Tantalite-(Mg)
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Formula:
(Mg,Fe2+)(Ta,Nb)2O6
Colour:
black
Lustre:
Metallic
Hardness:
5½
Specific Gravity:
6.73
Crystal System:
Orthorhombic
Member of:
Name:
For its relation to ferrotantalite and magnesium being the dominant cation
Formerly known as magnesiotantalite.
Classification of Tantalite-(Mg)
Approved
Approval Year:
2002
4/D.18-35
4.DB.35
4 : OXIDES (Hydroxides, V[5,6] vanadates, arsenites, antimonites, bismuthites, sulfites, selenites, tellurites, iodates)
D : Metal: Oxygen = 1:2 and similar
B : With medium-sized cations; chains of edge-sharing octahedra
4 : OXIDES (Hydroxides, V[5,6] vanadates, arsenites, antimonites, bismuthites, sulfites, selenites, tellurites, iodates)
D : Metal: Oxygen = 1:2 and similar
B : With medium-sized cations; chains of edge-sharing octahedra
Physical Properties of Tantalite-(Mg)
Metallic
Transparency:
Opaque
Colour:
black
Streak:
brownish red
Hardness:
5½ on Mohs scale
Tenacity:
Brittle
Density:
6.73 g/cm3 (Measured)
Chemical Properties of Tantalite-(Mg)
Formula:
(Mg,Fe2+)(Ta,Nb)2O6
IMA Formula:
MgTa2O6
Elements listed:
Crystallography of Tantalite-(Mg)
Crystal System:
Orthorhombic
Class (H-M):
mmm (2/m 2/m 2/m) - Dipyramidal
Cell Parameters:
a = 14.33 Å, b = 5.735 Å, c = 5.058 Å
Ratio:
a:b:c = 2.499 : 1 : 0.882
Unit Cell V:
415.68 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
X-Ray Powder Diffraction
Powder Diffraction Data:
| d-spacing | Intensity |
|---|---|
| 3.67 | (60) |
| 2.96 | (100) |
| 1.73 | (70) |
| 1.46 | (90) |
Type Occurrence of Tantalite-(Mg)
General Appearance of Type Material:
Alteration zones to a maximum thickness of about 0.5 mm formed between manganotantalite crystals and the host rock
Geological Setting of Type Material:
Andesite-calcite lenses in a zoned, metasomatically altered pegmatite vein hosted by serpentinite
Associated Minerals at Type Locality:
Synonyms of Tantalite-(Mg)
Other Language Names for Tantalite-(Mg)
Relationship of Tantalite-(Mg) to other Species
Member of:
Other Members of this group:
| Columbite-(Fe) | FeNb2O6 |
| Columbite-(Mg) | (Mg,Fe,Mn)(Nb,Ta)2O6 |
| Columbite-(Mn) | (Mn,Fe)(Nb,Ta)2O6 |
| Qitianlingite | (Fe,Mn)2(Nb,Ta)2WO10 |
| Tantalite-(Fe) | FeTa2O6 |
| Tantalite-(Mn) | MnTa2O6 |
Common Associates
Associated Minerals Based on Photo Data:
| Tantalite-(Mn) | 2 photos of Tantalite-(Mg) associated with Tantalite-(Mn) on mindat.org. |
| Microlite Group | 2 photos of Tantalite-(Mg) associated with Microlite Group on mindat.org. |
| Calcite | 2 photos of Tantalite-(Mg) associated with Calcite on mindat.org. |
Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping
| 4.DB.05 | Argutite | GeO2 |
| 4.DB.05 | Cassiterite | SnO2 |
| 4.DB.05 | Plattnerite | PbO2 |
| 4.DB.05 | Pyrolusite | MnO2 |
| 4.DB.05 | Rutile | TiO2 |
| 4.DB.05 | Tripuhyite | Fe3+Sb5+O4 |
| 4.DB.05 | Tugarinovite | MoO2 |
| 4.DB.05 | Varlamoffite | (Sn,Fe)(O,OH)2 |
| 4.DB.10 | Byströmite | MgSb2O6 |
| 4.DB.10 | Tapiolite-(Fe) | (Fe,Mn)(Ta,Nb)2O6 |
| 4.DB.10 | Tapiolite-(Mn) | (Mn,Fe)(Ta,Nb)2O6 |
| 4.DB.10 | Ordoñezite | ZnSb2O6 |
| 4.DB.15b | Akhtenskite | ε-Mn4+O2 |
| 4.DB.15c | Nsutite | (Mn4+,Mn2+)(O,OH)2 |
| 4.DB.15a | Paramontroseite | V4+O2 |
| 4.DB.15a | Ramsdellite | Mn4+O2 |
| 4.DB.20 | Scrutinyite | α-PbO2 |
| 4.DB.25 | Ishikawaite | U4+Fe2+Nb2O8 |
| 4.DB.25 | Ixiolite | (Ta,Nb,Sn,Fe,Mn)4O8 |
| 4.DB.25 | Samarskite-(Y) | (Y,Fe3+,Fe2+,U,Th,Ca)2(Nb,Ta)2O8 |
| 4.DB.25 | Srilankite | ZrTi2O6 |
| 4.DB.25 | Yttrocolumbite-(Y) | Y(U4+,Fe2+)Nb2O8 |
| 4.DB.25 | Calciosamarskite | (Ca,Fe3+,Y)2(Nb,Ta,Ti)2O8 |
| 4.DB.25 | Samarskite-(Yb) | (Yb,Y,Fe3+,Fe2+,U,Th,Ca)2(Nb,Ta)2O8 |
| 4.DB.30 | Ferberite | FeWO4 |
| 4.DB.30 | Hübnerite | MnWO4 |
| 4.DB.30 | Sanmartinite | (Zn,Fe)WO4 |
| 4.DB.30 | Krasnoselskite | CoWO4 |
| 4.DB.30 | Heftetjernite | ScTaO4 |
| 4.DB.30 | Huanzalaite | MgWO4 |
| 4.DB.35 | Columbite-(Fe) | FeNb2O6 |
| 4.DB.35 | Tantalite-(Fe) | FeTa2O6 |
| 4.DB.35 | Columbite-(Mn) | (Mn,Fe)(Nb,Ta)2O6 |
| 4.DB.35 | Tantalite-(Mn) | MnTa2O6 |
| 4.DB.35 | Columbite-(Mg) | (Mg,Fe,Mn)(Nb,Ta)2O6 |
| 4.DB.35 | Qitianlingite | (Fe,Mn)2(Nb,Ta)2WO10 |
| 4.DB.35 | Magnocolumbite | (Mg,Fe,Mn)(Nb,Ta)2O6 |
| 4.DB.40 | Ferrowodginite | Fe2+Sn4+Ta2O8 |
| 4.DB.40 | Lithiotantite | LiTa3O8 |
| 4.DB.40 | Lithiowodginite | LiTa3O8 |
| 4.DB.40 | Titanowodginite | Mn2+TiTa2O8 |
| 4.DB.40 | Wodginite | Mn2+Sn4+Ta2O8 |
| 4.DB.40 | Ferrotitanowodginite | Fe2+TiTa2O8 |
| 4.DB.40 | Wolframowodginite | Mn(Mn,Sn,Fe,Ta)(W,Ta,Nb)2O8 |
| 4.DB.45 | Tivanite | V3+TiO3(OH) |
| 4.DB.50 | Carmichaelite | (Ti,Cr,Fe)[O2-x(OH)x] |
| 4.DB.55 | Alumotantite | AlTaO4 |
| 4.DB.60 | Biehlite | ((Sb,As)O)2[MoO4] |
Other Information
Health Risks:
No information on health risks for this material has been entered into the database. You should always treat mineral specimens with care.
References for Tantalite-(Mg)
Reference List:
Sort by Year (asc) | by Year (desc) | by Author (A-Z) | by Author (Z-A)
Pekov, I.V., et al. (2003): Zapiski Vserossiyskogo Mineralogicheskogo Obshchestva: 132(2): 49-59 (in Russian).
Internet Links for Tantalite-(Mg)
mindat.org URL:
https://www.mindat.org/min-11465.html
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External Links:
Mineral Dealers:
Localities for Tantalite-(Mg)
This map shows a selection of localities that have latitude and longitude coordinates recorded. Click on the 
symbol to view information about a locality.
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(TL) indicates type locality for a valid mineral species. (FRL) indicates first recorded locality for everything else. ? 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.
Russia (TL) | |
| Zap. Vseross. Mineral. Obshch., 132(2),; Lapis 28(10), 60 (2003); Igor.V. Pekov, Lyudmila R. Memetova (2008) Minerals of the Lipovka Granite Pegmatites, Central Urals, Russia. Mineralogical Almanac 13:6-45 |
Sri Lanka | |
| Ceylon Aluvial Mine, (Book, Co. 2002) |
Lipovka Mine, Lipovka pegmatite field, Rezh District, Sverdlovskaya Oblast', Middle Urals, Urals Region, Russia