Monazite-(Ce)

Monazite-(Ce)
Monazite-(Ce), Quartz. Locality: Siglo Veinte Mine (Siglo XX Mine; Llallagua Mine; Catavi), Llallagua, Rafael Bustillo Province, Potosí Department, Bolivia (Locality at mindat.org). Size: 3.5 × 2.6 × 1.3 cm.
General
Category	Phosphate mineral
Formula	CePO4
IMA symbol	Mnz-Ce [1]
Crystal system	Monoclinic
Crystal class	Prismatic: 2/m
Space group	P21/b
Unit cell	a = 6.7902, b = 7.0203, c = 6.4674 [Å]; β = 103.6°
Identification
References	[2]

Monazite-(Ce) (CePO₄) is the most common representative of the monazite group. It is the cerium-dominant analogue of monazite-(La), monazite-(Nd), and monazite-(Sm). It is also the phosphorus analogue of gasparite-(Ce). ^[2] The group contains simple rare earth phosphate minerals with the general formula of AXO₄, where A = Ce, La, Nd, or Sm (or, rarely, Bi), and X = P or, rarely, As. The A site may also bear Ca and Th. ^[3]

References

1. Warr, L.N. (2021). "IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols". Mineralogical Magazine. 85 (3): 291–320. Bibcode:2021MinM...85..291W. doi: 10.1180/mgm.2021.43 . S2CID   235729616.
2. Mindat, Monazite-(Ce), https://www.mindat.org/min-2751.html
3. Mindat, Monazite Group, https://www.mindat.org/min-29313.html