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Titanite

Big Photo

Caspar quarry, Ettringer Bellerberg Mt. (Bellberg Mt.; Bellenberg Mt.; Billenberg Mt.; Boilenberg Mt.), Bellerberg volcano, Ettringen, Mayen, Eifel Mts, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany
© Stephan Wolfsried

Show Titanite Photos (873)
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. Often contains minor Al.

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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Type Occurrence of Titanite

Type Locality:Titanite occurrence, Hauzenberg, Bavarian Forest, Lower Bavaria, Bavaria, Germany
Year of Discovery:1795
Associated Minerals at type locality:
QuartzMica GroupHornblendeFeldspar Group

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
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)

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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

Member of Group:
Titanite Group:
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.05Braunite-II
CaMn
3+
14
SiO
 
24
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
(Fe,Mg)(SiO
 
4
)
 
3
[SiO
 
3
(OH)]
 
4
(OH)
 
3
9.AG.20Cerite-(La)
(La,Ce,Ca)
 
9
(Fe,Ca,Mg)(SiO
 
4
)
 
3
[SiO
 
3
(OH)]
 
4
(OH)
 
3
9.AG.20Aluminocerite-(Ce)
(Ce,La,Ca)
 
9
(Al,Fe
3+
 
)(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.40aNatisite
Na
 
2
Ti[O|SiO
 
4
]
9.AG.40bParanatisite
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
 
4
MgFe
3+
2
Ti
4+
2
O
 
8
(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)
Other Languages:
Croatian:Titanit
Czech:Titanit
Dutch:Titaniet
Estonian:Titaniit
French:Titanite
German:Titanit
Aspidelit
Braunmenakerz
Gelbmenakerz
Ligurit
Semelin
Spinellin
Hebrew:טיטניט
Hungarian:Titanit
Italian:Titanite
Japanese:チタン石
くさび石
Polish:Tytanit
Portuguese:Titanita
Romanian:Titanit
Russian:Титанит
Slovak:Titanit
Slovenian:Titanit
Spanish:Titanita
Aspidelita
Ligurita
Swedish:Titanit
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:Klaproth M.H. (1795): Beiträge zur chemischen Kenntnis der Mineralkörper, Teil 1, XV. Untersuchung eines neuen Fossils (Titanit) aus dem Passauischen, 245-252, Rottmann Berlin

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.

F. Colombo and E. V. Pannunzio Miner (2009): Synthesis and crystal structure refinement by the Rietveld method of antimony-bearing titanite Ca(Ti0.6Al0.2Sb0.2)OSiO4. Powder Diffraction 24, 221-227.

Articles/Blogs about Titanite

Article entries:
The Huonville Sphene PitTrevor Dart

Internet Links for Titanite

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    Localities for Titanite

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