123-130.

Jonckheere, R. and Wagner, G. (2000) On the occurrence of anomalous fission tracks in apatite and titanite. American Mineralogist: 85: 1744-1753.

Internet Links for Titanite

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    Localities for Titanite

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