Fergusonite-(Y) Mineral Data

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General Fergusonite-(Y) Information

Chemical Formula:

YNbO4

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 245.81 gm

Yttrium 36.17 % Y 45.93 % Y₂O₃

Niobium 37.80 % Nb 54.07 % Nb₂O₅

Oxygen 26.04 % O

______ ______

100.00 % 100.00 % = TOTAL OXIDE

Empirical Formula:

YNbO₄

IMA Status:

Valid Species (Pre-IMA) 1827

Locality:

Qeqertaussaq, Julienhaab district, Greenland. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

Named for Robert Ferguson (1767-1840), Scottish advocate, politician, and mineralogist.

Name Pronunciation:

Fergusonite-(Y) + Pronunciation

Synonym:

ICSD 40346

Kochelite - mixture of fergusonite-(Y) and zircon

PDF 9-443

Fergusonite-(Y) Image

Images:

Fergusonite-(Y)

Comments: Heavy mass of fergusonite-(Y) with one face polished flat to show the solid interior. Radioactive.
Location: Ambatofotsy, Betafo - Antsirabé region, Antananarivo Province, Madagascar. Scale: 6x2.5x1.5 cm.
© John Betts - Fine Minerals

Images:

Fergusonite-(Y) Plumbopyrochlore

Comments: Brown resinous fergusonite-(Y) (as per communication with Pavel M. Kartashov) with yellowish plumbopyrochlore.
Location: Ploskaya Mountain, Keivy Region, Kola Peninsula, Murmansk District, Russia. Scale: See Photo.
© Jeff Weissman / Photographic Guide to Mineral Species

Fergusonite-(Y) Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:c = 1:1.46511

Cell Dimensions:

a = 7.74, c = 11.34, Z = 8; V = 679.35 Den(Calc)= 4.81

Crystal System:

Tetragonal - DipyramidalH-M Symbol (4/m) Space Group: I 4₁/a

$Help on X Ray Diffraction:$ X Ray Diffraction:

By Intensity(I/I_o): 3.12(1), 2.96(0.9), 1.901(0.5),

Forms:

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Forms: ( 1 1 1) ( 2 3 1) ( 2 3 0) ( 0 0 1)

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Crystal Structure:

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Komkov A I , Soviet Physics Crystallography , 4 (1959) p.796-800, The structure of natural fergusonite, and of a polymorphic modification, Locality: Ural Mountains, Russia, Sample: annealed at T = 1000 C for t = 15 min

Physical Properties of Fergusonite-(Y)

Cleavage:

{???} Indistinct

Color:

Black, Black, Brown, Gray, Yellow.

Density:

4.3 - 5.8, Average = 5.05

Diaphaneity:

Subtranslucent to opaque

Fracture:

Sub Conchoidal - Fractures developed in brittle materials characterized by semi-curving surfaces.

Habit:

Metamict - Mineral originally crystalline, now amorphous due to radiation damage.

Habit:

Prismatic - Crystals Shaped like Slender Prisms (e.g. tourmaline).

Hardness:

5.5-6 - Knife Blade-Orthoclase

Luminescence:

Non-fluorescent.

Luster:

Sub Metallic

Magnetism:

Nonmagnetic

Streak:

brown

Optical Properties of Fergusonite-(Y)

Gladstone-Dale:

CI meas= 0.005 (Superior) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC)
CI calc= -0.044 (Good) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.2328,KPDmeas= 0.2218,KC= 0.223
Ncalc = 1.96 - 2.29

Optical Data:

Isotropic, n=2.05-2.19.

Calculated Properties of Fergusonite-(Y)

Electron Density:

Bulk Density (Electron Density)=4.60 gm/cc
note: Specific Gravity of Fergusonite-(Y) =5.05 gm/cc.

Fermion Index:

Fermion Index = 0.00012497
Boson Index = 0.99987503

Photoelectric:

PE_{Fergusonite-(Y)}= 105.20 barns/electron
U=PE_{Fergusonite-(Y)} x rElectron Density= 484.10 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

GRapi = 0 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)
Fergusonite-(Y) is Not Radioactive

Fergusonite-(Y) Classification

Dana Class:

08.01.01.01 (08)Multiple Oxides with Nb, Ta, and Ti

(08.01)where A BO4

(08.01.01)Fergusonite Group (Tetragonal)

08.01.01.01 Fergusonite-(Y) YNbO4 I 4₁/a 4/m

08.01.01.02 Formanite-(Y) YTaO4 I 4₁/a 4/m

08.01.01.03 Fergusonite-(Ce)* (Ce,La,Y)NbO4 I 4₁/a 4/m

08.01.01.04 Fergusonite-(Nd)* (Nd,Ce)(Nb,Ti)O4 I 4₁/a 4/m

Strunz Class:

07.GA.05 07 - SULFATES (SELENATES, TELLURATES)

07.G - Molybdates, Wolframates and Niobates

07.GA -Without additional anions or H2O

07.GA.05 Fergusonite-(Ce)* (Ce,La,Y)NbO4 I 4₁/a 4/m

07.GA.05 Fergusonite-(Nd)* (Nd,Ce)(Nb,Ti)O4 I 4₁/a 4/m

07.GA.05 Fergusonite-(Y) YNbO4 I 4₁/a 4/m

07.GA.05 Stolzite PbWO4 I 4₁/a 4/m

07.GA.05 Scheelite CaWO4 I 4₁/a 4/m

07.GA.05 Powellite CaMoO4 I 4₁/a 4/m

07.GA.05 Wulfenite PbMoO4 I 4₁/a 4/m

Other Fergusonite-(Y) Information

References:

NAME( Dana8) PHYS. PROP.(Enc. of Minerals,2nd ed.,1990) OPTIC PROP.(Enc. of Minerals,2nd ed.,1990)

See Also:

Links to other databases for Fergusonite-(Y) :
1 - Am. Min. Crystal Structure Database
2 - Athena
3 - EUROmin Project
4 - Ecole des Mines de Paris
5 - GeoScienceWorld
6 - Google Images
7 - Google Scholar
8 - Handbook of Mineralogy (UofA)
9 - MinDAT
10 - Mineralienatlas (Deutsch)
11 - Online Mineral Museum
12 - QUT Mineral Atlas
13 - Ruff.Info
14 - WWW-MINCRYST

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Print or Cut-and-Paste your Fergusonite-(Y) Specimen Label here :

Fergusonite-(Y)

YNbO4
Dana No: 08.01.01.01 Strunz No: 07.GA.05
Locality:

Notes: