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Mineral - Baddeleyite

BaddeleyiteZrO₂
Chemical Properties
Mineral Class
Oxides and Hydrxides
Toxicity
none
Formula
ZrO₂
Unit Cell
a=5.15 b=5.21 c=5.32 β=99° Z=4
Physical Properties
Hardness
6.5
Streak
white
Density
Very Heavy (>6)
Cleavage
Perfect after {001}, indistinct after {010} and {110}
Fracture
conchoidal,
uneven
Tenacity
Brittle
Optical Properties
Color
blackbrowncolorless
Birefringence
0.070
Luster
Vitreous
Transparency
translucent,
opaque
Pleochroism
X: Gelb-Dunkelgrün Y: Dunkelgrün-Braun Z: Braun
Geomineralogical Properties
Crystal System
monoclinic
Point Group
monoclinic-prismatic - 2/m
Space Group
P2 1 /c (14)
Habit
prismatic, tabular
Formation
Magmatic in kimberlites and carbonatites, but also other rocks Detrial in placer deposits
Paragenesis
Twinning
Rarity
Rather rare
Synonyms
Baddeleyite
Composition
Elements
Mass
SiO₂
0.19
ZrO₂
98.90
HfO₂
[0.28]
Fe₂O₃
0.82
CaO
0.06
Sri Lanka (Palache et al. 1952)
Groups and Members
Baddeleyite-Group

Name and first discovery: Named after the British geologist Joseph Baddeley. First described in 1892.

Chemism: 

Synonyms: 

Varieties: 

Abbreviation: Bdy

 

Famous locations

(TL) Type locality                          (analysis) Chemical element distribution, see above

 

Sri Lanka

(TL) (Analysis) Kollonnagam, Rakwana, Sabaragamuwa, Sri Lanka

 

Brazil

Morro do Ferro, Poços de Caldas, Minas Gerais, Brazil

 

Italy

San Vito Quarry, San Vito, Campania, Italy

 

Myanmar

Wet-loo, Mogok, Mandalay, Myanmar

 

Russia

Kovdor Zheleznyi Mine, Kovdor Massif, Murmansk Oblast, Russia

 

South Africa

Palabora Mine, Phalaborwa, Limpopo, South Africa

 

 

Literature

Palache, C., Berman, H., & Frondel, C. (1952). Dana's system of mineralogy. GeologiskaFöreningen i Stockholm Förhandlingar, 74(2), 218-219.