Mineral description : Cerite

Cerite from Bastnäs, Riddarhyttan.

Cerite from Bastnäs, Riddarhyttan. With black orthite vein.

Mineral class	Silicates : Nesosilicates : Zircone - titanite group.
Chemical formula	(Ce,Ca)9(Mg,Fe)Si7(O,OH,F)28
Crystal system	Hexagonal.
Habitus	Crystals rare, often as massive aggregates.
Cleavage
Hardness	5.5
Density	4.86
Color	Dark lilac red to grayish red.
Streak
Luster	Greasy.
Description
Occurance	Only created during special chemical and geological circumstances in limestone metamorped under very high temperatures.
Associates	Bastnasite
Notes	Often with surface transformations into light yellow earthy bastnasite.
Locations	A rare mineral with a very good locality in Sweden. The cerite mine in Bastnäs, Riddarhyttan, Västmanland. Together with orthite, bastnasite and aktinolite. In small amounts it occurs in : Högforsgruvan and Storgruvan, Riddarhyttan, Västmanland. Malmkärragruvan, Johannagruvan, Östanmossagruvan and Åsgruvan, Norberg mining district.

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