Pyrophanite

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Pyrophanite
Pyrophanite-183958.jpg
General
Category Oxide mineral
Formula
(repeating unit)
MnTiO3
IMA symbol Pph [1]
Strunz classification 4.CB.05
Dana classification4.3.5.3
Crystal system Trigonal
Crystal class Rhombohedral (3)
(same H-M symbol)
Space group R3
Unit cell a = 5.13948(7) Å,
c = 14.2829(4) Å; Z = 6
Identification
ColorDeep blood-red to greenish black
Crystal habit Rarely as rosettes of hexagonal plates, typically granular, scaly; occurs as exsolution lamenae in franklinite and spinel
Cleavage Perfect on {0221}
Fracture Conchoidal
Tenacity Brittle
Mohs scale hardness5–6
Luster Submetallic
Streak Ochre yellow
Diaphaneity Subtranslucent to opaque
Specific gravity 4.537 measured
Optical propertiesUniaxial (-)
Refractive index nω = 2.481 nε = 2.210
Birefringence δ = 0.271
Common impuritiesFe, Zn
References [2] [3] [4]

Pyrophanite is a manganese titanium oxide mineral with formula: MnTiO3. It is a member of the ilmenite group. It is a deep red to greenish black mineral which crystallizes in the trigonal system.

Discovery and occurrence

It was first described in 1890 from an occurrence in the Harstigen Mine, Filipstad, Värmland, Sweden. [3] Its name was derived from the Greek πΰρ, fire, and φαίνεσθαι, to appear, because of the deep red color of the mineral. [3]

Its main occurrence is in manganese deposits that have undergone metamorphism. It also occurs in granite, amphibolite and serpentinite as an uncommon accessory mineral. Associated minerals include ilmenite, geikielite, hematite, spinel, gahnite, chromite, magnetite, ganophyllite, manganophyllite, hendricksite, garnet and calcite. [2]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ilmenite</span> Titanium-iron oxide mineral

Ilmenite is a titanium-iron oxide mineral with the idealized formula FeTiO
3
. It is a weakly magnetic black or steel-gray solid. Ilmenite is the most important ore of titanium and the main source of titanium dioxide, which is used in paints, printing inks, fabrics, plastics, paper, sunscreen, food and cosmetics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rhodochrosite</span> Mineral of manganese carbonate

Rhodochrosite is a manganese carbonate mineral with chemical composition MnCO3. In its pure form (rare), it is typically a rose-red colour, but it can also be shades of pink to pale brown. It streaks white, and its Mohs hardness varies between 3.5 and 4.5. Its specific gravity is between 3.45 and 3.6. It crystallizes in the trigonal system, and cleaves with rhombohedral carbonate cleavage in three directions. Crystal twinning often is present. It is often confused with the manganese silicate, rhodonite, but is distinctly softer. Rhodochrosite is formed by the oxidation of manganese ore, and is found in South Africa, China, and the Americas. It is officially listed as one of the National symbols of Argentina.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Epidote</span> Sorosilicate mineral

Epidote is a calcium aluminium iron sorosilicate mineral.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tephroite</span>

Tephroite is the manganese endmember of the olivine group of nesosilicate minerals with the formula Mn2SiO4. A solid solution series exists between tephroite and its analogues, the group endmembers fayalite and forsterite. Divalent iron or magnesium may readily replace manganese in the olivine crystal structure.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adamite</span>

Adamite is a zinc arsenate hydroxide mineral, Zn2AsO4OH. It is a mineral that typically occurs in the oxidized or weathered zone above zinc ore occurrences. Pure adamite is colorless, but usually it possess yellow color due to Fe compounds admixture. Tints of green also occur and are connected with copper substitutions in the mineral structure. Olivenite is a copper arsenate that is isostructural with adamite and there is considerable substitution between zinc and copper resulting in an intermediate called cuproadamite. Zincolivenite is a recently discovered mineral being an intermediate mineral with formula CuZn(AsO4)(OH). Manganese, cobalt, and nickel also substitute in the structure. An analogous zinc phosphate, tarbuttite, is known.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Todorokite</span> Hydrous manganese oxide mineral

Todorokite is a rare complex hydrous manganese oxide mineral with the chemical formula (Na,Ca,K,Ba,Sr)
1-x
(Mn,Mg,Al)
6
O
12
·3-4H
2
O
. It was named in 1934 for the type locality, the Todoroki mine, Hokkaido, Japan. It belongs to the prismatic class 2/m of the monoclinic crystal system, but the angle β between the a and c axes is close to 90°, making it seem orthorhombic. It is a brown to black mineral which occurs in massive or tuberose forms. It is quite soft with a Mohs hardness of 1.5, and a specific gravity of 3.49 - 3.82. It is a component of deep ocean basin manganese nodules.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Triploidite</span>

Triploidite is an uncommon manganese iron phosphate mineral with formula: (Mn, Fe)2PO4OH. It crystallizes in the monoclinic crystal system and typically occurs as elongated and striated slender prisms which may be columnar to fibrous. Its crystals may be pinkish to yellowish brown or red-orange.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Galaxite</span>

Galaxite, also known as 'mangan-spinel' is an isometric mineral belonging to the spinel group of oxides with the ideal chemical formula Mn2+Al2O4.

Geigerite is a mineral, a complex hydrous manganese arsenate with formula: Mn5(AsO3OH)2(AsO4)2·10H2O. It forms triclinic pinacoidal, vitreous, colorless to red to brown crystals. It has a Mohs hardness of 3 and a specific gravity of 3.05.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cafetite</span>

Cafetite is a rare titanium oxide mineral with formula (Ca,Mg)(Fe,Al)
2
Ti
4
O
12
·4(H
2
O)
. It is named for its composition, Ca-Fe-Ti.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Neptunite</span>

Neptunite is a silicate mineral with the formula KNa2Li(Fe2+, Mn2+)2Ti2Si8O24. With increasing manganese it forms a series with mangan-neptunite. Watatsumiite is the variety with vanadium replacing the titanium in the formula.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eosphorite</span> Phosphate mineral

Eosphorite is a brown (occasionally pink) manganese hydrous phosphate mineral with chemical formula: MnAl(PO4)(OH)2·H2O. It is used as a gemstone.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Manganosite</span>

Manganosite is a rare mineral composed of manganese(II) oxide MnO. It was first described in 1817 for an occurrence in the Harz Mountains, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. It has also been reported from Langban and Nordmark, Sweden and at Franklin Furnace, New Jersey. It also occurs in Japan, Kyrgyzstan and Burkina Faso.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wodginite</span>

Wodginite is a manganese, tin, tantalum oxide mineral with the chemical formula Mn2+(Sn,Ta)Ta2O8. It may also include significant amounts of niobium.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pyroxmangite</span>

Pyroxmangite has the general chemical formula of MnSiO3. It is the high-pressure, low-temperature dimorph of rhodonite.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cryptomelane</span>

Cryptomelane is a potassium manganese oxide mineral with formula K(Mn4+,Mn2+)8O16.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Geikielite</span> Magnesium titanium oxide mineral

Geikielite is a magnesium titanium oxide mineral with formula: MgTiO3. It is a member of the ilmenite group. It crystallizes in the trigonal system forming typically opaque, black to reddish black crystals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pseudobrookite</span> Iron titanium oxide mineral

Pseudobrookite is an iron titanium oxide mineral with formula: Fe2TiO5 or (Fe3+,Fe2+)2(Ti,Fe2+)O5.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carpholite</span>

Carpholite is a manganese silicate mineral with formula Mn2+Al2Si2O6(OH)4. It occurs as yellow clusters of slender prisms or needles. It crystallizes in the orthorhombic system.

Ganophyllite is a phyllosilicate mineral. It was named by Axel Hamberg in 1890 from the Greek words for leaf (φύλλον) and luster (γανωμα); the latter one was chosen due to the lustrous cleavages. The mineral was approved by the IMA in 1959, and it is a grandfathered mineral, meaning its name is still believed to refer to an existing species until this day. Tamaite is the calcium analogue, while eggletonite is the natrium analogue of said mineral.

References

  1. Warr, L.N. (2021). "IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols". Mineralogical Magazine. 85 (3): 291–320. doi: 10.1180/mgm.2021.43 . S2CID   235729616.
  2. 1 2 Pyrophanite in the Handbook of Mineralogy
  3. 1 2 3 Pyrophanite on Mindat.org
  4. Pyrophanite data on Webmineral