Learning Center What is a mineral?The most common minerals on earth Information for Educators Mindat Articles The Elements The Rock H. Currier Digital Library Geologic Time

Minerals by Properties Minerals by Chemistry Advanced Locality Search Random Mineral Random Locality Search by minID Localities Near Me Search Articles Search Glossary More Search Options

The Mindat Manual Add a New Photo Rate Photos Locality Edit Report Coordinate Completion Report Add Glossary Item

Mining Companies Statistics Users Mineral Museums Clubs & Organizations Mineral Shows & Events The Mindat Directory Device Settings The Mineral Quiz

Photo Search Photo Galleries Search by Color New Photos Today New Photos Yesterday Members' Photo Galleries Past Photo of the Day Gallery Photography

Discussions

💬 Home 🔎 Search 📅 Latest

╳Discussions

💬 Home 🔎 Search 📅 Latest

Groups

Recent Images in Discussions

Identity HelpPakistan Unknown

6th Apr 2012 04:38 UTCSteve Hardinger 🌟 Expert

At first I labeled this as epidote/clinozoisite, but doubted it later, because the striations are perpendicular to the long axis of the crystal.

The crystals are brown, transparent, and glassy. Hardness > glass. The only locality info I have is Pakistan. The matrix is quartz, and there appears to be a small hematite crystal present as well.

Any ideas about identity?

6th Apr 2012 04:39 UTCSteve Hardinger 🌟 Expert

Another picture...

6th Apr 2012 05:26 UTCRalph S Bottrill 🌟 Manager

Possibly tantalite-Mn, but the form is quite unusual?

6th Apr 2012 05:55 UTCSteve Hardinger 🌟 Expert

I thought about tantalite but the terminations and striations seem wrong.

6th Apr 2012 06:06 UTCStephanie Martin

I know the hardness doesn't fit and this is probably way off, but they remind me of xenotimes from Brazil?

regards,

stephanie:-)

6th Apr 2012 09:21 UTCEligiusz Szełęg Expert

looks like cassiterite or similar tetragonal minerals (zircon, xenotime)

6th Apr 2012 09:25 UTCUwe Kolitsch Manager

I'd agree with Stephanie.

6th Apr 2012 10:05 UTCKnut Eldjarn 🌟 Manager

Vesuvianite ?

6th Apr 2012 10:06 UTCPeter Slootweg 🌟

That's a very nice Mangano-Tantalite. You don't see them too often with this high luster. fine specimen.

Peter

6th Apr 2012 12:25 UTCJohan Kjellman Expert

yes box - tantalite!

6th Apr 2012 14:45 UTCSteve Hardinger 🌟 Expert

Thanks for the suggestions. I'll do more tests, with these candidates in mind. In the end I'll probably submit it for XRD.

6th Apr 2012 16:05 UTCRonald John Gyllenhammer Expert

Hi Steve,

Alot of good suggestions. I think it may be either Zircon or Xenotime. Have you checked for fluorescence or radioactivity, these tests may be diagnostic for this. BTW, it's a beautiful specimen, good luck with it.

Ron

6th Apr 2012 16:28 UTCRudy Bolona Expert

The striations, terminations and crystal form look just like a couple of wodginite specimens I have. These striations are located on the A axis and 100 face of wodginite crystals.

6th Apr 2012 19:06 UTCUwe Kolitsch Manager

How were these wodginite specimens analysed?

7th Apr 2012 04:03 UTCSteve Hardinger 🌟 Expert

The specimen is not radioactive, and has no fluorescence under either SW or LW UV.

7th Apr 2012 05:52 UTCHarold (Hal) Prior Expert

looks like Zaqi Mountain, Northern areas Xenotime.

7th Apr 2012 06:57 UTCSteve Hardinger 🌟 Expert

Hal, I don't think so. The color of my specimen is too dark (too brown; not yellowish).

7th Apr 2012 23:08 UTCLuiz Alberto Dias Menezes, Fo.

Xenotime will show a perfect prismatic cleavage

12th Apr 2012 19:48 UTCSteve Hardinger 🌟 Expert

Thanks to John Attard of Attard's Minerals (http://attminerals.com/) for confirming that this is tantalite-(Mn).

12th Apr 2012 21:30 UTCJosé Zendrera 🌟 Manager

Congratulations to Ralph, Peter and Johan!

13th Apr 2012 00:21 UTCNeal Luppescu

Mn tantalite

13th Apr 2012 03:17 UTCStephanie Martin

That's more like mmm-tantalite :-D. Congrats to Steve, it is a nice one!

regards,

stephanie :-)

Mindat.org is an outreach project of the Hudson Institute of Mineralogy, a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization.
Copyright © mindat.org and the Hudson Institute of Mineralogy 1993-2024, except where stated. Most political location boundaries are © OpenStreetMap contributors. Mindat.org relies on the contributions of thousands of members and supporters. Founded in 2000 by Jolyon Ralph.
Privacy Policy - Terms & Conditions - Contact Us / DMCA issues - Report a bug/vulnerability Current server date and time: April 19, 2024 12:46:37

Go to top of page