Columbite

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Columbite-(Fe)
Columbite.jpg
General
Category Oxide minerals
Formula
(repeating unit)		 Fe2+Nb2O6
Strunz classification 04.DB.35
Identification
Color Black, brownish black.
Crystal habit Massive - Granular - Common texture observed in granite and other igneous rock; Striated - Parallel lines on crystal surface or cleavage face.
Crystal system Orthorhombic, (2/m 2/m 2/m), SpaceGroup = Pcan
Cleavage [010] Distinct
Fracture Sub Conchoidal: Fractures developed in brittle materials characterized by semi-curving surfaces.
Mohs scale hardness 6
Luster sub-metallic
Streak blackish brown
Specific gravity 5.3–7.3, Average = 6.3
Optical properties Biaxial (+), b=2.29–2.4
Other characteristics non-radioactive, non-fluorescent.
References [1][2]

Columbite, also called niobite, niobite-tantalite and columbate [(Fe, Mn)Nb2O6], is a black mineral group that is an ore of niobium. It has a submetallic luster and a high density and is a niobate of iron and manganese. This mineral group was first found in Haddam, Connecticut, in the United States. It forms a series with the tantalum-dominant analogue ferrotantalite and one with the manganese-dominant analogue manganocolumbite. The iron-rich member of the columbite group is ferrocolumbite. Some tin and tungsten may be present in the mineral. Yttrocolumbite is the yttrium-rich columbite with the formula (Y,U,Fe)(Nb,Ta)O4. It is a radioactive mineral found in Mozambique.

Columbite has the same composition and crystal symmetry (orthorhombic) as tantalite. In fact, the two are often grouped together as a semi-singular mineral series called columbite-tantalite or coltan in many mineral guides. However, tantalite has a much greater specific gravity than columbite, more than 8.0 compared to columbite's 5.2.[3]

Columbite is also very similar to tapiolite. Those minerals have same chemical composition but different crystal symmetry: orthorhombic for columbite and tetragonal for tapiolite.[4] The largest documented single crystal of columbite consisted of plates 6 millimetres (0.24 in) thick measuring 76 by 61 centimetres (30 in × 24 in).[5]

History and etymology

The occurrence of columbite in the United States was made known from a specimen presumably stemming from John Winthrop (1606–1676), first Governor of the Connecticut Colony and avid mineral collector. Amidst 600 other samples, it was donated by his namesake and grandson, John Winthrop (1681–1747) to Hans Sloane, President of the Royal Society of Great Britain, upon becoming a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1737.[6]

In 1801 Charles Hatchett discovered the element niobium in this specimen,[7] which he named columbium in honour of Christopher Columbus, the discoverer of America.[8]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Columbite-(Fe) Mineral Data
  2. ↑ Columbite-(Fe) on Mindat.org
  3. ↑ mindat.org Tantalite
  4. ↑ P. Cerny et al. "The tantalite-tapiolite gap: natural assemblages versus experimental data" Canadian Mineralogist 30 (1992) 587 free download
  5. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  6. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  7. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  8. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

External links

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