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Vigezzite

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Alpe Rosso, Orcesco, Druogno, Vigezzo Valley, Ossola Valley, Verbano-Cusio-Ossola Province, Piedmont, Italy
© D. Preite - M.C.

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Formula:
(Ca,Ce)(Nb,Ti)
 
2
O
 
6
System:OrthorhombicColour:Orange-yellow
Hardness:4½ - 5
Member of:Aeschynite Group
Name:Named after its discovery locality in the Vigezzo valley, Piedmont, Italy.


Aeschynite Group.

Classification of Vigezzite

IMA status:Approved 1977
Strunz 8th edition ID:4/D.21-40
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:4.DF.05

4 : OXIDES (Hydroxides, V[5,6] vanadates, arsenites, antimonites, bismuthites, sulfites, selenites, tellurites, iodates)
D : Metal: Oxygen = 1:2 and similar
F : With large (+- medium-sized) cations; dimers and trimers of edgesharing octahedra
Dana 8th edition ID:8.3.7.1

8 : MULTIPLE OXIDES CONTAINING NIOBIUM,TANTALUM OR TITANIUM
3 : AB2O6
Hey's CIM Ref.:18.2.19

18 : Niobates and Tantalates
2 : Niobates and tantalates containing rare earths but not U
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Type Occurrence of Vigezzite

Type Locality:Alpe Rosso, Orcesco, Druogno, Vigezzo Valley, Ossola Valley, Verbano-Cusio-Ossola Province, Piedmont, Italy
Year of Discovery:1977

Physical Properties of Vigezzite

Colour:Orange-yellow
Streak:white
Hardness (Mohs):4½ - 5
Cleavage:Distinct/Good

Crystallography of Vigezzite

Crystal System:Orthorhombic
Cell Parameters:a = 7.55Å, b = 11.03Å, c = 5.36Å
Ratio:a:b:c = 0.684 : 1 : 0.486
Unit Cell Volume:V 446.36 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)

Optical Data of Vigezzite

Type:Biaxial (+)
RI values: nα = 2.140 nγ = 2.315
Maximum Birefringence:δ = 0.175

Chart shows birefringence interference colour range (at 30µm thickness) and does not take into account mineral colouration.
Surface Relief:Moderate
Dispersion:extreme

Chemical Properties of Vigezzite

Formula:
(Ca,Ce)(Nb,Ti)
 
2
O
 
6
Essential elements:Ca, Nb, O
All elements listed in formula:Ca, Ce, Nb, O, Ti
Common Impurities:Ta

Relationship of Vigezzite to other Species

Member of:Aeschynite Group
Other Members of Group:

- +
Aeschynite-(Ce)
(Ce,Ca,Fe,Th)(Ti,Nb)
 
2
(O,OH)
 
6
Aeschynite-(Nd)
(Nd,Ce,Ca)(Ti,Nb)
 
2
(O,OH)
 
6
Aeschynite-(Y)
(Y,Ca,Fe,Th)(Ti,Nb)
 
2
(O,OH)
 
6
Nioboaeschynite-(Ce)
(Ce,Ca,Th)(Nb,Ti)
 
2
(O,OH)
 
6
Nioboaeschynite-(Nd)
(Nd,Ce,Ca,Th)(Nb,Ti,Fe,Ta)
 
2
(O,OH)
 
6
Nioboaeschynite-(Y)
(Y,Ca,Ce,Nd,Th)(Nb,Ti,Ta)
 
2
(O,OH)
 
6
Rynersonite
Ca(Ta,Nb)
 
2
O
 
6
Tantalaeschynite-(Y)
(Y,Ce,Ca)(Ta,Ti,Nb)
 
2
O
 
6
Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):

- +
4.DF.05Aeschynite-(Ce)
(Ce,Ca,Fe,Th)(Ti,Nb)
 
2
(O,OH)
 
6
4.DF.05Aeschynite-(Nd)
(Nd,Ce,Ca)(Ti,Nb)
 
2
(O,OH)
 
6
4.DF.05Aeschynite-(Y)
(Y,Ca,Fe,Th)(Ti,Nb)
 
2
(O,OH)
 
6
4.DF.05Nioboaeschynite-(Ce)
(Ce,Ca,Th)(Nb,Ti)
 
2
(O,OH)
 
6
4.DF.05Nioboaeschynite-(Nd)
(Nd,Ce,Ca,Th)(Nb,Ti,Fe,Ta)
 
2
(O,OH)
 
6
4.DF.05Nioboaeschynite-(Y)
(Y,Ca,Ce,Nd,Th)(Nb,Ti,Ta)
 
2
(O,OH)
 
6
4.DF.05Rynersonite
Ca(Ta,Nb)
 
2
O
 
6
4.DF.05Tantalaeschynite-(Y)
(Y,Ce,Ca)(Ta,Ti,Nb)
 
2
O
 
6
4.DF.10Changbaiite
PbNb
 
2
O
 
6
4.DF.15Murataite-(Y)
(Y,Na)
 
6
Zn(Zn,Fe
3+
 
)
 
4
(Ti,Nb,Na)
 
12
O
 
29
(O,F,OH)
 
10
F
 
4
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:

- +
18.2.1Fergusonite-(Y)
YNbO
 
4
18.2.2β-Fergusonite-(Y)
YNbO
 
4
18.2.3Fergusonite-(Ce)
(Ce,La,Nd)NbO
 
4
18.2.4β-Fergusonite-(Ce)
(Ce,La,Nd)NbO
 
4
18.2.5Fergusonite-(Nd)
(Nd,Ce)(Nb,Ti)O
 
4
18.2.6β-Fergusonite-(Nd)
(Nd,Ce)NbO
 
4
18.2.7Formanite-(Y)
YTaO
 
4
18.2.8Pyrochlore Group
A
 
2
Nb
 
2
(O,OH)
 
6
Z
18.2.9Ceriopyrochlore (of Hogarth 1977)
18.2.10Strontiopyrochlore (of Hogarth 1977)
18.2.11Loparite-(Ce)
(Na,Ce,Ca,Sr,Th)(Ti,Nb,Fe)O
 
3
18.2.12Fersmite
(Ca,Y)(Nb,Ta,Ti)
 
2
(O,OH)
 
6
18.2.13Aeschynite-(Ce)
(Ce,Ca,Fe,Th)(Ti,Nb)
 
2
(O,OH)
 
6
18.2.14Aeschynite-(Nd)
(Nd,Ce,Ca)(Ti,Nb)
 
2
(O,OH)
 
6
18.2.15Aeschynite-(Y)
(Y,Ca,Fe,Th)(Ti,Nb)
 
2
(O,OH)
 
6
18.2.16Nioboaeschynite-(Ce)
(Ce,Ca,Th)(Nb,Ti)
 
2
(O,OH)
 
6
18.2.17Nioboaeschynite-(Nd)
(Nd,Ce,Ca,Th)(Nb,Ti,Fe,Ta)
 
2
(O,OH)
 
6
18.2.18Tantalaeschynite-(Y)
(Y,Ce,Ca)(Ta,Ti,Nb)
 
2
O
 
6
18.2.20Murataite-(Y)
(Y,Na)
 
6
Zn(Zn,Fe
3+
 
)
 
4
(Ti,Nb,Na)
 
12
O
 
29
(O,F,OH)
 
10
F
 
4

Other Names for Vigezzite

Synonyms:
IMA1977-008
Other Languages:
German:Vigezzit
Russian:Виджеццит
Spanish:Vigezzita

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 Vigezzite

Reference List:

- +
Graeser, S., Schwander, H., Hänni, H., Mattioli, V. (1979): Vigezzite, (Ca,Ce)(Nb,Ta,Ti)2O6, a new aeschynite-type mineral from the Alps. Mineralogical Magazine, 43, 459-462.

Mattioli, V. (1979): La vigezzite, nuovo minerale. Rivista Mineralogica Italiana, 1979, 5-13.

American Mineralogist (1980): 65: 811-812.

Mattioli, V. (1983): Fersmit und Vigezzit: zwei seltene Minerale von Orcesco im Val Vigezzo. Lapis, 8, 22-24.

Mattioli, V. (1987): Novità mineralogiche in Val d'Ossola. Rivista Italiana di Paleontologia e Stratigrafia, 10, 1-11.

Zhuravleva, L.N., Ryabeva, Y.G., Yurkina, K.V., Solntseva, L.S. (1989): First discovery of vigezzite in USSR, Kola Peninsula. Izvestiya Akademii Nauk SSSR, 8, 134-136.

Giuseppetti G. & Tadini C. (1990): The crystal structure of vigezzite, (Ca,Ce)(Nb,Ta,Ti)2O6, intermediate term of the aeschynite series. Neues Jahrbuch für Mineralogie, Monatshefte (1990): 301-308.

Albertini, C. (1996): I minerali del V.C.O. - Vigezzite. Rivista Ossolana, 2, 78.

Albertini C. (1996): Das Valle Vigezzo (Verbano-Cusio-Ossola) in Piemont, Italien. Eine klassische Mineralfundstelle in den Alpen. Mineralien Welt, VII, 39; 42.

Aurisicchio, C., De Vito, C., Ferrini, V., Orlandi, P. (2001): Nb-Ta oxide minerals from miarolitic pegmatites of the Baveno pink granite, NW Italy. Mineralogical Magazine, 65, 509-522.

Internet Links for Vigezzite

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  • Raman and XRD data at RRUFF project
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  • Vigezzite details from Handbook of Mineralogy (PDF)
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    • Localities for Vigezzite

    The map shows a selection of localities that have latitude and longitude coordinates recorded. Click on the symbol to view information about a locality. The symbol next to localities in the list can be used to jump to that position on the map.
    Hide Locality List
    (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.
    Brazil
     
    • São Paulo
      • Cajati
    		No reference listed
    Canada
     
    • Ontario
      • Renfrew Co.
        • Lyndoch Township
          • Quadeville
    		ontariominerals.com
    Italy
     
    • Piedmont
      • Verbano-Cusio-Ossola Province
        • Ossola Valley
          • Vigezzo Valley
            • Druogno
              • Orcesco
    		St. Graeser et al.: Mineral. Mag. 43:459-462 (1979); Mattioli V. (1987) - Novità mineralogiche in Val d'Ossola - Rivista Mineralogica Italiana, Milano, fasc. 1, pp.1-11
            • Trontano
    		Mattioli V. (1987) - Novità mineralogiche in Val d'Ossola - Rivista Mineralogica Italiana, Milano, fasc. 1, pp.1-11
    Madagascar
     
    • Antananarivo Province
      • Vakinankaratra Region
        • Betafo District
          • Andrembesoa Commune
            • Tetezantsio-Andoabatokely Pegmatite Field
    		Pezzotta, Federico (2007): Ta-Nb borates and other rare accessory phases in granitic pegmatites of the Itremo region, central Madagascar. Bergverksmuseet Skrift 35,97-98
    Russia
     
    • Northern Region
      • Murmanskaja Oblast'
        • Kola Peninsula
    Spain
     
    • Madrid
    Tanago, J. G., Lozano, P. L., Larios, A. , La Iglesia, A. (2012) Stokesite crystals from La Cabrera, Madrid, Spain. Mineralogical Record 43:499-508
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