THORUTITE

    Class : Oxides and hydroxides
    Subclass : Oxides
    Crystal system : Monoclinic
    Chemistry : (Th,U,Ca)Ti2(O,OH)6
    Rarity : Very rare

Thorutite is an extremely rare titanium and thorium oxide that forms a series with brannerite. It owes its name to its chemical composition : thorium, uranium, titanium. It forms small, short prismatic crystals of 2 cm maximum, black in color, within veinlets of microcline, nepheline, zircon, thorite and calcite.

Main photo : Thorutite from Franklin Mine, New Jersey, USA © Christopher O'Neill

Thorutite in the World

Thorutite is known as submillimeter crystals from a handful of deposits around the world, including : Franklin (New Jersey), Severnyi (Kyrgyzstan) and Brumado (Brazil).

Thorutite in France

Thorutite is not present in the French underground.

Twinning

No twinning known for this mineral species.

Fakes and treatments

No fakes listed for this mineral species.


Hardness : 5 to 6
Density : 5.82
Fracture : Conchoidal
Streak : Light brown

TP : Translucent
RI : 2.1
Birefringence : -
Optical character : -
Pleochroism : None
Fluorescence : None

Solubility : -

Magnetism : NoneRadioactivity : Strong