Named after the Yarlong Zangbo River (also known as Yarlung Tsangpo), which flows near the type locality. It flows west-to-east through Tibet / Tibet Autonomous Region, China. It later loops back west and then heads south, becoming the Brahmaputra River, emptying in the Bay of Bengal. When leaving the Tibetan Plateau, the river forms the world's largest and deepest canyon, the Yarlung Tsangpo Grand Canyon.

Type Locality:

ⓘ Orebody 31 (Chromite deposit 31), Luobusha Mine ("Luobusa" Mine), Luobusha ophiolite ("Luobusa ophiolite"), Qusum Co. (Qusong Co.), Shannan Prefecture (Lhokha Prefecture; Lhoka Prefecture), Tibet, China

The first approved natural titanium iron silicide. Compare toledoite, zhiqinite, wenjiite, kangjinlaite, UM1989-10-E:FeSiTi, 'Unnamed (Fe-Si-Ti Alloy)', 'Unnamed (Fe-Si-Ti Alloy)', 'UM1989-10-E:FeSiTi', and 'UM1989-11-E:FeSiTi'.

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Unique IdentifiersHide

Mindat ID:

35900

Long-form identifier:

mindat:1:1:35900:9

IMA Classification of ZangboiteHide

IMA status:

Approved

Approval year:

2007

First published:

2009

Type description reference:

Li, Guowu, Fang, Qingsong, Shi, Nicheng, Bai, Wenji, Yang, Jingsui, Xiong, Ming, Ma, Zhesheng, Rong, He (2009) Zangboite (TiFeSi2), a new mineral from Luobusha, Tibet, China. The Canadian Mineralogist, 47 (5) 1265-1274 doi:10.3749/canmin.47.5.1265

Classification of ZangboiteHide

Strunz-mindat (2026):

1.BB.

1 : ELEMENTS (Metals and intermetallic alloys; metalloids and nonmetals; carbides, silicides, nitrides, phosphides)
B : Metallic Carbides, Silicides, Nitrides, Phosphides and Hydrides
B : Silicides

Dana 8th ed.:

1.1.33.8

1 : NATIVE ELEMENTS AND ALLOYS
1 : Metals, other than the Platinum Group

Mineral SymbolsHide

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
Zgb	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 ZangboiteHide

Lustre:

Metallic

Transparency:

Opaque

Colour:

Steel grey

Streak:

Black

Hardness:

5½ on Mohs scale

Hardness Data:

Estimated

Comment:

Tested with a steel needle

Tenacity:

Brittle

Cleavage:

None Observed

Fracture:

Conchoidal

Density:

5.09 g/cm³ (Calculated)

Chemistry of ZangboiteHide

Mindat Formula:

TiFeSi₂

Element Weights:

Element	% weight
Si	35.133 %
Fe	34.929 %
Ti	29.939 %

Calculated from ideal end-member formula.

Elements listed:

Fe, Si, Ti - search for minerals with similar chemistry

Common Impurities:

Cr,Mn,Zr,Al

Crystallography of ZangboiteHide

Crystal System:

Orthorhombic

Class (H-M):

mmm(2/m2/m2/m) - Dipyramidal

Space Group:

Pbam

Setting:

Pbam

Cell Parameters:

a = 8.6053(10) Å, b = 9.5211(11) Å, c = 7.6436(9) Å

Ratio:

a:b:c = 0.904 : 1 : 0.803

Unit Cell V:

626.25 Å³

Crystal StructureHide

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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)
0006308	Zangboite	Li G, Fang Q, Shi N, Bai W, Yang J, Xiong M, Ma Z, Rong H (2009) Zangboite, TiFeSi2, a new mineral species from Luobusha, Tibet, China, and its crystal structure The Canadian Mineralogist 47 1265-1274		2009	Luobusha, Tibet, China	0	293

CIF Raw Data - click here to close

data_global
_chemical_name_mineral 'Zangboite'
loop_
_publ_author_name
'Li G'
'Fang Q'
'Shi N'
'Bai W'
'Yang J'
'Xiong M'
'Ma Z'
'Rong H'
_journal_name_full 'The Canadian Mineralogist'
_journal_volume 47 
_journal_year 2009
_journal_page_first 1265
_journal_page_last 1274
_publ_section_title
;
 Zangboite, TiFeSi2, a new mineral species from Luobusha, Tibet, China,
 and its crystal structure
;
_database_code_amcsd 0006308
_chemical_compound_source 'Luobusha, Tibet, China'
_chemical_formula_sum 'Fe Ti Si2'
_cell_length_a 8.6053
_cell_length_b 9.5211
_cell_length_c 7.6436
_cell_angle_alpha 90
_cell_angle_beta 90
_cell_angle_gamma 90
_cell_volume 626.255
_exptl_crystal_density_diffrn      5.088
_symmetry_space_group_name_H-M 'P b a m'
loop_
_space_group_symop_operation_xyz
  'x,y,z'
  '1/2+x,1/2-y,z'
  '1/2-x,1/2+y,-z'
  '1/2-x,1/2+y,z'
  '1/2+x,1/2-y,-z'
  'x,y,-z'
  '-x,-y,z'
  '-x,-y,-z'
loop_
_atom_site_label
_atom_site_fract_x
_atom_site_fract_y
_atom_site_fract_z
Fe1   0.00000   0.50000   0.74258
Fe2  -0.08868   0.24294   0.74824
Ti1   0.32719   0.54777   0.73815
Ti2   0.16749   0.32052   0.50000
Si1   0.12725   0.60427   0.50000
Si2   0.12376   0.59728   0.00000
Si3  -0.03839   0.11931   0.50000
Si4  -0.33705   0.18159   0.84647
Si5  -0.03895   0.12131   0.00000
loop_
_atom_site_aniso_label
_atom_site_aniso_U_11
_atom_site_aniso_U_22
_atom_site_aniso_U_33
_atom_site_aniso_U_12
_atom_site_aniso_U_13
_atom_site_aniso_U_23
Fe1 0.00620 0.00400 0.00600 0.00030 0.00000 0.00000
Fe2 0.00540 0.00509 0.00480 -0.00035 -0.00004 0.00009
Ti1 0.00380 0.00440 0.00650 0.00007 0.00010 -0.00019
Ti2 0.00470 0.00330 0.00570 0.00020 0.00000 0.00000
Si1 0.00590 0.00680 0.00540 0.00060 0.00000 0.00000
Si2 0.00940 0.00850 0.00590 0.00100 0.00000 0.00000
Si3 0.00560 0.00500 0.00570 0.00080 0.00000 0.00000
Si4 0.00540 0.00700 0.00530 -0.00020 0.00010 -0.00010
Si5 0.01430 0.00600 0.00500 0.00180 0.00000 0.00000

X-Ray Powder DiffractionHide

Powder Diffraction Data:

d-spacing	Intensity
3.8358 Å	(50)
2.3010 Å	(30)
2.2318 Å	(50)
2.1291 Å	(100)
2.0251 Å	(65)
1.9155 Å	(57)
1.2996 Å	(20)

Comments:

Obtained from a small single crystal using single-crystal repeat-rotation diffraction method.

Geological EnvironmentHide

Paragenetic Mode(s):

Paragenetic Mode	Earliest Age (Ga)
Near-surface Processes
29 : Lightning-generated minerals
Stage 4b: Highly evolved igneous rocks	>3.0
36 : Carbonatites, kimberlites, and related igneous rocks
Stage 5: Initiation of plate tectonics	<3.5-2.5
38 : Ophiolites

Type Occurrence of ZangboiteHide

Type Locality:

General Appearance of Type Material:

Grains and tabular crystals generally between 0.002 and 0.15 mm across.

Place of Conservation of Type Material:

Geological Museum of China, Beijing, China (catalogue number M11651).

Geological Setting of Type Material:

The mineral was separated from the heavy-mineral constituents derived from a 1500 kg sample of chromitite hosted in ophiolitic harzburgite.

Reference:

Synonyms of ZangboiteHide

IMA2007-036

Other Language Names for ZangboiteHide

Dutch:Zangboiet

German:Zangboit

Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat Grouping Hide

1.BB.	Toledoite	TiFeSi	Orth. mm2 : Ima2
1.BB.	Kangjinlaite	Ti₁₁Si₁₀	Tet. 4/mmm(4/m2/m2/m) : I4/mmm
1.BB.	Brownleeite	MnSi	Iso. 23 : P2₁3
1.BB.	Yeite	TiSi	Orth. mmm(2/m2/m2/m) : Pnma
1.BB.05	Mavlyanovite	Mn₅Si₃	Hex. 6/mmm(6/m2/m2/m) : P6₃/mcm
1.BB.05	Suessite	Fe₃Si	Iso. m3m(4/m32/m) : Im3m
1.BB.10	'UM2001-18-Si:CuPtSn'	(Cu,Pt)₄Si
1.BB.10	Perryite	(Ni,Fe)₅(Si,P)₂	Trig. 3m : R3c
1.BB.15	Naquite	FeSi	Iso. 23 : P2₁3
1.BB.20	Linzhiite	FeSi₂	Tet. 4/mmm(4/m2/m2/m) : P4/mmm
1.BB.25	Luobusaite	Fe_0.84Si₂	Orth. mmm(2/m2/m2/m) : Cmca
1.BB.30	Gupeiite	Fe₃Si	Iso. m3m(4/m32/m) : Fm3m
1.BB.35	Hapkeite	Fe₂Si	Iso. m3m(4/m32/m) : Pm3m
1.BB.40	Xifengite	Fe₅Si₃	Hex. 6/mmm(6/m2/m2/m) : P6₃/mcm
1.BB.45	Carletonmooreite	Ni₃Si	Iso. m3m(4/m32/m) : Pm3m
1.BB.55	Palladosilicide	Pd₂Si	Hex. 6m2 : P62m
1.BB.65	Zhiqinite	TiSi₂	Orth. mmm(2/m2/m2/m) : Fddd

Other InformationHide

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 ZangboiteHide

mindat.org URL:

https://www.mindat.org/min-35900.html
Please feel free to link to this page.

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External Links:

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Raman and XRD data at RRUFF project

References and PDF downloads at RRUFF project

American Mineralogist Crystal Structure Database

Handbook of Mineralogy page PDF

Mineral Dealers:

Buy from D. Joyce minerals

References for ZangboiteHide

Reference List:

Poirier, G., Tait, K. T., Piilonen, P. C. (2010) New Mineral Names. American Mineralogist, 95 (7) 1121-1124 doi:10.2138/am.2010.564

(2011) Zangboite. Handbook of Mineralogy. Mineralogical Society of America

Localities for ZangboiteHide

Showing 3 localities.

This map shows a selection of localities that have latitude and longitude coordinates recorded. Click on the

symbol to view information about a locality. The

symbol next to localities in the list can be used to jump to that position on the map.

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Locality ListHide

- 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). ~~Struck out~~ - Mineral was erroneously reported from this locality. Faded * - Never found at this locality but inferred to have existed at some point in the past (e.g. from pseudomorphs).

All localities listed without proper references should be considered as questionable.


China (TL)
Tibet Shannan Prefecture (Lhokha Prefecture; Lhoka Prefecture) Qusum Co. (Qusong Co.) Luobusha ophiolite ("Luobusa ophiolite") Luobusha Mine ("Luobusa" Mine) ⓘ Orebody 31 (Chromite deposit 31) (TL)	Li et al. (2009)

Ukraine
Crimea Yevpatoria ⓘ Kamenolomnya	Rappenglück (2022)

USA
Michigan Livingston County ⓘ Winans Lake fulgurite	Essene et al. (1986)

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Zangboite

Unique IdentifiersHide

IMA Classification of ZangboiteHide

Classification of ZangboiteHide

Mineral SymbolsHide

Physical Properties of ZangboiteHide

Chemistry of ZangboiteHide

Crystallography of ZangboiteHide

Crystal StructureHide

X-Ray Powder DiffractionHide

Geological EnvironmentHide

Type Occurrence of ZangboiteHide

Synonyms of ZangboiteHide

Other Language Names for ZangboiteHide

Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat GroupingHide

Other InformationHide

Internet Links for ZangboiteHide

References for ZangboiteHide

Localities for ZangboiteHide

Locality ListHide

Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat Grouping Hide