Foordite
A valid IMA mineral species
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About Foordite
Eugene Edward Foord
Formula:
Sn2+Nb2O6
Colour:
Dark brown, yellowish brown, olive brown
Lustre:
Adamantine, Sub-Adamantine, Dull
Hardness:
6
Specific Gravity:
6.73
Crystal System:
Monoclinic
Member of:
Name:
Named by Petr Cerny, André M. Fransolet, T. Scott Ercit, and R. Chapman in 1988 in honor of Eugene Edward Foord [November 20, 1946 - January 8, 1998, Golden, Colorado, USA], mineralogist of the U.S. Geological Survey and specialist in granite pegmatite research. Gene named many mineral species, including aheylite, esperanzaite, kosnarite, maxwellite, mccrillisite, and parafransoletite.
Type Locality:
Isostructural with:
Foordite-Thoreaulite Series.
The niobium analogue of Thoreaulite.
Not to be confused with Froodite, a palladium bismuthide from Sudbury, Ontario.
The niobium analogue of Thoreaulite.
Not to be confused with Froodite, a palladium bismuthide from Sudbury, Ontario.
Unique Identifiers
Mindat ID:
1581
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:1:1581:9
Similar Names
IMA Classification of Foordite
Classification of Foordite
4.DG.15
4 : OXIDES (Hydroxides, V[5,6] vanadates, arsenites, antimonites, bismuthites, sulfites, selenites, tellurites, iodates)
D : Metal: Oxygen = 1:2 and similar
G : With large (+- 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
G : With large (+- medium-sized) cations; chains of edge-sharing octahedra
8.3.10.2
8 : MULTIPLE OXIDES CONTAINING NIOBIUM,TANTALUM OR TITANIUM
3 : AB2O6
8 : MULTIPLE OXIDES CONTAINING NIOBIUM,TANTALUM OR TITANIUM
3 : AB2O6
18.1.23
18 : Niobates and Tantalates
1 : Niobates and tantalates containing neither rare earths nor U
18 : Niobates and Tantalates
1 : Niobates and tantalates containing neither rare earths nor U
Mineral Symbols
As of 2021 there are now IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols (abbreviations) for each mineral species, useful for tables and diagrams.
| Symbol | Source | Reference for Standard |
|---|---|---|
| Foo | IMA–CNMNC | Warr, L.N. (2021). IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols. Mineralogical Magazine, 85(3), 291-320. doi:10.1180/mgm.2021.43 |
Pronunciation of Foordite
Pronunciation:
| Play | Recorded by | Country |
|---|---|---|
| Jolyon Ralph | United Kingdom |
Physical Properties of Foordite
Adamantine, Sub-Adamantine, Dull
Transparency:
Translucent
Comment:
Dull on eroded surfaces
Colour:
Dark brown, yellowish brown, olive brown
Streak:
Yellowish white
Hardness:
6 on Mohs scale
Tenacity:
Brittle
Cleavage:
Perfect
{100}, also {011} poor
{100}, also {011} poor
Fracture:
Irregular/Uneven
Density:
6.73 g/cm3 (Measured) 6.66 g/cm3 (Calculated)
Optical Data of Foordite
Type:
Biaxial (+)
Dispersion:
strong
Chemistry of Foordite
Mindat Formula:
Sn2+Nb2O6
Element Weights:
Elements listed:
Common Impurities:
Pb
Chemical Analysis
Oxide wt%:
| 1 | |
|---|---|
| SnO | 25.4 % |
| PbO | 6.0 % |
| Ta2O5 | 28.7 % |
| Nb2O5 | 40.1 % |
| Total: | 100.2 % |
Sample references:
| ID | Locality | Reference | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lutsiro, Rutsiro District, Western Province, Rwanda | holotype specimen |
Crystallography of Foordite
Crystal System:
Monoclinic
Class (H-M):
2/m - Prismatic
Space Group:
B2/b
Setting:
C2/c
Cell Parameters:
a = 17.09 Å, b = 4.87 Å, c = 5.55 Å
β = 90.85°
β = 90.85°
Ratio:
a:b:c = 3.509 : 1 : 1.14
Unit Cell V:
461.87 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:
4
Crystal Structure
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Data courtesy of the American Mineralogist Crystal Structure Database. Click on an AMCSD ID to view structure
| ID | Species | Reference | Link | Year | Locality | Pressure (GPa) | Temp (K) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0005219 | Foordite | Ercit T S, Cerny P (1988) The crystal structure of foordite The Canadian Mineralogist 26 899-903 |  | 1988 | 0 | 293 |
CIF Raw Data - click here to close
X-Ray Powder Diffraction
Powder Diffraction Data:
| d-spacing | Intensity |
|---|---|
| 3.59 Å | (40) |
| 3.10 Å | (50) |
| 3.07 Å | (50) |
| 2.85 Å | (100) |
| 2.78 Å | (20) |
| 1.853 Å | (30) |
| 1.694 Å | (50) |
| 1.681 Å | (50) |
Comments:
45-1350
Geological Environment
Paragenetic Mode(s):
| Paragenetic Mode | Earliest Age (Ga) |
|---|---|
| Near-surface Processes | |
| 26 : Hadean detrital minerals | |
| Stage 4b: Highly evolved igneous rocks | >3.0 |
| 34 : Complex granite pegmatites |
Type Occurrence of Foordite
General Appearance of Type Material:
Small masses and pebbles.
Place of Conservation of Type Material:
Catholic University of Louvain, Louvain, Belgium, P1284.
Geological Setting of Type Material:
In alluvium, presumably derived from a granite pegmatite.
Associated Minerals at Type Locality:
Synonyms of Foordite
Other Language Names for Foordite
Relationship of Foordite to other Species
Common Associates
Associations Based on Photo Data:
| 1 photo of Foordite associated with Cesplumtantite | (Cs,Na)2(Pb,Sb3+)3Ta8O24 |
Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat Grouping
| 4.DG.05 | Fersmite | CaNb2O6 |
| 4.DG.05 | Uranopolycrase | (U4+,Y)(Ti,Nb)2O6 |
| 4.DG.05 | Yttrocrasite-(Y) | (Y,Th,Ca,U)(Ti,Fe)2(O,OH)6 |
| 4.DG.05 | Tanteuxenite-(Y) | Y(Ta,Nb,Ti)2(O,OH)6 |
| 4.DG.05 | Loranskite-(Y) | (Y,Ce,Ca)ZrTaO6 (?) |
| 4.DG.05 | Euxenite-(Y) | (Y,Ca,Ce,U,Th)(Nb,Ta,Ti)2O6 |
| 4.DG.05 | Kobeite-(Y) | (Y,U)(Ti,Nb)2(O,OH)6 (?) |
| 4.DG.10 | Yttrotantalite-(Y) | (Y,U,Fe2+)(Ta,Nb)(O,OH)4 |
| 4.DG.10 | Clinofergusonite-(Y) | YNbO4 |
| 4.DG.10 | Clinofergusonite-(Nd) | (Nd,Ce)NbO4 |
| 4.DG.10 | Clinofergusonite-(Ce) | CeNbO4 |
| 4.DG.15 | Thoreaulite | Sn2+Ta2O6 |
| 4.DG.20 | Raspite | Pb(WO4) |
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 Foordite
mindat.org URL:
https://www.mindat.org/min-1581.html
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References for Foordite
Localities for Foordite
Showing 4 localities.
symbol to view information about a locality.
The Locality List
- This locality has map coordinates listed.
- This locality has estimated coordinates.
ⓘ - 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.
DR Congo | |
| Kristiansen (2001) |
| Daltry et al. (1998) +2 other references | |
| T. Witzke |
Rwanda (TL) | |
| Jambor et al. (1990) +2 other references |
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Punia Territory, Maniema, DR Congo