Cafetite

Cafetite is a rare titanium oxide mineral with formula (Ca,Mg)(Fe,Al)
2
Ti
4
O
12
·4(H
2
O)
. It is named for its composition, Ca-Fe-Ti.

Cafetite
Yellow cafetite crystals with green lizardite and calcite
General
Categoryoxide mineral
Formula
(repeating unit)
(Ca,Mg)(Fe,Al)
2
Ti
4
O
12
·4(H
2
O)
IMA symbolCft
Strunz classification4.FL.75
Crystal systemMonoclinic
Crystal classPrismatic (2/m)
(same H-M symbol)
Space groupP21/n
Unit cella = 4.944 Å,
b = 12.109 Å,
c = 15.911 Å;
β= 98.93°; Z = 8
Identification
ColorPale yellow to colorless
Crystal habitElongated columnar to acicular crystals, fibrous aggregates, pseudo-orthorhombic
CleavagePrismatic
TenacityBrittle
Mohs scale hardness4–5
LusterAdamantine
StreakWhite
DiaphaneitySemitransparent
Specific gravity3.28
Optical propertiesBiaxial (–), 2V=58°, Dispersion very strong, r > v
Refractive indexnα = 1.95, nβ = 2.08, nγ = 2.11
Birefringenceδ = 0.16
Pleochroismnone
2V angleMeasured: 38°
References

It was first described in 1959 for an occurrence in the Afrikanda Massif, Afrikanda, Kola Peninsula, Murmanskaja Oblast, Northern Region, Russia. It is also reported from the Khibiny and Kovdor massifs of the Kola Peninsula and from Meagher County, Montana, US.

It occurs in pegmatites in a pyroxenite intrusion as crystals in miarolitic cavities. It occurs associated with ilmenite, titaniferous magnetite, titanite, anatase, perovskite, baddeleyite, phlogopite, clinochlore and kassite.

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