Fluornatromicrolite
Current inventory:  1 gem
 

  
Fluornatromicrolite is named for its relationship with Microlite and its Fluorine and Sodium (Natrium in Latin) content.

Discovered in 1998;   IMA status:  Valid (IMA approved 1998)

Chemistry

Chemical Formula:

(Na,Ca,Bi)₂Ta₂O₆F

Sodium Calcium Bismuth Tantalum Fluorine Oxide

Molecular Weight:

570.32 gm

Composition:

Sodium

4.84 %

Na

6.52 %

Na₂O

Calcium

4.22 %

Ca

5.90 %

CaO

Tantalum

63.45 %

Ta

77.48 %

Ta₂O₅

Bismuth

7.33 %

Bi

8.17 %

Bi₂O₃

Oxygen

16.83 %

O

Fluorine

3.33 %

F

3.33 %

F

—

 — %

F

100.00 %

100.00 %

= TOTAL OXIDE

Classification

Mineral Classification:

Oxides

Strunz 8th Ed. ID:

n/a

Nickel-Strunz 10th Ed. ID:

4.DH.15

4 : OXIDES (Hydroxides, V[5,6] vanadates, arsenites, antimonites, bismuthites, sulfites, selenites, tellurites, iodates)
D : Metal: Oxygen = 1:2 and similar
H : With large (+- medium-sized) cations; sheets of edge-sharing octahedra

Related to:

Pyrochlore Subgroup. Microlite Group.

Members of Supergroup:

Pyrochlore Supergroup: Betafite Group, Elsmoreite Group, Microlite Group, Pyrochlore Group, Roméite Group

Members of Group:

Microlite Group: Fluorcalciomicrolite, Fluornatromicrolite, Hydrokenomicrolite, Hydromicrolite, Hydroxykenomicrolite, Kenoplumbomicrolite, Oxycalciomicrolite, Oxystannomicrolite, Oxystibiomicrolite

Varieties:

None

Synonyms:

IMA1998-018

Crystal Data

Crystallography:

Isometric - Hexoctahedral

Crystal Habit:

As well formed octahedrons to about 15 mm.

Twinning:

None known

Physical Properties

Cleavage:

n/a

Fracture:

n/a

Tenacity:

Brittle

Moh's Hardness:

n/a

Density:

n/a

Luminescence:

Not Fluorescent

Radioactivity:

Not Radioactive

Optical Properties

Color:

Yellowish-Orange to Orangish Yellow, Emerald Green to deep Green

Transparency:

Transparent to Translucent

Luster:

Adamantine

Refractive Index:

2.030  Isotropic

Birefringence:

0.00 (Isotropic)

Dispersion:

n/a

Pleochroism:

n/a

Occurances

Geological Setting:

Granitic pegmatite in biotite schist.

Common Associations:

Albite, Lepidolite, (Paprok, Nuristan, Afghanistan); Albite, Cleavlandite, Muscovite, Topaz (Shigar Valley, Skardu District, Baltistan, Northern Areas, Pakistan); Albite, Orthoclase (Mokrusha Mine, Yuzhakovo Village, Urals Region, Russia)

Common Impurities:

n/a

Type Locality:

Quixaba pegmatite, Quixaba, Frei Martinho, Borborema mineral province, Paraíba, Northeast Region, Brazil

Year Discovered:

1998 (IMA approved 1998)

View mineral photos:

Flournatromicrolite Mineral Photos and Locations

More Information

Mindat.org
Webmineral.com

Fluornatromicrolite is an extremely rare mineral and gem that is relatively new. It was approved by the IMA in 1998. Fluornatromicrolite varies in color from yellowish orange to deep green. It was first discovered at the Quixaba pegmatite, Paraiba, Northeast Region, Brazil. Crystals found at Alto Ligonha District, Zambezia Province, Mozambique are typically deep green and rarely transparent enough for faceting.

The few sources of Fluornatromicrolite are: Paprok, Nuristan Province (Nurestan; Nooristan), Afghanistan; Quixaba pegmatite, Quixaba, Frei Martinho, Borborema mineral province, Paraíba, Northeast Region, Brazil; Alto Ligonha pegmatites, Alto Ligonha District, Zambezia Province, Mozambique; Shigar Valley, Skardu District, Baltistan, Northern Areas, Pakistan; Mokrusha Mine, Alabashka pegmatite field, Yuzhakovo Village, Ekaterinburgskaya (Sverdlovskaya) Oblast', Middle Urals, Urals Region, Russia.
 

  
Fluornatromicrolite gems for sale: