Tistarite
Tistarite is an exceedingly rare mineral with the formula Ti2O3, thus being the natural analogue of titanium(III) oxide.[3][2] In terms of chemistry it is the titanium-analogue of hematite, corundum, eskolaite, and karelianite. Other minerals with the general formula A2O3 are arsenolite, avicennite, claudetite, bismite, bixbyite, kangite, sphaerobismoite, yttriaite-(Y) and valentinite. Tistarite and grossmanite - both found in the famous Allende meteorite (so is kangite) - are the only currently known minerals with trivalent titanium. Titanium in minerals is almost exclusively tetravalent.[2][4][5] The only known terrestrial occurrence of tistarite was found during minerals exploration by Shefa Yamim Ltd. in the upper mantle beneath Mount Carmel, Israel.[6][7]
| Tistarite | |
|---|---|
| General | |
| Category | Oxide minerals |
| Formula (repeating unit) | Ti2O3 |
| IMA symbol | Tta[1] |
| Strunz classification | 4.CB.05 |
| Crystal system | Trigonal |
| Crystal class | Hexagonal scalenohedral (3m) H-M symbol: (3 2/m) |
| Space group | R3c |
| Identification | |
| References | [2] |
References
- Warr, L.N. (2021). "IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols". Mineralogical Magazine. 85 (3): 291–320. Bibcode:2021MinM...85..291W. doi:10.1180/mgm.2021.43. S2CID 235729616.
- Mindat, Tistarite, http://www.mindat.org/min-38695.html
- Ma, C., and Rossmann, G.R., 2009: Tistarite, Ti2O3, a new refractory mineral from the Allende meteorite. American Mineralogist 94(5-6), 841-844
- Mindat, Kangite, http://www.mindat.org/min-42879.html
- Mindat, Yttriaite-(Y), http://www.mindat.org/min-40471.html
- W.L. Griffin; S.E.M. Gain; D.T. Adams; J-X. Huang; M. Saunders; V. Toledo; N.J. pearson; S.Y. O'Reilly (2016), "First terrestrial occurrence of tistarite (Ti2O3): Ultra-low oxygen fugacity in the upper mantle beneath Mount Carmel, Israel" (PDF), Geology, Geological Society of America (published 2016-08-17), 44 (10): 815–818, Bibcode:2016Geo....44..815G, doi:10.1130/G37910.1, archived (PDF) from the original on 2016-09-12, retrieved 2016-09-12 – via Shefa Yamim Ltd.
- "Australian university confirms Israeli rare mineral discovery". J-Wire. 2016-02-21. Archived from the original on 2016-02-22. Retrieved 2016-09-12.