Samarskite-(Y)

Samarskite-(Y) crystal (14 by 20 by 6 mm) protruding from a mass of samarskite-(Y) (overall dimensions 25 by 23 by 15 mm). The crystal shows a
yellow alteration product and some of the brick-red feldspar in which
it was embedded. I removed this the "old fashioned" way with hammer and chisel. Every analysis I have examined (both published and
private) where the source of the material is not in question and the
data are available for study, clearly indicates samarskite-(Y) and
excludes ishikawaite. The first analysis was by Roger C. Wells, Chief
Chemist at the U.S. Geological Survey, who published his data in USGS
Bulletin 878, 1937. The most recent analysis was by Hanson, Jarnot,
Falster, Simmons and Nizamoff, "Nb-Ta-Ti Minerals from Two Pegmatites of
the Middletown Area, Connecticut," 2003, presented at the Rochester
Mineralogical Symposium. Note: Private property; specimens collected with permission)

Field collected by, photographed by, and in the collection of Fred E
Davis, 2008.

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Photo added: 26th Apr 2009