Tilasite
A valid IMA mineral species - grandfathered
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About Tilasite
Daniel Tilas
Formula:
CaMg(AsO4)F
Colour:
Light gray, violet-gray, pinkish red (Långban); olive-green, apple-green (India); colourless or pale green in transmitted light.
Lustre:
Vitreous, Resinous
Hardness:
5
Specific Gravity:
3.77
Crystal System:
Monoclinic
Member of:
Name:
Named in 1895 by Stens Anders Hjalmar Sjögren in honour of Daniel Tilas (2 March 1712, Gammelbo, Ramsbergs parish, Västmanland, Sweden - 27 October 1772, Stockholm, Sweden), polymath, geologist, mining engineer, vicar of Hammar, director of mines, and regional governor. He was the vice-commissioner of the Sweden-Norway Boundary Commission. In 1742, Tilas anticipated aspects of later glacial theories by suggesting that drifting sea ice could be responsible for the distribution of erratic boulders on land. Tilas' grandfather was Urban Hjärne who was a physician and noted chemist and who was also director of the Swedish Chemical Laboratory, president of the Collegium Medicum (medical college), and president of the Board of Mines.
Tilasite Group. Durangite-Tilasite Series, Maxwellite-Tilasite Series.
The As analogue of reznitskyite.
Isokite-tilasite series is known from the Tolbachik volcano.
The As analogue of reznitskyite.
Isokite-tilasite series is known from the Tolbachik volcano.
Unique Identifiers
Mindat ID:
3962
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:1:3962:4
Similar Names
| Dallasite | A rock subtype |
| Talcite | A synonym |
| Telosite | A synonym of 'Telaginite' |
IMA Classification of Tilasite
Approved, 'Grandfathered' (first described prior to 1959)
IMA Formula:
CaMgAs5+O4F
First published:
1895
Classification of Tilasite
8.BB.
8 : PHOSPHATES, ARSENATES, VANADATES
B : Phosphates, etc., with additional anions, without H2O
B : With only medium-sized cations, (OH, etc.):RO4 about 1:1
8 : PHOSPHATES, ARSENATES, VANADATES
B : Phosphates, etc., with additional anions, without H2O
B : With only medium-sized cations, (OH, etc.):RO4 about 1:1
41.5.6.1
41 : ANHYDROUS PHOSPHATES, ETC.CONTAINING HYDROXYL OR HALOGEN
5 : (AB)2(XO4)Zq
41 : ANHYDROUS PHOSPHATES, ETC.CONTAINING HYDROXYL OR HALOGEN
5 : (AB)2(XO4)Zq
22.1.29
22 : Phosphates, Arsenates or Vanadates with other Anions
1 : Phosphates, arsenates or vanadates with fluoride
22 : Phosphates, Arsenates or Vanadates with other Anions
1 : Phosphates, arsenates or vanadates with fluoride
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Til | 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 Tilasite
Vitreous, Resinous
Transparency:
Translucent
Comment:
vitreous on cleavages
Colour:
Light gray, violet-gray, pinkish red (Långban); olive-green, apple-green (India); colourless or pale green in transmitted light.
Streak:
White
Hardness:
5 on Mohs scale
Cleavage:
Distinct/Good
On {101}, good.
On {101}, good.
Parting:
On {133}, {102}, and on {011}
Density:
3.77(2) g/cm3 (Measured) 3.80 g/cm3 (Calculated)
Optical Data of Tilasite
Type:
Biaxial (-)
RI values:
nα = 1.640 nβ = 1.660 nγ = 1.675
2V:
Measured: 82°
Max. Birefringence:
δ = 0.035
Based on recorded range of RI values above.
Based on recorded range of RI values above.
Interference Colours:
The colours simulate birefringence patterns seen in thin section under crossed polars. They do not take into account mineral colouration or opacity.
Michel-Levy Bar The default colours simulate the birefringence range for a 30 µm thin-section thickness. Adjust the slider to simulate a different thickness.
Grain Simulation You can rotate the grain simulation to show how this range might look as you rotated a sample under crossed polars. Each grain retains its interference colour (retardation) while its brightness falls to black at extinction and reaches a maximum between extinction positions.
The colours simulate birefringence patterns seen in thin section under crossed polars. They do not take into account mineral colouration or opacity.
Michel-Levy Bar The default colours simulate the birefringence range for a 30 µm thin-section thickness. Adjust the slider to simulate a different thickness.
Grain Simulation You can rotate the grain simulation to show how this range might look as you rotated a sample under crossed polars. Each grain retains its interference colour (retardation) while its brightness falls to black at extinction and reaches a maximum between extinction positions.
Surface Relief:
Very High (positive)
Relative to Canada balsam mounting medium (n ≈ 1.537).
Relative to Canada balsam mounting medium (n ≈ 1.537).
This shows the grain boundary and Becke line effect under plane-polarised
light, based on the contrast between this mineral's average refractive
index and the mounting medium. It does not take into account mineral
colouration.
In focus
Interference Figure:
This shows the idealized biaxial acute bisectrix (Bxa) interference figure
- the conoscopic view for a grain cut perpendicular to the acute bisectrix, using
this mineral's 2V. The two small white dots mark the melatopes - the points
where the two optic axes emerge - and are shown only when they fall within the
field of view. The coloured bands are isochromatics, and the dark bands are
isogyres.
Rotate the stage: at 0°/90° the isogyres form a cross through the melatopes; at 45° they pull apart into curved hyperbolas. That splitting on rotation - absent in a uniaxial figure - is the standard diagnostic test for telling biaxial minerals from uniaxial ones. If 2V is large, the melatopes may fall outside the field of view, as they often do at the microscope too.
Rotate the stage: at 0°/90° the isogyres form a cross through the melatopes; at 45° they pull apart into curved hyperbolas. That splitting on rotation - absent in a uniaxial figure - is the standard diagnostic test for telling biaxial minerals from uniaxial ones. If 2V is large, the melatopes may fall outside the field of view, as they often do at the microscope too.
Optical Extinction:
Z = b; X ∧ c ≃ 30°.
Chemistry of Tilasite
Mindat Formula:
CaMg(AsO4)F
Element Weights:
Crystallography of Tilasite
Crystal System:
Monoclinic
Cell Parameters:
a = 6.691(10) Å, b = 8.947(3) Å, c = 7.563(10) Å
β = 121°
β = 121°
Ratio:
a:b:c = 0.748 : 1 : 0.845
Unit Cell V:
388.09 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:
4
Morphology:
Crystals equant, may be elongated along [100], flattened on {010}, with complex domatic form development, to 3.5 cm; in subparallel groups, granular, in veinlets, massive.
Twinning:
On {001}, common as symmetrical contact twins.
Comment:
Point Group: 2/m or m; Space Group: C2/c or Cc.
Crystal Structure
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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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0014869 | Tilasite | Bermanec V (1994) Centro-symmetric tilasite from Nezilovo, Macedonia: a crystal structure refinement Neues Jahrbuch fur Mineralogie, Monatshefte 1994 289-294 | 1994 | Nezilovo, Macedonia | 0 | 293 | |
| 0000298 | Tilasite | Bladh K W, Corbett R K, McLean W J, Laughon R B (1972) The crystal structure of tilasite American Mineralogist 57 1880-1884 |  | 1972 | 0 | 293 |
CIF Raw Data - click here to close
X-Ray Powder Diffraction
Loading XRD data...
Data courtesy of RRUFF project at University of Arizona, used with permission.
Powder Diffraction Data:
| d-spacing | Intensity |
|---|---|
| 5.09 Å | (40) |
| 4.83 Å | (60) |
| 4.49 Å | (60) |
| 3.70 Å | (60) |
| 3.49 Å | (60) |
| 3.26 Å | (100) |
| 3.07 Å | (100) |
| 2.86 Å | (70) |
| 2.69 Å | (100) |
| 2.63 Å | (70) |
| 2.34 Å | (70) |
| 2.27 Å | (80) |
| 1.74 Å | (90) |
Geological Environment
Paragenetic Mode(s):
| Paragenetic Mode | Earliest Age (Ga) |
|---|---|
| Stage 4a: Earth’s earliest continental crust | >4.4-3.0 |
| 20 : Acidic volcanic rocks | |
| High-? alteration and/or metamorphism | |
| 32 : Ba/Mn/Pb/Zn deposits, including metamorphic deposits | |
| Stage 7: Great Oxidation Event | <2.4 |
| 45a : [Sulfates, arsenates, selenates, antimonates] | |
| 45b : [Other oxidized fumarolic minerals] |
Type Occurrence of Tilasite
General Appearance of Type Material:
Grains or veinlets in dolomitic limestone bearing hausmannite.
Synonyms of Tilasite
Other Language Names for Tilasite
Relationship of Tilasite to other Species
Member of:
Other Members of Tilasite Group:
| Arsenatrotitanite | NaTi(AsO4)O | Mon. 2/m : B2/b |
| Durangite | NaAl(AsO4)F | Mon. 2/m : B2/b |
| Isokite | CaMg(PO4)F | Mon. 2/m : B2/b |
| Kononovite | NaMg(SO4)F | Mon. 2/m : B2/b |
| Lacroixite | NaAl(PO4)F | Mon. 2/m : B2/b |
| Maxwellite | NaFe3+(AsO4)F | Mon. 2/m : P2/m |
| Panasqueiraite | CaMg(PO4)(OH) | Mon. |
| Reznitskyite | CaMg(VO4)F | Mon. 2/m : B2/b |
Forms a series with:
Common Associates
Associations Based on Photo Data:
| 31 photos of Tilasite associated with Svabite | Ca5(AsO4)3F |
| 13 photos of Tilasite associated with Hematite | Fe2O3 |
| 10 photos of Tilasite associated with Barylite | Be2Ba(Si2O7) |
| 10 photos of Tilasite associated with Calcite | CaCO3 |
| 6 photos of Tilasite associated with Friedelite | Mn2+8Si6O15(OH,Cl)10 |
| 5 photos of Tilasite associated with Baryte | BaSO4 |
| 5 photos of Tilasite associated with Kutnohorite | CaMn2+(CO3)2 |
| 5 photos of Tilasite associated with Roméite Group | A2(Sb5+)2O6Z |
| 5 photos of Tilasite associated with Bergslagite | CaBeAsO4(OH) |
| 4 photos of Tilasite associated with Montmorillonite | (Na,Ca)0.33(Al,Mg)2(Si4O10)(OH)2 · nH2O |
Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat Grouping
| 8.BB. | Moabite | NiFe3+(PO4)O |
| 8.BB. | Paulgrothite | Cu9Fe3+O4(PO4)4Cl3 |
| 8.BB. | Karlditmarite | Cu9O4(PO4)2(SO4)2 |
| 8.BB. | Milkovoite | Cu4O(PO4)(AsO4) |
| 8.BB.X | Arsenowagnerite | Mg2(AsO4)F |
| 8.BB.05 | Tavorite | LiFe3+(PO4)(OH) |
| 8.BB.05 | Amblygonite | LiAl(PO4)F |
| 8.BB.05 | Montebrasite | LiAl(PO4)(OH) |
| 8.BB.10 | Zwieselite | Fe2+2(PO4)F |
| 8.BB.10 | Triplite | Mn2+2(PO4)F |
| 8.BB.15 | 'Unnamed (Sb-analogue of Auriacusite)' | Fe3+Cu2+[(Sb,As)O4]O |
| 8.BB.15 | Joosteite | Mn2+(Mn3+,Fe3+)(PO4)O |
| 8.BB.15 | Hydroxylwagnerite | Mg2(PO4)(OH) |
| 8.BB.15 | Wagnerite | Mg2(PO4)F |
| 8.BB.15 | Stanĕkite | (Mn2+,Fe2+,Mg)Fe3+(PO4)O |
| 8.BB.15 | Triploidite | Mn2+2(PO4)(OH) |
| 8.BB.15 | Sarkinite | Mn2+2(AsO4)(OH) |
| 8.BB.15 | Wolfeite | Fe2+2(PO4)(OH) |
| 8.BB.20 | Holtedahlite | Mg2(PO4)(OH) |
| 8.BB.20 | Satterlyite | (Fe2+,Mg,Fe)12(PO4)5(PO3OH)(OH,O)6 |
| 8.BB.25 | Althausite | Mg4(PO4)2(OH,O)(F,◻) |
| 8.BB.30 | Zincolivenite | CuZn(AsO4)(OH) |
| 8.BB.30 | Adamite | Zn2(AsO4)(OH) |
| 8.BB.30 | Libethenite | Cu2(PO4)(OH) |
| 8.BB.30 | Zincolibethenite | CuZn(PO4)(OH) |
| 8.BB.30 | Eveite | Mn2+2(AsO4)(OH) |
| 8.BB.30 | Olivenite | Cu2(AsO4)(OH) |
| 8.BB.30 | Auriacusite | Fe3+Cu2+(AsO4)O |
| 8.BB.35 | Paradamite | Zn2(AsO4)(OH) |
| 8.BB.35 | Tarbuttite | Zn2(PO4)(OH) |
| 8.BB.40 | Barbosalite | Fe2+Fe3+2(PO4)2(OH)2 |
| 8.BB.40 | Scorzalite | Fe2+Al2(PO4)2(OH)2 |
| 8.BB.40 | Lazulite | MgAl2(PO4)2(OH)2 |
| 8.BB.40 | Meizhouite | Fe2+V3+2(PO4)2(OH)2 |
| 8.BB.40 | Hentschelite | CuFe3+2(PO4)2(OH)2 |
| 8.BB.40 | Wilhelmkleinite | ZnFe3+2(AsO4)2(OH)2 |
| 8.BB.45 | Dokuchaevite | Cu8O2(VO4)3Cl3 |
| 8.BB.45 | Trolleite | Al4(PO4)3(OH)3 |
| 8.BB.45 | Yaroshevskite | Cu9O2(VO4)4Cl2 |
| 8.BB.50 | Namibite | Cu(BiO)2(VO4)(OH) |
| 8.BB.50 | Aleutite | [Cu5O2](AsO4)(VO4) · (Cu,K,Pb,Rb,Cs,)Cl |
| 8.BB.52a | Ericlaxmanite | Cu4O(AsO4)2 |
| 8.BB.52b | Kozyrevskite | Cu4O(AsO4)2 |
| 8.BB.55 | Phosphoellenbergerite | (Mg,◻)2Mg12(PO4,PO3OH)6(PO3OH,CO3)2(OH)6 |
| 8.BB.55 | Popovite | Cu5O2(AsO4)2 |
| 8.BB.60 | Urusovite | CuAl(AsO4)O |
| 8.BB.65 | Theoparacelsite | Cu3(As2O7)(OH)2 |
| 8.BB.70 | Turanite | Cu5(VO4)2(OH)4 |
| 8.BB.75 | Stoiberite | Cu5(VO4)2O2 |
| 8.BB.80 | Fingerite | Cu11(VO4)6O2 |
| 8.BB.85 | Averievite | Cu6(VO4)2O2Cl2 |
| 8.BB.90 | Richellite | CaFe3+2(PO4)2(OH,F)2 |
| 8.BB.90 | Lipscombite | Fe2+Fe3+2(PO4)2(OH)2 |
| 8.BB.90 | Zinclipscombite | ZnFe3+2(PO4)2(OH)2 |
Fluorescence of Tilasite
May fluoresce pale yellow (ex. Sterling Hill), pale pinkish orange (ex. Sterling Hill), orange (ex. Långban), or dark red (ex. Långban) under SW UV. Also yellow-orange under LW UV (ex. Sterling Mine).
Other Information
Electrical:
Piezoelectric
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 Tilasite
mindat.org URL:
https://www.mindat.org/min-3962.html
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References for Tilasite
Reference List:
Sjögren, Hj. (1895) 4. Tilasit eller fluor-adelit från Långban [4. Tilasite or fluor-adelite from Långban], in Preliminära meddelanden om några undersökningar på svenska mineral. Geologiska Föreningen i Stockholm Förhandlingar, 17 (3). 291-294 doi:10.1080/11035899509442303
Herbert Smith, G. F., Prior, G. T. (1911) On Fermorite, a new arsenate and Phosphate of lime and strontia, and Tilasite, from the manganese-ore deposits of India. Mineralogical Magazine and Journal of the Mineralogical Society, 16 (74) 84-96 doi:10.1180/minmag.1911.016.74.02
Strunz, Hugo (1937) Titanit und Tilasit. Über die Verwandtschaft der Silikate mit den Phosphaten und Arsenaten. Zeitschrift für Kristallographie, Mineralogie und Petrographie, 96 (1). 7-14 doi:10.1524/zkri.1937.96.1.7
Kokkoros, P. (1938) Über die Struktur des Durangit NaAlF[AsO4]. Zeitschrift für Kristallographie, Mineralogie und Petrographie, 99 (1-6). 38-49 doi:10.1524/zkri.1938.99.1.38
Richmond, Wallace E. (1940) Crystal chemistry of the phosphates, arsenates and vanadates of the type A2XO4(Z). American Mineralogist, 25 (7). 441-479
Bladh, Kenneth W., Corbett, Ronald K., McLean, W. John, Laughon, and Robert B. (1972) The crystal structure of tilasite. American Mineralogist, 57 (11-12) 1880-1883
Robbins, Manuel, Lane, Manning (1985) Fluorescent Forum: Franklin's Fluorescent Minerals: Can They Be Found Elsewhere?. Rocks & Minerals, 60 (5) 235-244 doi:10.1080/00357529.1985.11764415
Bermanec, Vladimir (1994) Centro-symmetric tilasite from Nežilovo, Macedonia: A crystal structure refinement. Neues Jahrbuch für Mineralogie - Monatshefte, 1994 (7). 289-294 doi:10.1127/njmm/1994/1994/289
Jambor, John L., Pertsev, Nikolai N., Roberts, Andrew C. (1995) New Mineral Names. American Mineralogist, 80 (7-8). 845-850
Jančev, Simeon (1997) Zn-rich pyroxenes from the ore occurences in the mixed series in the upper part of the Babuna River, Macedonia. Geologija, 40. 283-289 doi:10.5474/geologija.1997.013
Frost, Ray L., Scholz, Ricardo, López, Andrés, Xi, Yunfei (2014) Raman spectroscopy of the arsenate minerals maxwellite and in comparison with tilasite. Spectrochimica Acta Part A: Molecular and Biomolecular Spectroscopy, 123. 416-420 doi:10.1016/j.saa.2013.12.081
Pekov, Igor V., Koshlyakova, Natalia N., Zubkova, Natalia V., Lykova, Inna S., Britvin, Sergey N., Yapaskurt, Vasiliy O., Agakhanov, Atali A., Shchipalkina, Nadezhda V., Turchkova, Anna G., Sidorov, Evgeny G. (2018) Fumarolic arsenates − a special type of arsenic mineralization. European Journal of Mineralogy, 30 (2) 305-322 doi:10.1127/ejm/2018/0030-2718
Localities for Tilasite
Showing 48 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.
Algeria | |
| Heflik (1989) +1 other reference |
Australia | |
| Elliott (1991) |
Austria | |
| Kolitsch et al. (2021) |
| Kolitsch et al. (2019) |
| Brandstätter et al. (2015) | |
| Kolitsch et al. (2018) |
| Schachinger et al. (2016) |
Germany | |
| Lorenz (2004) +1 other reference |
Greece | |
| Found Lois Lechner |
India | |
| Palache et al. (1951) +1 other reference |
Italy | |
| Piccoli et al. (2007) |
| Castellaro et al. (2021) |
| Castellaro-Kampf |
| Balestra et al. (2009) |
| Castellaro-Kampf |
| Cámara et al. (2014) +2 other references |
| Kolitsch et al. (2011) |
| Graeser S et al. (Valle devero-Ossola) |
| Albertini (1991) +2 other references | |
Kazakhstan | |
| Vereshchagin et al. (2019) +1 other reference |
Namibia | |
| NHM (London) |
North Macedonia | |
| Bermanec (1994) +1 other reference |
| Ermolaeva et al. (2017) +1 other reference |
| Chukanov et al. (2015) | |
| Ermolaeva et al. (2019) | |
Russia | |
| Vera N. Smol'yaninova data |
| Pekov et al. (2014) +5 other references |
| Kasatkin et al. (2018) +2 other references |
Spain | |
| Rewitzer et al. (2018) |
Sweden | |
| Holtstam (2001) |
| Sjögren (1895) +1 other reference |
| Langhof (2003) +1 other reference | |
| Blatter (2003) |
| Holtstam et al. (1998) |
| Nysten (2004) |
| Nysten (2020) |
Switzerland | |
| |
| Stalder et al. (1998) +1 other reference | |
| Brugger et al. (1999) +2 other references |
| |
| Stalder et al. (1998) | |
USA | |
| Anthony et al. (1995) |
| Anthony et al. (1995) | |
| Williams (1970) +2 other references | |
| Anthony Kamps |
| Parker (1978) +1 other reference |
| Northrop et al. (1996) |
| Northrop et al. (1996) |
Quick NavTopAbout TilasiteUnique IdentifiersSimilar NamesIMA Classification Classification Mineral SymbolsPhysical Properties Optical Data Chemistry Crystallography Crystal StructureX-Ray Powder DiffractionGeological EnvironmentType Occurrence SynonymsOther LanguagesRelationshipsCommon AssociatesStrunz-MindatFluorescence Other InformationInternet Links References Localities Locality List
Fuchs Quarry, Hartkoppe, Sailauf, Aschaffenburg District, Lower Franconia, Bavaria, Germany