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Keiviite-(Yb)

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SKY1046113

Keiviite-(Yb)

Type Locality

Description Tabs

Description
Locality: 
Ploskaya Mountain, Western Keivy Massif, Keivy Mountains, Murmansk Oblast, Russian Federation
Class: 
Crystals on Matrix
Size Range: 
Micromount (under 1cm)
Size: 
0.7 × 0.5 × 0.5 cm
Description

White and pale tan crystal aggregates of the extremely rare ytterbium mineral leiviite-(Yb) from the type locality in Russia and only one of the two known localities worldwide. 

Only 6 mineral species containing ytterbium from a total of 6034 known minerals are approved by the IMA, so it is a real rarity and a very sought after mineral ! 

Completely analyzed specimen by SEM/EDS, see copy enclosed, where it can be seen the high ytterbium percentage (almost 50% weight !!) .

In addition, after the analysis we can see it has a very high percentage (6,6% weight !) of another very rare chemical element, the rare earth thulium (Tm) ! No minerals with thulium as essential element exist after Mindat ! It is very unusual to find a mineral with this high Tm percentage, far from what it can be considered an impurity!

Originally labeled as hingannite-(Yb) (see original label from the Museum label) , it proved to be keiviite-(Yb) after analysis.

Ex Vandenbroucke Museum collection from Waregem, Belgium.

Mineral Data
What's on the rock

Keiviite-(Yb)

Formula: 
(Yb,Y)2Si2O7
Strunz: 
9.BC.05
Crystal System: 
Monoclinic
Hardness: 
4.0 - 5.0
Type Locality: 
Ploskaya Mt, Western Keivy Massif, Keivy Mountains, Kola Peninsula, Murmanskaja Oblast', Northern Region, Russia...

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