Titanite

Titanite, or sphene (from the Greek

sphenos (σφηνώ), meaning wedge[4]), is
a calcium titanium nesosilicate mineral,
CaTiSiO5. Trace impurities of iron and
aluminium are typically present. Also
commonly present are rare earth metals
including cerium and yttrium; calcium
may be partly replaced by thorium.[5]
 Titanite (Sphene)

Titanite crystals on amphibole (image width 2

mm)

General

Category nesosilicate

Formula CaTiSiO5
(repeating unit)

Strunz classification 9.AG.15

Crystal system Monoclinic

Crystal class Prismatic (2/m)

(same H-M symbol)

Space group P21/a

Unit cell a = 7.057 Å, b =

8 707 Å
 8.707 Å
c = 6.555 Å; β =
113.81°; Z = 4

Identification

Colour Reddish brown, gray,

yellow, green, or red

Crystal habit Flattened wedge-

shaped crystals, also
massive

Twinning Contact and

penetration on {100},
lamellar on {221}

Cleavage Distinct on [110],

parting on {221}

Fracture Sub-conchoidal

Mohs scale hardness 5 to 5.5

Luster Subadamantine

tending to slightly
resino s
 resinous

Streak Reddish white

Diaphaneity Translucent to
transparent

Specific gravity 3.48 to 3.60

Optical properties Biaxial (+)

Refractive index nα = 1.843 – 1.950

nβ = 1.870 – 2.034
nγ = 1.943 – 2.110

Birefringence δ = 0.100 – 0.160

Pleochroism Strong: X = nearly

colorless; Y = yellow to
green; Z = red to
yellow-orange

2V angle 17 to 40° (measured)

Dispersion r > v strong

Other characteristics Radioactive – may be

metamict
References [1][2][3][4]

Nomenclature
The International Mineralogical
Association Commission on New
Minerals and Mineral Names (CNMMN)
adopted the name titanite and
"discredited" the name sphene[6] as of
1982,[7] although commonly papers and
books initially identify the mineral using
both names.[8][9] Sphene was the most
commonly used name until the IMA
decision, although both were well
known.[4] Some authorities[10] think it is
less confusing as the word is used to
describe any chemical or crystal with
oxidized titanium such as the rare earth
titanate pyrochlores series[11] and many
of the minerals with the perovskite
structure.[12] The name sphene continues
to be publishable in peer-reviewed
scientific literature, e.g. a paper by
Hayden et al. was published in early 2008
in the journal Contributions to Mineralogy
and Petrology.[10] Sphene persists as the
informal name for titanite gemstones.

Physical properties
Green titanite crystal cluster from the Tormiq Valley,
Haramosh Mountains, Pakistan

Titanite, which is named for its titanium

content, occurs as translucent to
transparent, reddish brown, gray, yellow,
green, or red monoclinic crystals. These
crystals are typically sphenoid in habit
and are often twinned. Possessing a
subadamantine tending to slightly
resinous luster, titanite has a hardness of
5.5 and a weak cleavage. Its specific
gravity varies between 3.52 and 3.54.
Titanite's refractive index is 1.885–1.990
to 1.915–2.050 with a strong
birefringence of 0.105 to 0.135 (biaxial
positive); under the microscope this
leads to a distinctive high relief which
combined with the common yellow-
brown colour and lozenge-shape cross-
section makes the mineral easy to
identify. Transparent specimens are
noted for their strong trichroism, the
three colours presented being dependent
on body colour. Owing to the quenching
effect of iron, sphene exhibits no
fluorescence under ultraviolet light.
Some titanite has been found to be
metamict, in consequence of structural
damage due to radioactive
decomposition of the often significant
thorium content. When viewed in thin
section with a petrographic microscope,
pleochroic halos can be observed in
minerals surrounding a titanite crystal.

Occurrence
Titanite occurs as a common accessory
mineral in intermediate and felsic
igneous rocks and associated
pegmatites. It also occurs in
metamorphic rocks such as gneiss and
schists and skarns.[1] Source localities
include: Pakistan; Italy; Russia; China;
Brazil; Tujetsch, St. Gothard,
Switzerland;[4] Madagascar; Tyrol,
Austria; Renfrew County, Ontario, Canada;
Sanford, Maine, Gouverneur, Diana,
Rossie, Fine, Pitcairn, Brewster, New
York[4] and California in the US.

Uses
Titanite is a source of titanium dioxide,
TiO2, used in pigments.

As a gemstone, titanite is usually some

shade of chartreuse, but can be brown or
black. Hue depends on Fe content, with
low Fe content causing green and yellow
colours, and high Fe content causing
brown or black hues. Zoning is typical in
titanite. It is prized for its exceptional
dispersive power (0.051, B to G interval)
which exceeds that of diamond.[13]
Jewelry use of titanite is limited, both
because the stone is uncommon in gem
quality and is relatively soft.

Titanite can also be used as a U-Pb

geochronometer, specifically in
metamorphic terranes.

Image gallery
Specimen from the mineral collection of
the Naturmuseum Senckenberg in
Frankfurt am Main

Titanite crystal that is totally gemmy and

transparent, with a light olive-green color,
perched on matrix of calcite and epidote
Bright green, twinned crystal of titanite
with adularia and minor clinochlore on
matrix

Olive-green titanite spear point set in

matrix from Pakistan
Green titanite crystal perched right at the
top of a column of gray, chlorite-included
crystals

Yellow-green titanite twinned crystal

perched vertically on the matrix
References
1. Handbook of Mineralogy
2. Webmineral data
3. Mindat
4. Dana, James Dwight; Ford, William
Ebenezer (1915). Dana's Manual of
Mineralogy for the Student of
Elementary Mineralogy, the Mining
Engineer, the Geologist, the
Prospector, the Collector, Etc (13
ed.). John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
pp. 299–300. Retrieved 2009-07-06.
5. Deer, W. A.; Howie, R. A.; Zussman, J.
(1966). Introduction to the Rock-
Forming Minerals. pp. 17–20.
ISBN 0-582-44210-9.
6. Nickel, Ernest H.; Nichols, Monte C.
(2008-10-17). "IMA/CNMNC List of
Mineral Names" (PDF). Material
Data, Inc. p. 280. Retrieved
2009-03-14.
7. Hey, M. H. (December 1982).
"International Mineralogical
Association: Commission on New
Minerals and Mineral Names".
Mineralogical Magazine. 46 (341):
513–514.
Bibcode:1982MinM...46..513H .
doi:10.1180/minmag.1982.046.341.
25 .
8. Wenk, Hans-Rudolf; Bulakh, Andrei
(May 2004). Minerals: Their
Constitution and Origin. New York,
NY: Cambridge University Press.
ISBN 978-0-521-52958-7.
9. Nesse, William D. (August 2003).
Introduction to Optical Mineralogy.
New York, NY: Oxford University
Press, USA. ISBN 978-0-19-514910-
4.
10. Hayden, L. A.; Watson, E. B.; Wark, D.
A. (2008). "A thermobarometer for
sphene (titanite)". Contributions to
Mineralogy and Petrology. 155 (4):
529–540.
Bibcode:2008CoMP..155..529H .
doi:10.1007/s00410-007-0256-y .
11. Helean, K. B.; Ushakov, S. V.; Brown,
C. E.; Navrotsky, A.; Lian, J.; Ewing, R.
C.; Farmer, J. M.; Boatner, L. A. (June
2004). "Formation enthalpies of rare
earth titanate pyrochlores". Journal
of Solid State Chemistry. 177 (6):
1858–1866.
Bibcode:2004JSSCh.177.1858H .
doi:10.1016/j.jssc.2004.01.009 .
12. Freitas, G. F. G.; Nasar, R. S.;
Cerqueira, M.; Melo, D. M. A.; Longo,
E.; Varela, J. A. (October 2006).
"Luminescence in semi-crystalline
zirconium titanate doped with
lanthanum". Materials Science and
Engineering: A. 434 (1–2): 19–22.
doi:10.1016/j.msea.2006.07.023 .
13. "Sphene (Titanite) Value, Price, and
Jewelry Information" . International
Gem Society.

External links
Madagascar Sphene Properties,
Occurrences and Geological data
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