Cerite

{{Short description|Silicate mineral group containing cerium}} {{Infobox mineral | name = Cerite | category = Silicate mineral group | boxwidth = | boxbgcolor = | image = Cerite.jpg | imagesize = 260px | caption = Cerite – Bastnas – Deposit Topotype | formula = {{chem|(Ce,La,Ca)|9|(Mg,Fe|3+|)|(Si|O|4|)|6|(Si|O|3|OH)|(OH)|3}} | IMAsymbol=Crt<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Warr|first=L.N.|date=2021|title=IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols|journal=Mineralogical Magazine|volume=85|issue=3|pages=291–320|doi=10.1180/mgm.2021.43|bibcode=2021MinM...85..291W|s2cid=235729616|doi-access=free}}</ref> | molweight = | system = Trigonal | class = Ditrigonal pyramidal (3m) <br/><small>(same H-M symbol)</small> | symmetry = ''R3c'' | color = Clove-brown with a reddish tinge; pale lavender-brown to colorless in thin fragments | habit = Massive granular | twinning = | cleavage = None | fracture = Uneven | tenacity = | mohs = 5 to 5.5 | luster = Vitreous to resinous | streak = White to greyish white | diaphaneity = Subtranslucent to opaque | gravity = 4.7 to 4.86 | density = | polish = | opticalprop = Uniaxial (+) | refractive = nω = 1.806 – 1.810 nε = 1.810 – 1.820 | birefringence = δ = 0.010 | pleochroism = | 2V = | dispersion = | extinction = | length fast/slow = | fluorescence= | absorption = | melt = | fusibility = | diagnostic = | solubility = | other = | alteration = | references = <ref>[https://www.mineralienatlas.de/lexikon/index.php/MineralData?mineral=Cerite Mineralienatlas]</ref><ref name=Handbook/><ref name=Webmin/> }} '''Cerite''' is a complex silicate mineral group containing cerium, formula {{chem|(Ce,La,Ca)|9|(Mg,Fe|3+|)|(Si|O|4|)|6|(Si|O|3|OH)|(OH)|3}}.<ref name=Handbook>http://rruff.geo.arizona.edu/doclib/hom/ceritece.pdf Handbook of Mineralogy</ref> The cerium and lanthanum content varies with the Ce rich species (cerite-(Ce)) and the La rich species (cerite-(La)).<ref>http://www.mindat.org/min-931.html Mindat Cerite-(Ce)</ref><ref>http://www.mindat.org/min-26408.html Mindat Cerite-(La)</ref> Analysis of a sample from the Mountain Pass carbonatite gave 35.05% {{chem|Ce|2|O|3}} and 30.04% {{chem|La|2|O|3}}.<ref name=Handbook/>

Cerite was first described in 1803 for an occurrence in Bastnäs in Västmanland, Sweden.<ref name=Webmin>http://webmineral.com/data/Cerite-(Ce).shtml Webmineral (Ce)</ref> The lanthanum rich species, cerite-(La) was first described for an occurrence in the Khibina massif, Kola Peninsula, Russia in 2002.<ref>http://webmineral.com/data/Cerite-(La).shtml Webmineral (La)</ref>

==See also== {{Portal|Earth sciences}} * Classification of minerals * List of minerals

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== *{{Commonscatinline|Cerite-(Ce)}}

Category:Lanthanide minerals Category:Iron minerals Category:Cerium minerals Category:Nesosilicates Category:Trigonal minerals Category:Minerals in space group 161