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Zirkelite

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Palabora mine, Loolekop, Phalaborwa, Limpopo Province, South Africa

Formula:
(Ti,Ca,Zr)O
 
2-x
System:MonoclinicColour:Yellow, light brown, ...
Lustre:ResinousHardness:5½
Name:Named after Ferdinand Zirkel (1838-1912), Professor of Mineralogy, University of Leipzig (Germany). A pioneer in the microscopic investigation of rocks.
This page provides mineralogical data about Zirkelite.

Classification of Zirkelite

IMA status:Approved
Strunz 8th edition ID:4/C.15-10
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:4.DL.05

4 : OXIDES (Hydroxides, V[5,6] vanadates, arsenites, antimonites, bismuthites, sulfites, selenites, tellurites, iodates)
D : Metal: Oxygen = 1:2 and similar
L : With large (+- medium-sized) cations; fluorite-type structures
Dana 8th edition ID:8.2.5.1

8 : MULTIPLE OXIDES CONTAINING NIOBIUM,TANTALUM OR TITANIUM
2 : A2B2O6(O,OH,F)
Hey's CIM Ref.:7.10.8

7 : Oxides and Hydroxides
10 : Oxides of Zr and Th
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Type Occurrence of Zirkelite

Type Locality:Jacupiranga Mine, Cajati, São Paulo, Southeast Region, Brazil
Year of Discovery:1895

Physical Properties of Zirkelite

Lustre:Resinous
Diaphaneity (Transparency):Translucent on thin edges
Colour:Yellow, light brown, black
Hardness (Mohs):5½
Tenacity:Brittle
Fracture:Conchoidal
Density (measured):4.741 g/cm3

Crystallography of Zirkelite

Crystal System:Monoclinic
Cell Parameters:a = 12.43Å, b = 7.22Å, c = 11.48Å
β = 100.33°
Ratio:a:b:c = 1.722 : 1 : 1.59
Unit Cell Volume:V 1,013.57 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Morphology:Crystals as flattened octahedra.
Twinning:On {111} very common, both polysynthetic and as complicated fourlings.

Chemical Properties of Zirkelite

Formula:
(Ti,Ca,Zr)O
 
2-x
Essential elements:O, Ti
All elements listed in formula:Ca, O, Ti, Zr

Relationship of Zirkelite to other Species

Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):

- +
4.DL.05Cerianite-(Ce)
(Ce
4+
 
,Th)O
 
2
4.DL.05Thorianite
ThO
 
2
4.DL.05Uraninite
UO
 
2
4.DL.10Calzirtite
CaZr
 
3
TiO
 
9
4.DL.10Tazheranite
(Zr,Ti,Ca)O
 
2
4.DL.10Hiärneite
(Ca,Mn,Na)
 
2
(Zr,Mn
3+
 
)
 
5
(Sb,Ti,Fe)
 
2
O
 
16
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:

- +
7.10.1Baddeleyite
ZrO
 
2
7.10.2Arkelite
ZrO
 
2
7.10.3Painite
ZrCaAl
 
9
[O
 
15
|BO
 
3
]
7.10.4Srilankite
Ti
 
2
ZrO
 
6
7.10.5Zirconolite
CaZrTi
 
2
O
 
7
7.10.6Calzirtite
CaZr
 
3
TiO
 
9
7.10.7Tazheranite
(Zr,Ti,Ca)O
 
2
7.10.9Uhligite
Ca
 
3
(Ti,Al,Zr)
 
9
O
 
20
 ?
7.10.10Thorianite
ThO
 
2

Other Names for Zirkelite

Other Languages:
German:Zirkelit
Russian:Циркелит
Spanish:Zirkelita

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 Zirkelite

Reference List:Hussak (1894), Min. Mitt.: 14: 408.

Hussak and Prior (1895), Mineralogical Magazine (1895): 11: 80-88.

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: 740.

Mazzi, F. and Munno, R. (1983) Calciobetafite (new mineral of the pyrochlore group) and related minerals from Campi Flegrei, Italy; crystal structures of polymignite, and zirkelite: comparison with pyrochlore and zirconolite. American Mineralogist: 68: 262-276.

Mineralogical Magazine (1989): 53: 565.

Mineralogical Magazine: 62: 837-846.

Bulakh, Andrei G.; Nesterov, Alexander R.; Anastasenko, Galina F.; Anisimov, Ilija S. (1999): Crystal morphology and intergrowths of calzirtite Ca2Zr5TiO16, zirkelite (Ti,Ca,Zr)O2-x, zirconolite CaZrTi2O7 in phoscorites and carbonatites of the Kola Peninsula (Russia). Neues Jahrb. Mineral., Monatsh. 1999, 11-20.

Articles/Blogs about Zirkelite

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    Localities for Zirkelite

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    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.
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    (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
     
    • Southeast Region
      • São Paulo
        • Cajati
    		[MinRec 15:269]
    Canada
     
    • British Columbia
      • Omenica Mining Division
        • Williston Lake
    		www.em.gov.bc.ca/DL/GSBPubs/GeoFldWk/1986/283-289-mader.pdf.
    Czech Republic
     
    • Moravia (Mähren; Maehren)
      • Vysočina Region
        • Nové Město na Moravě
    		Novák, M., Šrein, V.: Ryzí antimon v rutilu z dolomitického mramoru od Studnice u Nového Města na Moravě. Minerál, 1997, roč. 5, č. 4, s. 265-266.
    Hungary
     
    • Heves Co.
      • Bükk Mts.
        • Szarvaskő
    		Koch: Minerals of Hungary, 1985
    Italy
     
    • Latium
      • Latina Province
        • Ponza Island
    		H.E. Belkin, B. De Vivo, A. Lima : "Magmatic (silicte/saline/sulfur-rich/CO2) immiscibility and zirconium and rare-earth element enrichment from alkaline magam chamber margins : evidence from Ponza Island, Pontine Archipelago, Italy", Eur. J. Mineral. , 1996, 8, 1401-1420.
    Kazakhstan
     
    Norway
     
    • Vestfold
      • Larvik
        • Hedrum
    		J. Hysingjord (1978, pers. com.); Neumann (1985, p. 70).
    Russia
     
    • Eastern-Siberian Region
      • Saha Republic (Sakha Republic; Yakutia)
    		[World of Stones 12:49]
    • Northern Region
      • Murmanskaja Oblast'
        • Kola Peninsula
          • Afrikanda
    		www.koeln.netsurf.de/~w.steffens/afri.htm
    www.koeln.netsurf.de/~w.steffens/khib.htm
    www.koeln.netsurf.de/~w.steffens/lovo.htm
    www.koeln.netsurf.de/~w.steffens/vuori.htm
    South Africa
     
    • Limpopo Province
      • Phalaborwa
        • Loolekop
    		No reference listed
    Sri Lanka
     
    • Sabaragamuwa Province
      • Bambarabotuwa District
    UK
     
    • Scotland
      • Outer Hebrides
    		Harding R.R., Merriman R.J. and Nancarrow P.H.A. 1982. Mineralogical Magazine vol 46
    USA
     
    • Colorado
      • Teller Co.
        • Cripple Creek District
    		Min Rec 36:2 pp143-185
    • New Mexico
      • Socorro Co.
    		Minerals of New Mexico 3rd ed.
    • Texas
      • Culberson Co.
        • Apache Peak area
    		Rocks & Minerals: 66(3): 196-224.
    Mineral and/or Locality
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