Microlite Mineral Data

General Microlite Information

Chemical Formula:

(Na,Ca)2Ta2O6(O,OH,F)

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 529.02 gm

Sodium 6.52 % Na 8.79 % Na₂O

Calcium 3.79 % Ca 5.30 % CaO

Tantalum 68.41 % Ta 83.53 % Ta₂O₅

Hydrogen 0.06 % H 0.51 % H₂O

Oxygen 20.87 % O

Fluorine 0.36 % F 0.36 % F

- % F -0.15 % -O=F₂

______ ______

100.00 % 98.34 % = TOTAL OXIDE

Empirical Formula:

Na_1.5Ca_0.5Ta₂O_6.6(OH)_0.3F_0.1

Environment:

Granitic rocks.

IMA Status:

Valid Species (Pre-IMA) 1835

Locality:

Isalnd of Uto, State of Stockholm, Sweden. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

From the Greek mikros - "small" and lithos - "stone."

Name Pronunciation:

Microlite + Pronunciation

Synonym:

Scandium microlite - Sc-bearing microlite

Microlite Image

Images:

Microlite

Comments: Brown crystal of microlite 10 mm in an albite matrix.
Location: Morefield Mine, Winterham, Amelia Co., Virginia, USA. Scale: 5x4x3 cm.
© John Betts - Fine Minerals

Images:

Microlite

Comments: Golden-colored microlite octahedrons on white albite.
Location: Maxixe Mine, Itinga, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Scale: Crystal size .5 cm.
© John Veevaert

Microlite Crystallography

Cell Dimensions:

a = 10.41, Z = 8; V = 1,128.11 Den(Calc)= 6.23

Crystal System:

Isometric - HexoctahedralH-M Symbol (4/m 3 2/m) Space Group: F d3m

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

By Intensity(I/I_o): 2.98(1), 1.563(0.8), 1.836(0.8),

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Forms: ( 1 1 1) ( 0 1 1)

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Crystal Structure:

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Gasperin M , Comptes Rendus Hebdomadaires des Seances de l Academie des Sciences , 240 (1955) p.2340-2342, Synthese et identification de deux oxydes doubles de tantale et d etain, Sample: synthetic

Physical Properties of Microlite

Cleavage:

{111} Indistinct, {111} Indistinct, {111} Indistinct

Color:

Yellowish brown, Reddish brown, Greenish brown, Green, Gray.

Density:

4.2 - 6.4, Average = 5.3

Diaphaneity:

Subtranslucent to opaque

Fracture:

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

Habit:

Disseminated - Occurs in small, distinct particles dispersed in matrix.

Habit:

Pseudo Octohedral - Crystals show an octohedral outline.

Hardness:

5-5.5 - Apatite-Knife Blade

Luminescence:

Non-fluorescent.

Luster:

Vitreous - Resinous

Magnetism:

Nonmagnetic

Streak:

light yellow

Optical Properties of Microlite

Gladstone-Dale:

CI meas= -0.332 (Poor) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC)
CI calc= -0.133 (Poor) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.1766,KPDmeas= 0.2075,KC= 0.1559
Ncalc = 1.65 - 2

Optical Data:

Isotropic, n=2-2.2.

Calculated Properties of Microlite

Electron Density:

Bulk Density (Electron Density)=5.39 gm/cc
note: Specific Gravity of Microlite =6.23 gm/cc.

Fermion Index:

Fermion Index = 0.0002334809
Boson Index = 0.9997665191

Photoelectric:

PE_Microlite= 814.71 barns/electron
U=PE_Microlite x rElectron Density=4,392.35 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

GRapi = 0 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)
Microlite is Not Radioactive

Microlite Classification

Dana Class:

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

(08.02)where (A)2 (B2O6) (O,OH,F)

(08.02.02)Pyrochlore Group (Microlite Subgroup; Ta>Nb;(Ta+Nb)>2(Ti)

08.02.02.01 Microlite (Na,Ca)2Ta2O6(O,OH,F) F d3m 4/m 3 2/m

08.02.02.02 Bariomicrolite Ba(Ta,Nb)2(O,OH)7 F d3m 4/m 3 2/m

08.02.02.03 Plumbomicrolite (Pb,Ca,U)2Ta2O6(OH) F d3m 4/m 3 2/m

08.02.02.04 Uranmicrolite (U,Ca)2(Ta,Nb)2O6(OH) F d3m 4/m 3 2/m

08.02.02.05 Bismutomicrolite (Bi,Ca)(Ta,Nb)2O6(OH) F d3m 4/m 3 2/m

08.02.02.06 Stannomicrolite (Sn,Fe,Mn)(Ta,Nb,Sn)2(O,OH)7 F d3m 4/m 3 2/m

08.02.02.07 Stibiomicrolite (Sb,Ca,Na)2(Ta,Nb)2(O,OH)7 F d3m 4/m 3 2/m

08.02.02.08 Fluornatromicrolite! (Na,Ca,Bi)2Ta2O6F F d3m 4/m 3 2/m

Strunz Class:

04.DH.15 04 - OXIDES (Hydroxides, V[5,6] vanadates, arsenites, antimonites, bismuthites, sulfites, selenites, tellurites, iodate

04.D - Metal:Oxygen = 1:2 and similar

04.DH -With large (± medium-sized) cations; sheets of edge-sharing octahedra

04.DH.15 Alumotungstite (W,Al)(O,OH)3(?) Unk Cubic

04.DH.15 Betafite (Ca,U)2(Ti,Nb,Ta)2O6(OH) F d3m 4/m 3 2/m

04.DH.15 Ferritungstite (K,Ca,Na)(W,Fe)2(O,OH)6•(H2O) F d3m 4/m 3 2/m

04.DH.15 Cesstibtantite (Cs,Na)SbTa4O12 F d3m 4/m 3 2/m

04.DH.15 Bismutomicrolite (Bi,Ca)(Ta,Nb)2O6(OH) F d3m 4/m 3 2/m

04.DH.15 Ceriopyrochlore-(Ce) (Ce,Ca,Y)2(Nb,Ta)2O6(OH,F) F d3m 4/m 3 2/m

04.DH.15 Bariopyrochlore (Ba,Sr)(Nb,Ti)2(O,OH)7 F d3m 4/m 3 2/m

04.DH.15 Bariomicrolite Ba(Ta,Nb)2(O,OH)7 F d3m 4/m 3 2/m

04.DH.15 Calciobetafite Ca2(Ti,Nb)2(O,OH)7 F d3m 4/m 3 2/m

04.DH.15 Jixianite Pb(W,Fe)2(O,OH)7 F d3m 4/m 3 2/m

04.DH.15 Plumbomicrolite (Pb,Ca,U)2Ta2O6(OH) F d3m 4/m 3 2/m

04.DH.15 Kalipyrochlore (H2O,Sr)(Nb,Ti)(O,OH)6•(H2O,K) F d3m 4/m 3 2/m

04.DH.15 Plumbopyrochlore (Pb,Y,U,Ca)2-xNb2O6(OH) F d3m 4/m 3 2/m

04.DH.15 Strontiopyrochlore* Sr2Nb2(O,OH)7 F d3m 4/m 3 2/m

04.DH.15 Uranmicrolite (U,Ca)2(Ta,Nb)2O6(OH) F d3m 4/m 3 2/m

04.DH.15 Pyrochlore (Na,Ca)2Nb2O6(OH,F) F d3m 4/m 3 2/m

04.DH.15 Microlite (Na,Ca)2Ta2O6(O,OH,F) F d3m 4/m 3 2/m

04.DH.15 Natrobistantite (Na,Cs)Bi(Ta,Nb,Sb)4O12 F d3m 4/m 3 2/m

04.DH.15 Plumbobetafite (Pb,U,Ca)(Ti,Nb)2O6(OH,F) F d3m 4/m 3 2/m

04.DH.15 Stibiomicrolite (Sb,Ca,Na)2(Ta,Nb)2(O,OH)7 F d3m 4/m 3 2/m

04.DH.15 Stannomicrolite (Sn,Fe,Mn)(Ta,Nb,Sn)2(O,OH)7 F d3m 4/m 3 2/m

04.DH.15 Stibiobetafite (Sb,Ca)2(Ti,Nb,Ta)2(O,OH)7 F d3m 4/m 3 2/m

04.DH.15 Uranpyrochlore (U,Ca,Ce)2(Nb,Ta)2O6(OH,F) F d3m 4/m 3 2/m

04.DH.15 Bismutopyrochlore! (Bi,U,Ca,Pb)1x(Nb,Ta)2O6(OH)•n(H2O) F d3m 4/m 3 2/m

04.DH.15 Fluornatromicrolite! (Na,Ca,Bi)2Ta2O6F F d3m 4/m 3 2/m

04.DH.15 Yttrobetafite-(Y) (Y,U,Ce)2(Ti,Nb,Ta)2O6(OH) F d3m 4/m 3 2/m

04.DH.15 Yttropyrochlore-(Y) (Y,Na,Ca,U)1-2(Nb,Ta,Ti)2(O,OH)7 F d3m 2/m 3

04.DH.15 Elsmoreite! WO3•0.5(H2O) F d3m 4/m 3 2/m

Other Microlite Information

References:

NAME( Duda&Rejl90) PHYS. PROP.(Enc. of Minerals,2nd ed.,1990) OPTIC PROP.(Mason68)

See Also:

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

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Print or Cut-and-Paste your Microlite Specimen Label here :

Microlite

(Na,Ca)2Ta2O6(O,OH,F)
Dana No: 08.02.02.01 Strunz No: 04.DH.15
Locality:

Notes: