Mineral description : Microlite

Microlite from Varuträsk.

Mineral class	Oxides : Perovskite - Pyrochlor - Columbite group.
Chemical formula	(Ca,Na)2(Ta,Nb,Ti)2O6(OH,F,O)
Crystal system	Cubic.
Habitus	As small cubic crystals. Also as grains.
Cleavage
Hardness	5-5.5
Density	6.4
Color	Pale yellow to brown.
Streak	Pale yellow.
Luster	Vitreous.
Description
Occurance	In pegmatites.
Associates
Notes
Locations	Not so common in Sweden. Varuträsk, Västerbotten. As small crystals and grains up to 10mm, usially only in mm size. Black look by a coating of antimony. Prabably an transformation product of stibiotantalite. Utö iron mine, Stockholm archipelago. As small yellow to dark brown octaedric crystals in petalite.

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