Skip to main content

RUTILE [TiO2]

Rutile is a mineral composed primarily of titanium dioxide, TiO2. Rutile has among the highest refractive indices at visible wavelengths of any known crystal, and also exhibits a particularly large birefringence and high dispersion.
DETAILED DESACRIPTION
 Owing to these properties, it is useful for the manufacture of certain optical elements, especially polarization optics, for longer visible and infrared wavelengths up to about 4.5μm.
Natural rutile may contain up to 10% iron and significant amounts of niobium and tantalum. Rutile derives its name from the Latinrutilus, red, in reference to the deep red color observed in some specimens when viewed by transmitted light.

Occurrence

Rutile is a common accessory mineral in high-temperature and high-pressure metamorphic rocks and in igneous rocks.
Thermodynamically, rutile is the most stable polymorph of TiO2 at all temperatures, exhibiting lower total free energy than metastable phases of anatase or brookite.[6] Consequently, the transformation of the metastable TiO2 polymorphs to rutile is irreversible. As it has the lowest molecular volume of the three main polymorphs; it is generally the primary titanium bearing phase in most high-pressure metamorphic rocks, chiefly eclogites.
Within the igneous environment, rutile is a common accessory mineral in plutonic igneous rocks, though it is also found occasionally in extrusive igneous rocks, particularly those that have deep mantle sources such as kimberlites and lamproites. Anatase and brookite are found in the igneous environment particularly as products of autogenic alteration during the cooling of plutonic rocks; anatase is also found in placer deposits sourced from primary rutile.
The occurrence of large specimen crystals is most common in pegmatites, skarns, and granite greisens. Rutile is found as an accessory mineral in some altered igneous rocks, and in certain gneisses and schists. In groups of acicular crystals it is frequently seen penetrating quartz as in the fléches d'amour from Graubünden, Switzerland. In 2005 the Republic of Sierra Leone in West Africa had a production capacity of 23% of the world's annual rutile supply, which rose to approximately 30% in 2008. The reserves, lasting for about 19 years, are estimated at 259,000,000 metric tons (285,000,000 short tons).

Uses and economic importance

In large enough quantities in beach sands, rutile forms an important constituent of heavy minerals and ore deposits. Miners extract and separate the valuable minerals—e.g., rutile, zircon, and ilmenite. The main uses for rutile are the manufacture of refractory ceramic, as a pigment, and for the production of titanium metal.
Finely powdered rutile is a brilliant white pigment and is used in paints, plastics, paper, foods, and other applications that call for a bright white color. Titanium dioxide pigment is the single greatest use of titanium worldwide. Nanoscale particles of rutile are transparent to visible light but are highly effective in the absorption of ultraviolet radiation. The UV absorption of nano-sized rutile particles is blue-shifted compared to bulk rutile, so that higher-energy UV light is absorbed by the nanoparticles. Hence, they are used in sunscreens to protect against UV-induced skin damage.
Small rutile needles present in gems are responsible for an optical phenomenon known as asterism. Asteriated gems are known as "star" gems. Star sapphires, star rubies, and other "star" gems are highly sought after and are generally more valuable than their normal counterparts.
Rutile is widely used as a welding electrode covering. It is also used as a part of the ZTR index, which classifies highly weathered sediments.

Rutile, as a large band-gap semiconductor, has in recent decades been the subject of significant research towards applications as a functional oxide for applications in photocatalysis and dilute magnetism. Research efforts typically utilize small quantities of synthetic rutile rather than mineral-deposit derived materials.

PRICE
$10.195/KG

For more information:

mobile: +2348039721941

contact person: emeaba uche

e-mail: emeabau@yahoo.com

website: www.franchiseminerals.com


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

SPODUMENE [LiAl(SiO3)2]

Spodumene   is a   pyroxene   mineral   consisting of   lithium   aluminium   inosilicate ,   Li Al ( Si O 3 ) 2 , and is a source of lithium. It occurs as colorless to yellowish, purplish, or lilac kunzite (see below), yellowish-green or emerald-green   hiddenite , prismatic crystals, often of great size.   Detailed d Single crystals of 14.3 m (47 ft) in size are reported from the   Black Hills   of   South Dakota ,   United States . [5] [6] The normal low-temperature form α-spodumene is in the   monoclinic   system whereas the high-temperature β-spodumene crystallizes in the   tetragonal   system. The normal α-spodumene converts to β-spodumene at temperatures above 900 °C. [4]   Crystals are typically heavily striated parallel to the principal axis. Crystal faces are often etched and pitted with triangular markings. Discovery and occurrence Spodumene was first des...
Post a Comment
Read more

COLUMBITE[(Fe, Mn)Nb2O6]

Columbite , also called  niobite ,  niobite-tantalite  and  columbate  [( Fe ,  Mn ) Nb 2 O 6 ], is a black  mineral  group that is an ore of  niobium . It has a submetallic  luster  and a high density and is a niobate of  iron  and  manganese .  Detailed description This mineral group was first found in  Haddam, Connecticut , in the United States. It forms a series with the  tantalum -dominant analogue  ferrotantalite  and one with the manganese-dominant analogue  manganocolumbite . The iron-rich member of the columbite group is  ferrocolumbite . Some tin and tungsten may be present in the mineral.  Yttrocolumbite  is the yttrium-rich columbite with the formula (Y,U,Fe)(Nb,Ta)O 4 . It is a radioactive mineral found in  Mozambique . Columbite has the same composition and crystal symmetry ( orthorhombic ) as  tantalite . In fact, the two are often grouped t...
Post a Comment
Read more

ARSENOPYRITE MINERAL

Listing description What is Arsenopyrite? Arsenopyrite is an iron arsenic sulfide. It is the most common arsenic mineral and the primary ore of arsenic metal. Detailed description Arsenopyrite is most often found as a hydrothermal vein mineral and sometimes as a mineral of contact metamorphism. It is sometimes referred to in old texts as "mispickel".   Physical Properties of Arsenopyrite Chemical Classification sulfide Color silver white to steel gray Streak dark grayish black Luster metallic Diaphaneity opaque Cleavage poor Mohs Hardness 5.5 to 6 Specific Gravity 5.9 to 6.2 Diagnostic Properties smells like garlic when crushed, crystal form Chemical Composition iron arsenic sulfide, FeAsS Crystal System monoclinic Uses poison...
Post a Comment
Read more