Tantalite-(Mg)
A valid IMA mineral species
This page is currently not sponsored. Click here to sponsor this page.
About Tantalite-(Mg)
Formula:
(Mg,Fe2+)(Ta,Nb)2O6
Colour:
Black
Lustre:
Metallic, Sub-Metallic
Hardness:
5½
Specific Gravity:
6.7
Crystal System:
Orthorhombic
Member of:
Name:
Named as the magnesium dominant member of the tantalite series.
Unique Identifiers
Mindat ID:
11465
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:1:11465:5
GUID
(UUID V4):
(UUID V4):
ee028fda-02db-4197-be4a-f7b4437286e8
IMA Classification of Tantalite-(Mg)
Approved
IMA status notes:
Renamed by the IMA
IMA Formula:
MgTa2O6
Approval year:
2003
First published:
2003
Approval history:
Approved by IMA in 2003 as a new species with the name magnesiotantalite (IMA 2002-018).
2007: Renamed by IMA as tantalite-(Mg), proposal IMA 07-C ( Burke 2008).
2007: Renamed by IMA as tantalite-(Mg), proposal IMA 07-C ( Burke 2008).
Type description reference:
Pekov, I. V., Yakubovich, O. V., Shcherbachev, D. K., Kononkova, N. N. (2003) Magnesiotantalite (Mg,Fe)(Ta,Nb)2O6, the new columbite-tantalite group mineral from desilicated granite pegmatites of Lipovka (the Central Urals) and its genesis. Zapiski Vserossijskogo Mineralogicheskogo Obshchestva, 132 (2) 49-60
Classification of Tantalite-(Mg)
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
Mineral Symbols
As of 2021 there are now IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols (abbreviations) for each mineral species, useful for tables and diagrams.
Please only use the official IMA–CNMNC symbol. Older variants are listed for historical use only.
Please only use the official IMA–CNMNC symbol. Older variants are listed for historical use only.
| Symbol | Source | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ttl-Mg | IMA–CNMNC | Warr, L.N. (2021). IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols. Mineralogical Magazine, 85(3), 291-320. doi:10.1180/mgm.2021.43 |
| Tnt | The Canadian Mineralogist (2019) | The Canadian Mineralogist (2019) The Canadian Mineralogist list of symbols for rock- and ore-forming minerals (December 30, 2019). download |
Physical Properties of Tantalite-(Mg)
Metallic, Sub-Metallic
Transparency:
Opaque
Colour:
Black
Streak:
Brownish red
Hardness:
5½ on Mohs scale
Hardness:
VHN50=489(5) kg/mm2 - Vickers
Tenacity:
Brittle
Cleavage:
None Observed
Fracture:
Irregular/Uneven
Density:
6.7(3) g/cm3 (Measured) 6.79 g/cm3 (Calculated)
Optical Data of Tantalite-(Mg)
Anisotropism:
weak
Colour in reflected light:
light grey
Internal Reflections:
brownish red
Pleochroism:
Non-pleochroic
Chemistry of Tantalite-(Mg)
Mindat Formula:
(Mg,Fe2+)(Ta,Nb)2O6
Crystallography of Tantalite-(Mg)
Crystal System:
Orthorhombic
Class (H-M):
mmm (2/m 2/m 2/m) - Dipyramidal
Space Group:
Pbcn
Setting:
Pbcn
Cell Parameters:
a = 14.335(2) Å, b = 5.735(1) Å, c = 5.058(1) Å
Ratio:
a:b:c = 2.5 : 1 : 0.882
Unit Cell V:
415.82 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:
4
Comment:
by analogy to other members of the group
X-Ray Powder Diffraction
Powder Diffraction Data:
| d-spacing | Intensity |
|---|---|
| 7.10 Å | (5) |
| 3.67 Å | (60) |
| 2.96 Å | (100) |
| 2.87 Å | (15) |
| 2.56 Å | (20) |
| 2.49 Å | (30) |
| 2.38 Å | (20) |
| 2.25 Å | (5) |
| 2.21 Å | (10) |
| 2.09 Å | (30) |
| 1.908 Å | (30) |
| 1.828 Å | (20) |
| 1.774 Å | (60) |
| 1.746 Å | (50) |
| 1.728 Å | (70) |
| 1.545 Å | (50) |
| 1.488 Å | (20) |
| 1.462 Å | (90) |
| 1.434 Å | (5) |
Comments:
Pekov, I. V., Yakubovich, O. V., Shcherbachev, D. K., Kononkova, N. N. (2003) Magnesiotantalite (Mg,Fe)(Ta,Nb)2O6, the new columbite-tantalite group mineral from desilicated granite pegmatites of Lipovka (the Central Urals) and its genesis. Zapiski Vserossijskogo Mineralogicheskogo Obshchestva 132 (2): 49-60 (in Russian).
Geological Environment
Paragenetic Mode(s):
| Paragenetic Mode | Earliest Age (Ga) |
|---|---|
| Stage 4b: Highly evolved igneous rocks | >3.0 |
| 34 : Complex granite pegmatites |
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
Place of Conservation of Type Material:
A.E. Fersman Mineralogical Museum, Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
Chemical Analysis of Type Material:
| MgO | 5.27 % |
|---|---|
| FeO | 6.71 % |
| MnO | 0.82 % |
| TiO2 | 0.38 % |
| Nb2OS | 24.19 % |
| Ta2O5 | 61.86 % |
| Total: | 99.23 % |
Geological Setting of Type Material:
Andesite-calcite lenses in a zoned, metasomatically altered pegmatite vein hosted by serpentinite
Associated Minerals at Type Locality:
Reference:
Pekov, I. V., Yakubovich, O. V., Shcherbachev, D. K., Kononkova, N. N. (2003) Magnesiotantalite (Mg,Fe)(Ta,Nb)2O6, the new columbite-tantalite group mineral from desilicated granite pegmatites of Lipovka (the Central Urals) and its genesis. Zapiski Vserossijskogo Mineralogicheskogo Obshchestva 132 (2): 49-60
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) | Fe2+Nb2O6 | Orth. mmm (2/m 2/m 2/m) : Pbcn |
| Columbite-(Mg) | (Mg,Fe,Mn)(Nb,Ta)2O6 | Orth. |
| Columbite-(Mn) | Mn2+Nb2O6 | Orth. mmm (2/m 2/m 2/m) : Pbcn |
| Qitianlingite | (Fe,Mn)2(Nb,Ta)2WO10 | Orth. mmm (2/m 2/m 2/m) |
| Tantalite-(Fe) | Fe2+Ta2O6 | Orth. mmm (2/m 2/m 2/m) : Pbcn |
| Tantalite-(Mn) | Mn2+Ta2O6 | Orth. mmm (2/m 2/m 2/m) : Pbcn |
Common Associates
Associated Minerals Based on Photo Data:
| 2 photos of Tantalite-(Mg) associated with Tantalite-(Mn) | Mn2+Ta2O6 |
| 2 photos of Tantalite-(Mg) associated with Microlite Group | A2-mTa2X6-wZ-n |
| 2 photos of Tantalite-(Mg) associated with Calcite | CaCO3 |
Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat Grouping
| 4.DB. | Nioboheftetjernite | ScNbO4 |
| 4.DB. | Shakhdaraite-(Y) | ScYNb2O8 |
| 4.DB. | Nioboixiolite-(Mn2+) | (Nb0.67Mn2+0.33)O2 |
| 4.DB. | Nioboixiolite-([]) | (Nb0.8◻0.2)4+O2 |
| 4.DB.05 | Argutite | GeO2 |
| 4.DB.05 | Cassiterite | SnO2 |
| 4.DB.05 | Plattnerite | PbO2 |
| 4.DB.05 | Pyrolusite | Mn4+O2 |
| 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) | Fe2+Ta2O6 |
| 4.DB.10 | Tapiolite-(Mn) | Mn2+Ta2O6 |
| 4.DB.10 | Ordoñezite | ZnSb2O6 |
| 4.DB.10 | Tredouxite | NiSb2O6 |
| 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 | Samarskite-(Y) | YFe3+Nb2O8 |
| 4.DB.25 | Srilankite | ZrTi2O6 |
| 4.DB.25 | Yttrocolumbite-(Y) | Y(U4+,Fe2+)Nb2O8 |
| 4.DB.25 | Calciosamarskite | (Ca,U4+)Fe3+(Nb,Ta,Ti)2O8 |
| 4.DB.25 | Samarskite-(Yb) | YbFe3+(Nb,Ta)2O8 |
| 4.DB.25 | Ixiolite-(Fe2+) | (Ta0.67Fe2+0.33)O2 |
| 4.DB.25 | Ixiolite-(Mn2+) | (Ta0.67Mn2+0.33)O2 |
| 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.30 va | Wolframite Group | |
| 4.DB.30 | Rossovskyite | (Fe3+,Ta)(Nb,Ti)O4 |
| 4.DB.35 | Columbite-(Fe) | Fe2+Nb2O6 |
| 4.DB.35 | Tantalite-(Fe) | Fe2+Ta2O6 |
| 4.DB.35 | Columbite-(Mn) | Mn2+Nb2O6 |
| 4.DB.35 | Tantalite-(Mn) | Mn2+Ta2O6 |
| 4.DB.35 | Columbite-(Mg) | (Mg,Fe,Mn)(Nb,Ta)2O6 |
| 4.DB.35 | Qitianlingite | (Fe,Mn)2(Nb,Ta)2WO10 |
| 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 | Tantalowodginite | (Mn2+0.5◻0.5)TaTa2O8 |
| 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] |
Fluorescence of Tantalite-(Mg)
Not fluorescent in UV
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.
Internet Links for Tantalite-(Mg)
mindat.org URL:
https://www.mindat.org/min-11465.html
Please feel free to link to this page.
Please feel free to link to this page.
Search Engines:
External Links:
References for Tantalite-(Mg)
Reference List:
Pekov, I. V., Yakubovich, O. V., Shcherbachev, D. K., Kononkova, N. N. (2003) Magnesiotantalite (Mg,Fe)(Ta,Nb)2O6, the new columbite-tantalite group mineral from desilicated granite pegmatites of Lipovka (the Central Urals) and its genesis. Zapiski Vserossijskogo Mineralogicheskogo Obshchestva, 132 (2) 49-60
Localities for Tantalite-(Mg)
symbol to view information about a locality.
The Locality List
- This locality has map coordinates listed.
- This locality has estimated coordinates.
ⓘ - Click for references and further information on this occurrence.
? - Indicates mineral may be doubtful at this locality.
- Good crystals or important locality for species.
- World class for species or very significant.
(TL) - Type Locality for a valid mineral species.
(FRL) - First Recorded Locality for everything else (eg varieties).
All localities listed without proper references should be considered as questionable.
Russia (TL) | |
| Pekov et al. (2003) +1 other reference |
Sri Lanka | |
| Ceylon Aluvial Mine (Book, Co. 2002) |
Quick NavTopAbout Tantalite-(Mg)Unique IdentifiersIMA Classification Classification Mineral SymbolsPhysical Properties Optical Data Chemistry Crystallography X-Ray Powder DiffractionGeological EnvironmentType Occurrence SynonymsOther LanguagesRelationshipsCommon AssociatesStrunz-MindatFluorescence Other InformationInternet Links References Localities Locality List
Lipovka Mine, Lipovsk pegmatite field, Rezhevsky District, Sverdlovsk Oblast, Russia