Yuksporite
Yuksporite is a rare silicate mineral that only comes from one place on earth: near Yukspor Mt, Khibiny Massif, Kola Peninsula, Northern Region, Russia. The chemical formula of Yuksporite is K4(Ca,Na)14Sr2Mn(Ti,Nb)4(O,OH)4(Si6O17)2(Si2O7)3(H2O,OH)3 and its molecular weight is 2,546.97 gm. It is also one of the few silicate gem minerals that contains Titanium. Yuksporite has a specific gravity of 3.05 (g/cm3) and the refractive index of 1.644 – 1.660 Biaxial ( + ). The others are Astrophyllite, Benitoite, Neptunite and Sphene (Titanite). There are also a few oxide gem minerals that contain Titanium: Anatase, Brookite and Rutile. Yuksporite is typically found as fine-fibrous agregate material and never as distinct crystals and so is a cabochon type gem. Its brownish-pink to red colors and chatoyance make for an attractive and unusual gem.
| Chemical Fromula | K4(Ca,Na)14Sr2Mn(Ti,Nb)4(O,OH)4(Si6O17)2(Si2O7)3(H2O,OH)3 |
| Molecular Weight: | 2,546.97 gm |
| Crystallography: | Monoclinic – Prismatic |
| Crystal Habit: | Fibrous, scaly, or lamellar; in irregular aggregates, to 10 cm. |
| Twinning: | None |
| Composition: | Potassium | 6.14 % | K | 7.40 % | K2O |
| Barium | 3.56 % | Ba | 3.97 % | BaO | |
| Sodium | 4.36 % | Na | 5.88 % | Na2O | |
| Strontium | 4.78 % | Sr | 5.65 % | SrO | |
| Calcium | 13.25 % | Ca | 18.54 % | CaO | |
| Titanium | 5.88 % | Ti | 9.82 % | TiO2 | |
| Manganese | 0.37 % | Mn | 0.47 % | MnO | |
| Niobium | 2.41 % | Nb | 3.44 % | Nb2O5 | |
| Iron | 0.22 % | Fe | 0.28 % | FeO | |
| Silicon | 19.85 % | Si | 42.46 % | SiO2 | |
| Hydrogen | 0.24 % | H | 2.12 % | H2O | |
| Oxygen | 38.95 % | O | |||
| 100.00% | 100.04% | =TOTAL OXIDE |
| Cleavage: | Perfect |
| Fracture: | Irregular/Uneven, Fibrous, Granular |
| Tenacity: | Brittle |
| Hardness (Mohs): | 5.0 |
| Density: | 3.05 (g/cm3) |
| Luminescence: | None |
| Radioactivity: | Barely Detectable; GRapi = 86.57 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units) |
| Color: | Brownish Pink to Red |
| Transparency: | Semitransparent |
| Luster: | Vitreous, Silky |
| Refractive Index: | 1.644 – 1.660 Biaxial ( + ) |
| Birefringence: | 0.0160 |
| Dispersion: | Strong |
| Pleochroism: | Relatively Strong; X = pale rose-yellow; Y = Z = rose-yellow |
