Niobocarbide
A valid IMA mineral species
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About Niobocarbide
Formula:
(Nb,Ta)C
Colour:
Bronze to straw-yellow
Lustre:
Metallic
Hardness:
8
Crystal System:
Isometric
Name:
Named in allusion to its composition, being comprised of NIOBium and carbon, as a CARBIDE.
Type Locality:
Isostructural with:
The Nb analogue of tantalcarbide.
Unique combination of elements: the only Nb-C mineral known.
Exact type locality uncertain (possibly the Avrorinskii placer).
Unique combination of elements: the only Nb-C mineral known.
Exact type locality uncertain (possibly the Avrorinskii placer).
Unique Identifiers
Mindat ID:
7196
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:1:7196:9
GUID
(UUID V4):
(UUID V4):
cbf7f6df-7d18-4881-9782-4f2250999446
IMA Classification of Niobocarbide
Classification of Niobocarbide
1.BA.20
1 : ELEMENTS (Metals and intermetallic alloys; metalloids and nonmetals; carbides, silicides, nitrides, phosphides)
B : Metallic Carbides, Silicides, Nitrides, Phosphides and Hydrides
A : Carbides
1 : ELEMENTS (Metals and intermetallic alloys; metalloids and nonmetals; carbides, silicides, nitrides, phosphides)
B : Metallic Carbides, Silicides, Nitrides, Phosphides and Hydrides
A : Carbides
1.1.29.1
1 : NATIVE ELEMENTS AND ALLOYS
1 : Metals, other than the Platinum Group
1 : NATIVE ELEMENTS AND ALLOYS
1 : Metals, other than the Platinum Group
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 |
---|---|---|
Ncb | IMA–CNMNC | Warr, L.N. (2021). IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols. Mineralogical Magazine, 85(3), 291-320. doi:10.1180/mgm.2021.43 |
Physical Properties of Niobocarbide
Metallic
Transparency:
Opaque
Colour:
Bronze to straw-yellow
Hardness:
8 on Mohs scale
Hardness:
VHN50=1850 - 1900 kg/mm2 - Vickers
Cleavage:
None Observed
Optical Data of Niobocarbide
Type:
Isotropic
Reflectivity:
Wavelength | R |
---|---|
400nm | 24.0% |
420nm | 26.2% |
440nm | 28.6% |
460nm | 31.8% |
480nm | 33.9% |
500nm | 34.4% |
520nm | 36.2% |
540nm | 38.5% |
560nm | 41.0% |
580nm | 45.1% |
600nm | 48.2% |
620nm | 49.4% |
640nm | 51.5% |
660nm | 52.8% |
680nm | 53.6% |
700nm | 54.8% |
Graph shows reflectance levels at different wavelengths (in nm). Top of box is 100%. Peak reflectance is 54.8%.
Colour in reflected light:
Light cream to pink cream
Chemistry of Niobocarbide
Mindat Formula:
(Nb,Ta)C
Elements listed:
Crystallography of Niobocarbide
Crystal System:
Isometric
Class (H-M):
m3m (4/m 3 2/m) - Hexoctahedral
Space Group:
Fm3m
Cell Parameters:
a = 4.45 Å
Unit Cell V:
88.1 ų
Z:
4
Morphology:
Octahedrons and cubo-octahedrons.
Crystal Structure
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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) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
0011360 | Niobocarbide | Wyckoff R W G (1963) Second edition. Interscience Publishers, New York, New York rocksalt structure Crystal Structures 1 85-237 | 1963 | 0 | 293 | ||
0018165 | Niobocarbide | Becker K, Ebert F (1925) Die Kristallstrukturen einiger binaerer Carbide und Nitride. _cod_database_code 1011323 Zeitschrift fur Physik 31 268-272 | 1925 | 0 | 293 |
CIF Raw Data - click here to close
X-Ray Powder Diffraction
Powder Diffraction Data:
d-spacing | Intensity |
---|---|
2.56 Å | (100) |
2.22 Å | (90) |
1.574 Å | (80) |
1.343 Å | (80) |
1.289 Å | (70) |
1.115 Å | (30) |
Geological Environment
Paragenetic Mode(s):
Paragenetic Mode | Earliest Age (Ga) |
---|---|
Near-surface Processes | |
26 : Hadean detrital minerals |
Type Occurrence of Niobocarbide
General Appearance of Type Material:
Cubic and octahedral crystals and as rounded grains to 0.2 mm.
Place of Conservation of Type Material:
Fersman Mineralogical Museum, Moscow, Russia, 88657.
Geological Setting of Type Material:
PGM-gold placer.
Associated Minerals at Type Locality:
Synonyms of Niobocarbide
Other Language Names for Niobocarbide
Russian:Ниобокарбид
Common Associates
Associated Minerals Based on Photo Data:
6 photos of Niobocarbide associated with Tantalcarbide | TaC |
Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat Grouping
1.BA.05 | Cohenite | Fe3C |
1.BA.10 | Haxonite | (Fe,Ni)23C6 |
1.BA.10 | Isovite | (Cr,Fe)23C6 |
1.BA.15 | Tongbaite | Cr3C2 |
1.BA.20 | Khamrabaevite | (Ti,V,Fe)C |
1.BA.20 | Tantalcarbide | TaC |
1.BA.25 | Qusongite | WC |
1.BA.30 | Yarlongite | Cr4Fe4NiC4 |
1.BA.35 | Edscottite | Fe5C2 |
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 Niobocarbide
mindat.org URL:
https://www.mindat.org/min-7196.html
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Please feel free to link to this page.
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References for Niobocarbide
Reference List:
Novgorodova, M. I., Generalov, M. E., Trubkin, N. V. (1997) The new TaC-NbC isomorphic row and niobocarbide - a new mineral from platinum placers of the Urals. Zapiski Vserossijskogo Mineralogicheskogo Obshchestva, 126 (1) 76-95
Localities for Niobocarbide
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.
Russia (TL) | |
| Novgorodova et al. (1997) |
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Avrorinskii Placer, Aktai River, Baranchinsky Massif, Nizhnii Tagil, Sverdlovsk Oblast, Russia