Formanite-(Y)
A valid IMA mineral species - grandfathered
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About Formanite-(Y)
Francis G. Forman
Formula:
YTaO4
Colour:
Pale green to colorless
Hardness:
5½ - 6½
Crystal System:
Tetragonal
Name:
Originally named simply formanite, after Francis Gloster Forman [December 28, 1914 in Claremont, Western Australia, Australia - September 5, 1980], government geologist (1934-1945) of Western Australia. The suffix was added in 1987 to conform to the Levinson rule for minerals with essential REE, indicating a predominance of, in this case, yttrium.
Forman was born in Western Australia on 28 December 1904 and educated at the University of Western Australia. He was Government Geologist of Western Australia (1934-45), employed by mining firms (1945-50) and was consulting geologist in private practice (1950-70). He was a member of the Royal Society of Western Australia and its president in 1937. One of his interests is the native flora and he collected for C. F. Gardner, then Government Botanist, whilst he was on geological field trips.
Ref: http://www.anbg.gov.au/biography/forman-francis-gloster.html
Hall, N. (1978) Botanists of the eucalypts. Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Melbourne
Forman was born in Western Australia on 28 December 1904 and educated at the University of Western Australia. He was Government Geologist of Western Australia (1934-45), employed by mining firms (1945-50) and was consulting geologist in private practice (1950-70). He was a member of the Royal Society of Western Australia and its president in 1937. One of his interests is the native flora and he collected for C. F. Gardner, then Government Botanist, whilst he was on geological field trips.
Ref: http://www.anbg.gov.au/biography/forman-francis-gloster.html
Hall, N. (1978) Botanists of the eucalypts. Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Melbourne
See also iwashiroite-(Y) and yttrotantalite-(Y).
According to single-crystal studies of both untreated and heated formanite-(Y) by Shi & Peng (1981), the mineral equals the M' polymorph of synthetic YTaO4 (Wolten, 1967).
Nishio-hamane et al. (2013) suggest that the Voloshin et al. (2003) mineral is not formanite-(Y), but is instead possibly identical to takanawaite-(Y).
According to single-crystal studies of both untreated and heated formanite-(Y) by Shi & Peng (1981), the mineral equals the M' polymorph of synthetic YTaO4 (Wolten, 1967).
Nishio-hamane et al. (2013) suggest that the Voloshin et al. (2003) mineral is not formanite-(Y), but is instead possibly identical to takanawaite-(Y).
Unique Identifiers
Mindat ID:
1582
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:1:1582:6
Similar Names
| Gormanite | A valid IMA mineral species | (Fe2+,Mg)3(Al,Fe3+)4(PO4)4(OH)6 · 2H2O |
IMA Classification of Formanite-(Y)
Approved, 'Grandfathered' (first described prior to 1959)
IMA status notes:
Renamed by the IMA
IMA Formula:
YTa5+O4
First published:
1944
Classification of Formanite-(Y)
7.GA.10
7 : SULFATES (selenates, tellurates, chromates, molybdates, wolframates)
G : Molybdates, Wolframates and Niobates
A : Without additional anions or H2O
7 : SULFATES (selenates, tellurates, chromates, molybdates, wolframates)
G : Molybdates, Wolframates and Niobates
A : Without additional anions or H2O
8.1.1.2
8 : MULTIPLE OXIDES CONTAINING NIOBIUM,TANTALUM OR TITANIUM
1 : ABO4
8 : MULTIPLE OXIDES CONTAINING NIOBIUM,TANTALUM OR TITANIUM
1 : ABO4
18.2.7
18 : Niobates and Tantalates
2 : Niobates and tantalates containing rare earths but not U
18 : Niobates and Tantalates
2 : Niobates and tantalates containing rare earths but not U
Mineral Symbols
As of 2021 there are now IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols (abbreviations) for each mineral species, useful for tables and diagrams.
| Symbol | Source | Reference for Standard |
|---|---|---|
| Frm-Y | IMA–CNMNC | Warr, L.N. (2021). IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols. Mineralogical Magazine, 85(3), 291-320. doi:10.1180/mgm.2021.43 |
Physical Properties of Formanite-(Y)
Transparency:
Transparent
Colour:
Pale green to colorless
Hardness:
5½ - 6½ on Mohs scale
Cleavage:
Perfect
Perfect cleavage {001}. Nearly perfect cleavages on {010} and {100}.
Perfect cleavage {001}. Nearly perfect cleavages on {010} and {100}.
Chemistry of Formanite-(Y)
Mindat Formula:
YTaO4
Element Weights:
Elements listed:
Crystallography of Formanite-(Y)
Crystal System:
Tetragonal
Class (H-M):
4/m - Dipyramidal
Space Group:
I41/a
Cell Parameters:
a = 7.73 Å, c = 11.49 Å
Ratio:
a:c = 1 : 1.486
Unit Cell V:
686.56 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Morphology:
Grains and massive.
Tabular with forms {001} dominant, and {110}, {021} (Shi and Penk 1981).
Tabular with forms {001} dominant, and {110}, {021} (Shi and Penk 1981).
Crystal Structure
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2x2x2 | 3x3x3 | 4x4x4
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Data courtesy of the American Mineralogist Crystal Structure Database. Click on an AMCSD ID to view structure
| ID | Species | Reference | Link | Year | Locality | Pressure (GPa) | Temp (K) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0009316 | Formanite-(Y) | Wolten G M (1967) The structure of the M'-phase of YTaO4, a third fergusonite polymorph Acta Crystallographica 23 939-944 |  | 1967 | synthetic | 0 | 293 |
CIF Raw Data - click here to close
X-Ray Powder Diffraction
Powder Diffraction Data:
| d-spacing | Intensity |
|---|---|
| 3.13 Å | (100) |
| 2.933 Å | (90) |
| 1.900 Å | (70) |
| 1.641 Å | (70 broad) |
| 1.567 Å | (70 broad) |
| 2.723 Å | (60) |
| 1.216 Å | (60) |
Comments:
Siberia, Russia. Pattern collected after heating sample at 900°C for one hour. The species is mostly metamict.
Geological Environment
Paragenetic Mode(s):
| Paragenetic Mode | Earliest Age (Ga) |
|---|---|
| Near-surface Processes | |
| 26 : Hadean detrital minerals | |
| Stage 4b: Highly evolved igneous rocks | >3.0 |
| 34 : Complex granite pegmatites |
Type Occurrence of Formanite-(Y)
Place of Conservation of Type Material:
Western Australian Museum, Perth, Australia, number S381x.
Synonyms of Formanite-(Y)
Other Language Names for Formanite-(Y)
Common Associates
Associations Based on Photo Data:
| 4 photos of Formanite-(Y) associated with Yttrialite-(Y) | (Y,Th)2Si2O7 |
| 4 photos of Formanite-(Y) associated with Britholite-(Y) | (Y,Ca)5(SiO4)3OH |
| 2 photos of Formanite-(Y) associated with Biotite | K(Fe2+/Mg)2(Al/Fe3+/Mg/Ti)([Si/Al/Fe]2Si2O10)(OH/F)2 |
| 2 photos of Formanite-(Y) associated with Microcline | K(AlSi3O8) |
| 1 photo of Formanite-(Y) associated with Tantalaeschynite-(Y) | Y(TiTa)O6 |
| 1 photo of Formanite-(Y) associated with Fergusonite-(Y) | YNbO4 |
| 1 photo of Formanite-(Y) associated with Cassiterite | SnO2 |
Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat Grouping
| 7.GA. | Yunhaoite | K2(MoO4) |
| 7.GA.05 | Ronpetersonite | BaWO4 |
| 7.GA.05 | Fergusonite-(Ce) | CeNbO4 · 0.3H2O |
| 7.GA.05 | 'Fergusonite-(Nd)' | NdNbO4 |
| 7.GA.05 | Fergusonite-(Y) | YNbO4 |
| 7.GA.05 | Powellite | Ca(MoO4) |
| 7.GA.05 | Stolzite | Pb(WO4) |
| 7.GA.05 | Suseinargiuite | NaBi(MoO4)2 |
| 7.GA.05 | Wulfenite | Pb(MoO4) |
| 7.GA.05 | Scheelite | Ca(WO4) |
| 7.GA.10 | Iwashiroite-(Y) | Y(Ta,Nb)O4 |
| 7.GA.15 | Paraniite-(Y) | Ca2Y(AsO4)(WO4)2 |
| 7.GA.20 | Takanawaite-(Y) | YTaO4 |
Other Information
Health Risks:
No information on health risks for this material has been entered into the database. You should always treat mineral specimens with care.
Internet Links for Formanite-(Y)
mindat.org URL:
https://www.mindat.org/min-1582.html
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References for Formanite-(Y)
Reference List:
Butler, J. R., Hall, Rosemary (1960) Chemical variations in members of the fergusonite-formanite series. Mineralogical Magazine and Journal of the Mineralogical Society, 32 (248) 392-407 doi:10.1180/minmag.1960.032.248.06
Wolten, G. M. (1967) The structure of the M'-phase of YTaO4, a third fergusonite polymorph. Acta Crystallographica, 23 (6) 939-944 doi:10.1107/s0365110x67004098
Wolten, G. M. (1968) The structure of the M'-phase of YTaO4, a third fergusonite polymorph. Acta Crystallographica Section B Structural Crystallography and Crystal Chemistry, 24 (3). p.463. doi:10.1107/s0567740868002608
Nickel, Ernest H., Mandarino, Joseph A. (1987) Procedures involving the IMA Commission on New Minerals and Mineral Names and guidelines on mineral nomenclature. American Mineralogist, 72 (9-10) 1031-1042
Hori, Hidemichi, Kobayashi, Toshinori, Miyawaki, Ritsuro, Matsubara, Satoshi, Yokoyama, Kazumi, Shimizu, Masaaki (2006) Iwashiroite-(Y), YTaO4, a new mineral from Suishoyama, Kawamata Town, Fukushima Prefecture, Japan. Journal of Mineralogical and Petrological Sciences, 101 (4) 170-177 doi:10.2465/jmps.101.170 (with discussion of formanite-(Y))
Nishio-Hamane, Daisuke, Minakawa, Tetsuo, Ohgoshi, Yukikazu (2013) Takanawaite-(Y), a new mineral of the M-type polymorph with Y(Ta,Nb)O4 from Takanawa Mountain, Ehime Prefecture, Japan. Journal of Mineralogical and Petrological Sciences, 108 (6) 335-344 doi:10.2465/jmps.120513a [with discussion of formanite-(Y)]
Localities for Formanite-(Y)
Showing 14 localities.
symbol to view information about a locality.
The Locality List
- This locality has map coordinates listed.
- This locality has estimated coordinates.
ⓘ - Click for references and further information on this occurrence.
? - Indicates mineral may be doubtful at this locality.
- Good crystals or important locality for species.
- World class for species or very significant.
(TL) - Type Locality for a valid mineral species.
(FRL) - First Recorded Locality for everything else (eg varieties).
All localities listed without proper references should be considered as questionable.
Australia | |
| Wylie (1954) |
| Austral.Ass.Adv.Sci. (1909) +1 other reference |
| Jacobson et al. (2007) +2 other references | |
Canada | |
| Masau et al. (2002) |
China | |
| Zhang Peishan et al. (1996) |
| Zhang Peishan et al. (1996) | |
Finland | |
| Pavel M. Kartashov analytical data of ... |
| P. Kartashov analytical data |
| Pavel M. Kartashov analytical data. ... |
Japan | |
| Minakawa & Nishio (2002) |
Poland | |
| SZEŁĘG E. (2004) |
Romania | |
| HÎRTOPANU et al. (2014) |
Russia | |
| Voloshin A.V. et al. (2003) |
Sweden | |
| Pavel M. Kartashov (n.d.) |
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Cooglegong pegmatite field, Shaw River District, East Pilbara Shire, Western Australia, Australia