Cerite | |
---|---|
![]() Cerite – Bastnas – Deposit Topotype | |
General | |
Category | Silicate mineral group |
Formula (repeating unit) | (Ce,La,Ca) 9(Mg,Fe3+ )(SiO 4) 6(SiO 3OH)(OH) 3 |
IMA symbol | Crt [1] |
Crystal system | Trigonal |
Crystal class | Ditrigonal pyramidal (3m) (same H-M symbol) |
Space group | R3c |
Identification | |
Color | Clove-brown with a reddish tinge; pale lavender-brown to colorless in thin fragments |
Crystal habit | Massive granular |
Cleavage | None |
Fracture | Uneven |
Mohs scale hardness | 5 to 5.5 |
Luster | Vitreous to resinous |
Streak | White to greyish white |
Diaphaneity | Subtranslucent to opaque |
Specific gravity | 4.7 to 4.86 |
Optical properties | Uniaxial (+) |
Refractive index | nω = 1.806 – 1.810 nε = 1.810 – 1.820 |
Birefringence | δ = 0.010 |
References | [2] [3] [4] |
Cerite is a complex
silicate mineral group containing
cerium, formula (
Ce,
La,
Ca)
9(
Mg,
Fe3+
)(
Si
O
4)
6(SiO
3O
H)(OH)
3.
[3] The cerium and lanthanum content varies with the Ce rich species (cerite-(Ce)) and the La rich species (cerite-(La)).
[5]
[6] Analysis of a sample from the
Mountain Pass
carbonatite gave 35.05% Ce
2O
3 and 30.04% La
2O
3.
[3]
Cerite was first described in 1803 for an occurrence in Bastnäs in Västmanland, Sweden. [4] The lanthanum rich species, cerite-(La) was first described for an occurrence in the Khibina massif, Kola Peninsula, Russia in 2002. [7]
Cerite | |
---|---|
![]() Cerite – Bastnas – Deposit Topotype | |
General | |
Category | Silicate mineral group |
Formula (repeating unit) | (Ce,La,Ca) 9(Mg,Fe3+ )(SiO 4) 6(SiO 3OH)(OH) 3 |
IMA symbol | Crt [1] |
Crystal system | Trigonal |
Crystal class | Ditrigonal pyramidal (3m) (same H-M symbol) |
Space group | R3c |
Identification | |
Color | Clove-brown with a reddish tinge; pale lavender-brown to colorless in thin fragments |
Crystal habit | Massive granular |
Cleavage | None |
Fracture | Uneven |
Mohs scale hardness | 5 to 5.5 |
Luster | Vitreous to resinous |
Streak | White to greyish white |
Diaphaneity | Subtranslucent to opaque |
Specific gravity | 4.7 to 4.86 |
Optical properties | Uniaxial (+) |
Refractive index | nω = 1.806 – 1.810 nε = 1.810 – 1.820 |
Birefringence | δ = 0.010 |
References | [2] [3] [4] |
Cerite is a complex
silicate mineral group containing
cerium, formula (
Ce,
La,
Ca)
9(
Mg,
Fe3+
)(
Si
O
4)
6(SiO
3O
H)(OH)
3.
[3] The cerium and lanthanum content varies with the Ce rich species (cerite-(Ce)) and the La rich species (cerite-(La)).
[5]
[6] Analysis of a sample from the
Mountain Pass
carbonatite gave 35.05% Ce
2O
3 and 30.04% La
2O
3.
[3]
Cerite was first described in 1803 for an occurrence in Bastnäs in Västmanland, Sweden. [4] The lanthanum rich species, cerite-(La) was first described for an occurrence in the Khibina massif, Kola Peninsula, Russia in 2002. [7]