Tantalite-(Mg)
A valid IMA mineral species
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About Tantalite-(Mg)
Formula:
(Mg,Fe2+)(Ta,Nb)2O6
Colour:
Black
Lustre:
Metallic, Sub-Metallic
Hardness:
5½
Specific Gravity:
6.7
Crystal System:
Orthorhombic
Member of:
Name:
Named as the magnesium dominant member of the tantalite series.
Unique Identifiers
Mindat ID:
11465
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:1:11465:5
Similar Names
| Cantalite | A variety of | |
| Taltalite | A synonym of Tourmaline | |
| Tantalite | A discredited species name | (Mn,Fe)(Ta,Nb)2O6 |
| Tantalite (of Arppe) | A synonym of 'Tapiolite' | (Fe,Mn)(Ta,Nb)2O6 |
| Tantalite-(Fe) | A valid IMA mineral species | Fe2+Ta2O6 |
| Tantalite-(Fe)-Tantalite-(Mn) Series | A solid-solution series between two end-member minerals | |
| Tantalite-(Mn) | A valid IMA mineral species - grandfathered | Mn2+Ta2O6 |
| Tautalite | A synonym of Allanite Group | (A12+REE3+)(M13+M23+M32+)O[Si2O7][SiO4](OH) |
IMA Classification of Tantalite-(Mg)
Approved
IMA status notes:
Renamed by the IMA
IMA Formula:
MgTa2O6
Approval year:
2003
First published:
2003
Approval history:
Approved by IMA in 2003 as a new species with the name magnesiotantalite (IMA 2002-018).
2007: Renamed by IMA as tantalite-(Mg), proposal IMA 07-C ( Burke 2008).
2007: Renamed by IMA as tantalite-(Mg), proposal IMA 07-C ( Burke 2008).
Type description reference:
Pekov, I. V., Yakubovich, O. V., Shcherbachev, D. K., Kononkova, N. N. (2003) Magnesiotantalite (Mg,Fe)(Ta,Nb)2O6, the new columbite-tantalite group mineral from desilicated granite pegmatites of Lipovka (the Central Urals) and its genesis. Zapiski Vserossijskogo Mineralogicheskogo Obshchestva, 132 (2) 49-60
Classification of Tantalite-(Mg)
4.DB.35
4 : OXIDES (Hydroxides, V[5,6] vanadates, arsenites, antimonites, bismuthites, sulfites, selenites, tellurites, iodates)
D : Metal: Oxygen = 1:2 and similar
B : With medium-sized cations; chains of edge-sharing octahedra
4 : OXIDES (Hydroxides, V[5,6] vanadates, arsenites, antimonites, bismuthites, sulfites, selenites, tellurites, iodates)
D : Metal: Oxygen = 1:2 and similar
B : With medium-sized cations; chains of edge-sharing octahedra
Mineral Symbols
As of 2021 there are now IMAâCNMNC approved mineral symbols (abbreviations) for each mineral species, useful for tables and diagrams.
Please only use the official IMAâCNMNC symbol. Older variants are listed for historical use only.
Please only use the official IMAâCNMNC symbol. Older variants are listed for historical use only.
| Symbol | Source | Reference for Standard |
|---|---|---|
| Ttl-Mg | IMAâCNMNC | Warr, L.N. (2021). IMAâCNMNC approved mineral symbols. Mineralogical Magazine, 85(3), 291-320. doi:10.1180/mgm.2021.43 |
| Tnt | The Canadian Mineralogist (2019) | The Canadian Mineralogist (2019) The Canadian Mineralogist list of symbols for rock- and ore-forming minerals (December 30, 2019). download |
Physical Properties of Tantalite-(Mg)
Metallic, Sub-Metallic
Transparency:
Opaque
Colour:
Black
Streak:
Brownish red
Hardness:
5½ on Mohs scale
Hardness:
VHN50=489(5) kg/mm2 - Vickers
Tenacity:
Brittle
Cleavage:
None Observed
Fracture:
Irregular/Uneven
Density:
6.7(3) g/cm3 (Measured) 6.79 g/cm3 (Calculated)
Optical Data of Tantalite-(Mg)
Anisotropism:
weak
Colour in reflected light:
light grey
Internal Reflections:
brownish red
Pleochroism:
Non-pleochroic
Chemistry of Tantalite-(Mg)
Mindat Formula:
(Mg,Fe2+)(Ta,Nb)2O6
Element Weights:
Crystallography of Tantalite-(Mg)
Crystal System:
Orthorhombic
Class (H-M):
mmm (2/m 2/m 2/m) - Dipyramidal
Space Group:
Pbcn
Setting:
Pbcn
Cell Parameters:
a = 14.335(2) Å, b = 5.735(1) Å, c = 5.058(1) Å
Ratio:
a:b:c = 2.5 : 1 : 0.882
Unit Cell V:
415.82 Ă
Âł (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:
4
Comment:
by analogy to other members of the group
X-Ray Powder Diffraction
Powder Diffraction Data:
| d-spacing | Intensity |
|---|---|
| 7.10 Ă | (5) |
| 3.67 Ă | (60) |
| 2.96 Ă | (100) |
| 2.87 Ă | (15) |
| 2.56 Ă | (20) |
| 2.49 Ă | (30) |
| 2.38 Ă | (20) |
| 2.25 Ă | (5) |
| 2.21 Ă | (10) |
| 2.09 Ă | (30) |
| 1.908 Ă | (30) |
| 1.828 Ă | (20) |
| 1.774 Ă | (60) |
| 1.746 Ă | (50) |
| 1.728 Ă | (70) |
| 1.545 Ă | (50) |
| 1.488 Ă | (20) |
| 1.462 Ă | (90) |
| 1.434 Ă | (5) |
Reference:
Pekov, I. V., Yakubovich, O. V., Shcherbachev, D. K., Kononkova, N. N. (2003) Magnesiotantalite (Mg,Fe)(Ta,Nb)2O6, the new columbite-tantalite group mineral from desilicated granite pegmatites of Lipovka (the Central Urals) and its genesis. Zapiski Vserossijskogo Mineralogicheskogo Obshchestva, 132 (2) 49-60
Comments:
Pekov, I. V., Yakubovich, O. V., Shcherbachev, D. K., Kononkova, N. N. (2003) Magnesiotantalite (Mg,Fe)(Ta,Nb)2O6, the new columbite-tantalite group mineral from desilicated granite pegmatites of Lipovka (the Central Urals) and its genesis. Zapiski Vserossijskogo Mineralogicheskogo Obshchestva 132 (2): 49-60 (in Russian).
Geological Environment
Paragenetic Mode(s):
| Paragenetic Mode | Earliest Age (Ga) |
|---|---|
| Stage 4b: Highly evolved igneous rocks | >3.0 |
| 34 : Complex granite pegmatites |
Type Occurrence of Tantalite-(Mg)
General Appearance of Type Material:
Alteration zones to a maximum thickness of about 0.5 mm formed between manganotantalite crystals and the host rock
Place of Conservation of Type Material:
A.E. Fersman Mineralogical Museum, Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
Chemical Analysis of Type Material:
| MgO | 5.27 % |
|---|---|
| FeO | 6.71 % |
| MnO | 0.82 % |
| TiO2 | 0.38 % |
| Nb2OS | 24.19 % |
| Ta2O5 | 61.86 % |
| Total: | 99.23 % |
Geological Setting of Type Material:
Andesite-calcite lenses in a zoned, metasomatically altered pegmatite vein hosted by serpentinite
Associated Minerals at Type Locality:
Reference:
Pekov, I. V., Yakubovich, O. V., Shcherbachev, D. K., Kononkova, N. N. (2003) Magnesiotantalite (Mg,Fe)(Ta,Nb)2O6, the new columbite-tantalite group mineral from desilicated granite pegmatites of Lipovka (the Central Urals) and its genesis. Zapiski Vserossijskogo Mineralogicheskogo Obshchestva, 132 (2) 49-60
Synonyms of Tantalite-(Mg)
Other Language Names for Tantalite-(Mg)
Dutch:Tantaliet-(Mg)
Simplified Chinese:éééœçż
Spanish:Magnesiotantalita
Traditional Chinese:ééźé瀊
Relationship of Tantalite-(Mg) to other Species
Member of:
Other Members of Columbite Group:
| Columbite-(Fe) | Fe2+Nb2O6 | Orth. mmm (2/m 2/m 2/m) : Pbcn |
| Columbite-(Mg) | (Mg,Fe,Mn)(Nb,Ta)2O6 | Orth. |
| Columbite-(Mn) | Mn2+Nb2O6 | Orth. mmm (2/m 2/m 2/m) : Pbcn |
| Qitianlingite | (Fe,Mn)2(Nb,Ta)2WO10 | Orth. mmm (2/m 2/m 2/m) |
| Tantalite-(Fe) | Fe2+Ta2O6 | Orth. mmm (2/m 2/m 2/m) : Pbcn |
| Tantalite-(Mn) | Mn2+Ta2O6 | Orth. mmm (2/m 2/m 2/m) : Pbcn |
Common Associates
Associations Based on Photo Data:
| 2 photos of Tantalite-(Mg) associated with Tantalite-(Mn) | Mn2+Ta2O6 |
| 2 photos of Tantalite-(Mg) associated with Microlite Group | A2-mTa2X6-wZ-n |
| 2 photos of Tantalite-(Mg) associated with Calcite | CaCO3 |
Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat Grouping
| 4.DB. | Nioboheftetjernite | ScNbO4 |
| 4.DB. | Huangshanite | Fe3+TaO4 |
| 4.DB. | Nioboixiolite-(Mn2+) | (Nb0.67Mn2+0.33)O2 |
| 4.DB. | Shakhdaraite-(Y) | ScYNb2O8 |
| 4.DB.05 | Varlamoffite | Sn1-xFexO2-x(OH) |
| 4.DB.05 | Argutite | GeO2 |
| 4.DB.05 | Cassiterite | SnO2 |
| 4.DB.05 | Rutile | TiO2 |
| 4.DB.05 | Plattnerite | PbO2 |
| 4.DB.05 | Tripuhyite | Fe3+Sb5+O4 |
| 4.DB.05 | Tugarinovite | MoO2 |
| 4.DB.05 | Pyrolusite | Mn4+O2 |
| 4.DB.10 | Byströmite | MgSb2O6 |
| 4.DB.10 | Ordoñezite | ZnSb2O6 |
| 4.DB.10 | Tredouxite | NiSb2O6 |
| 4.DB.10 | Tapiolite-(Mn) | Mn2+Ta2O6 |
| 4.DB.10 | Tapiolite-(Fe) | Fe2+Ta2O6 |
| 4.DB.15a | Paramontroseite | V4+O2 |
| 4.DB.15a | Ramsdellite | Mn4+O2 |
| 4.DB.15b | Akhtenskite | Δ-Mn4+O2 |
| 4.DB.15c | Nsutite | (Mn4+,Mn2+)(O,OH)2 |
| 4.DB.20 | Scrutinyite | α-PbO2 |
| 4.DB.20 | Nioboixiolite-([]) | (Nb0.8â»0.2)4+O2 |
| 4.DB.25 | Ishikawaite | U4+Fe2+Nb2O8 |
| 4.DB.25 | 'Yttrocolumbite-(Y)' | Y(U4+,Fe2+)Nb2O8 |
| 4.DB.25 | Calciosamarskite | (Ca,U4+)Fe3+(Nb,Ta,Ti)2O8 |
| 4.DB.25 | Samarskite-(Yb) | YbFe3+(Nb,Ta)2O8 |
| 4.DB.25 | Ixiolite-(Sc) | (Ta0.5Sc0.5)O2 |
| 4.DB.25 | Ixiolite-(Fe2+) | (Ta0.67Fe2+0.33)O2 |
| 4.DB.25 | Ixiolite-(Mn2+) | (Ta0.67Mn2+0.33)O2 |
| 4.DB.25 | Nioboixiolite-(Fe2+) | (Nb0.67Fe2+0.33)O2 |
| 4.DB.25 | Srilankite | ZrTi2O6 |
| 4.DB.25 | Samarskite-(Y) | YFe3+Nb2O8 |
| 4.DB.25 | Nioboixiolite-(Fe3+) | (Nb0.5Fe3+0.5)O2 |
| 4.DB.30 va | Wolframite Group | |
| 4.DB.30 | Rossovskyite | (Fe3+,Ta)(Nb,Ti)O4 |
| 4.DB.30 | Huanzalaite | MgWO4 |
| 4.DB.30 | Heftetjernite | ScTaO4 |
| 4.DB.30 | HĂŒbnerite | MnWO4 |
| 4.DB.30 | Sanmartinite | (Zn,Fe)WO4 |
| 4.DB.30 | Ferberite | FeWO4 |
| 4.DB.30 | 'Krasnoselskite' | CoWO4 |
| 4.DB.35 | Qitianlingite | (Fe,Mn)2(Nb,Ta)2WO10 |
| 4.DB.35 | Tantalaeschynite-(Ce) | Ce(TiTa)O6 |
| 4.DB.35 | Columbite-(Mn) | Mn2+Nb2O6 |
| 4.DB.35 | Tantalite-(Mn) | Mn2+Ta2O6 |
| 4.DB.35 | Columbite-(Fe) | Fe2+Nb2O6 |
| 4.DB.35 | Columbite-(Mg) | (Mg,Fe,Mn)(Nb,Ta)2O6 |
| 4.DB.35 | Tantalite-(Fe) | Fe2+Ta2O6 |
| 4.DB.40 | Ferrotitanowodginite | Fe2+TiTa2O8 |
| 4.DB.40 | 'Wolframowodginite' | Mn(Mn,Sn,Fe,Ta)(W,Ta,Nb)2O8 |
| 4.DB.40 | Lithiotantite | LiTa3O8 |
| 4.DB.40 | Lithiowodginite | LiTa3O8 |
| 4.DB.40 | Titanowodginite | Mn2+TiTa2O8 |
| 4.DB.40 | Tantalowodginite | (Mn2+0.5â»0.5)TaTa2O8 |
| 4.DB.40 | Wodginite | Mn2+Sn4+Ta2O8 |
| 4.DB.40 | Ferrowodginite | Fe2+Sn4+Ta2O8 |
| 4.DB.45 | Tivanite | V3+TiO3(OH) |
| 4.DB.50 | Carmichaelite | (Ti,Cr,Fe)[O2-x(OH)x] |
| 4.DB.55 | Alumotantite | AlTaO4 |
| 4.DB.60 | Biehlite | ((Sb,As)O)2[MoO4] |
Fluorescence of Tantalite-(Mg)
Not fluorescent in UV
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 Tantalite-(Mg)
mindat.org URL:
https://www.mindat.org/min-11465.html
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References for Tantalite-(Mg)
Reference List:
Pekov, I. V., Yakubovich, O. V., Shcherbachev, D. K., Kononkova, N. N. (2003) Magnesiotantalite (Mg,Fe)(Ta,Nb)2O6, the new columbite-tantalite group mineral from desilicated granite pegmatites of Lipovka (the Central Urals) and its genesis. Zapiski Vserossijskogo Mineralogicheskogo Obshchestva, 132 (2) 49-60
Localities for Tantalite-(Mg)
Showing 2 localities.
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The Locality List
- This locality has map coordinates listed.
- This locality has estimated coordinates.
â - 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).
All localities listed without proper references should be considered as questionable.
Russia (TL) | |
| Pekov et al. (2003) +1 other reference |
Sri Lanka | |
| Ceylon Aluvial Mine (Book, Co. 2002) |
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Lipovka Mine, Lipovsk pegmatite field, Rezhevsky District, Sverdlovsk Oblast, Russia