Foordite
A valid IMA mineral species
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About Foordite
Formula:
Sn2+Nb2O6
Colour:
Dark brown, yellowish brown, olive brown
Lustre:
Adamantine, Sub-Adamantine, Dull
Hardness:
6
Specific Gravity:
6.73
Crystal System:
Monoclinic
Member of:
Name:
Named by Petr Cerny, André M. Fransolet, T. Scott Ercit, and R. Chapman in 1988 in honor of Eugene Edward Foord [November 20, 1946 - January 8, 1998, Golden, Colorado, USA], mineralogist of the U. S. Geological Survey and specialist in granite pegmatite research. Gene named many mineral species including: aheylite. esperanzaite, kosnarite, maxwellite. mccrillisite, and parafransoletite.
Isostructural with:
Foordite-Thoreaulite Series.
The niobium analogue of Thoreaulite.
Not to be confused with Froodite, a palladium bismuthide from Sudbury, Ontario.
The niobium analogue of Thoreaulite.
Not to be confused with Froodite, a palladium bismuthide from Sudbury, Ontario.
Unique Identifiers
Mindat ID:
1581
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:1:1581:9
GUID
(UUID V4):
(UUID V4):
1b6b58f1-b7b8-4167-944e-d8a19b8aec7d
IMA Classification of Foordite
Approved
First published:
1988
Classification of Foordite
4.DG.15
4 : OXIDES (Hydroxides, V[5,6] vanadates, arsenites, antimonites, bismuthites, sulfites, selenites, tellurites, iodates)
D : Metal: Oxygen = 1:2 and similar
G : With large (+- 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
G : With large (+- medium-sized) cations; chains of edge-sharing octahedra
8.3.10.2
8 : MULTIPLE OXIDES CONTAINING NIOBIUM,TANTALUM OR TITANIUM
3 : AB2O6
8 : MULTIPLE OXIDES CONTAINING NIOBIUM,TANTALUM OR TITANIUM
3 : AB2O6
18.1.23
18 : Niobates and Tantalates
1 : Niobates and tantalates containing neither rare earths nor U
18 : Niobates and Tantalates
1 : Niobates and tantalates containing neither rare earths nor U
Mineral Symbols
As of 2021 there are now IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols (abbreviations) for each mineral species, useful for tables and diagrams.
Symbol | Source | Reference |
---|---|---|
Foo | IMA–CNMNC | Warr, L.N. (2021). IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols. Mineralogical Magazine, 85(3), 291-320. doi:10.1180/mgm.2021.43 |
Pronunciation of Foordite
Pronunciation:
Play | Recorded by | Country |
---|---|---|
Jolyon Ralph | United Kingdom |
Physical Properties of Foordite
Adamantine, Sub-Adamantine, Dull
Transparency:
Translucent
Comment:
Dull on eroded surfaces
Colour:
Dark brown, yellowish brown, olive brown
Streak:
Yellowish white
Hardness:
6 on Mohs scale
Tenacity:
Brittle
Cleavage:
Perfect
{100}, also {011} poor
{100}, also {011} poor
Fracture:
Irregular/Uneven
Density:
6.73 g/cm3 (Measured) 6.66 g/cm3 (Calculated)
Optical Data of Foordite
Type:
Biaxial (+)
Dispersion:
strong
Chemistry of Foordite
Mindat Formula:
Sn2+Nb2O6
Elements listed:
Common Impurities:
Pb
Chemical Analysis
Oxide wt%:
1 | |
---|---|
SnO | 25.4 % |
PbO | 6.0 % |
Ta2O5 | 28.7 % |
Nb2O5 | 40.1 % |
Total: | 100.2 % |
Sample references:
ID | Locality | Reference | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Lutsiro, Sebeya river, Kabaya, Ngororero District, Western Province, Rwanda | holotype specimen |
Crystallography of Foordite
Crystal System:
Monoclinic
Class (H-M):
2/m - Prismatic
Space Group:
B2/b
Cell Parameters:
a = 17.09 Å, b = 4.87 Å, c = 5.55 Å
β = 90.85°
β = 90.85°
Ratio:
a:b:c = 3.509 : 1 : 1.14
Unit Cell V:
461.87 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Comment:
C2/c
Crystal Structure
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Unit Cell | Unit Cell Packed
2x2x2 | 3x3x3 | 4x4x4
Unit Cell | Unit Cell Packed
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Data courtesy of the American Mineralogist Crystal Structure Database. Click on an AMCSD ID to view structure
ID | Species | Reference | Link | Year | Locality | Pressure (GPa) | Temp (K) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
0005219 | Foordite | Ercit T S, Cerny P (1988) The crystal structure of foordite The Canadian Mineralogist 26 899-903 | 1988 | 0 | 293 |
CIF Raw Data - click here to close
X-Ray Powder Diffraction
Powder Diffraction Data:
d-spacing | Intensity |
---|---|
3.59 Å | (40) |
3.10 Å | (50) |
3.07 Å | (50) |
2.85 Å | (100) |
2.78 Å | (20) |
1.853 Å | (30) |
1.694 Å | (50) |
1.681 Å | (50) |
Comments:
45-1350
Geological Environment
Paragenetic Mode(s):
Paragenetic Mode | Earliest Age (Ga) |
---|---|
Near-surface Processes | |
26 : Hadean detrital minerals | |
Stage 4b: Highly evolved igneous rocks | >3.0 |
34 : Complex granite pegmatites |
Type Occurrence of Foordite
General Appearance of Type Material:
Small masses and pebbles.
Place of Conservation of Type Material:
Catholic University of Louvain, Louvain, Belgium, P1284.
Geological Setting of Type Material:
In alluvium, presumably derived from a granite pegmatite.
Associated Minerals at Type Locality:
Synonyms of Foordite
Other Language Names for Foordite
Relationship of Foordite to other Species
Common Associates
Associated Minerals Based on Photo Data:
1 photo of Foordite associated with Cesplumtantite | (Cs,Na)2(Pb,Sb3+)3Ta8O24 |
Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat Grouping
4.DG.05 | Euxenite-(Y) | (Y,Ca,Ce,U,Th)(Nb,Ta,Ti)2O6 |
4.DG.05 | Fersmite | (Ca,Ce,Na)(Nb,Ta,Ti)2(O,OH,F)6 |
4.DG.05 | Kobeite-(Y) | (Y,U)(Ti,Nb)2(O,OH)6 (?) |
4.DG.05 | Loranskite-(Y) | (Y,Ce,Ca)ZrTaO6 (?) |
4.DG.05 | Tanteuxenite-(Y) | Y(Ta,Nb,Ti)2(O,OH)6 |
4.DG.05 | Uranopolycrase | (U4+,Y)(Ti,Nb)2O6 |
4.DG.05 | Yttrocrasite-(Y) | (Y,Th,Ca,U)(Ti,Fe)2(O,OH)6 |
4.DG.10 | Clinofergusonite-(Y) | YNbO4 |
4.DG.10 | Clinofergusonite-(Nd) | (Nd,Ce)NbO4 |
4.DG.10 | Clinofergusonite-(Ce) | CeNbO4 |
4.DG.10 | Yttrotantalite-(Y) | (Y,U,Fe2+)(Ta,Nb)(O,OH)4 |
4.DG.15 | Thoreaulite | Sn2+Ta2O6 |
4.DG.20 | Raspite | Pb(WO4) |
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 Foordite
mindat.org URL:
https://www.mindat.org/min-1581.html
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References for Foordite
Reference List:
Jambor, John L., Vanko, David A. (1990) New Mineral Names. American Mineralogist, 75 (5-6) 706-713 p.707
Localities for Foordite
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).
Struck out - Mineral was erroneously reported from this locality.
Faded * - Never found at this locality but inferred to have existed at some point in the past (e.g. from pseudomorphs).
All localities listed without proper references should be considered as questionable.
All localities listed without proper references should be considered as questionable.
DR Congo | |
| Kristiansen (2001) |
Daltry et al. (1998) +2 other references | |
| T. Witzke |
Rwanda (TL) | |
| Jambor et al. (1990) +2 other references |
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Punia Territory, Maniema, DR Congo