Fergusonite is a mineral comprising a complex oxide of various rare earth elements. The chemical formula of fergusonite species is (Y,RE)NbO
4, where RE = rare-earth elements in solid solution with Y. Yttrium is usually dominant (the species fergusonite-(Y)), but sometimes Ce or Nd may predominate in molar proportion (species fergusonite-(Ce) and fergusonite-(Nd)). All the other
rare earthRare earth may refer to:* Rare earth element* Rare Earth hypothesis* Rare Earth * Rare Earth Records* Rare-earth magnet...
elements are present in subordinate amount, and
tantalumTantalum is a chemical element with the symbol Ta and atomic number 73. A rare, hard, blue-gray, lustrous transition metal, tantalum is highly corrosion resistant and occurs naturally in the mineral tantalite, always together with the chemically similar niobium...
substitutes for some of the
niobiumNiobium , or columbium , is the chemical element with the symbol Nb and the atomic number 41...
.
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Fergusonite is a mineral comprising a complex oxide of various rare earth elements. The chemical formula of fergusonite species is (Y,RE)NbO
4, where RE = rare-earth elements in solid solution with Y. Yttrium is usually dominant (the species fergusonite-(Y)), but sometimes Ce or Nd may predominate in molar proportion (species fergusonite-(Ce) and fergusonite-(Nd)). All the other
rare earthRare earth may refer to:* Rare earth element* Rare Earth hypothesis* Rare Earth * Rare Earth Records* Rare-earth magnet...
elements are present in subordinate amount, and
tantalumTantalum is a chemical element with the symbol Ta and atomic number 73. A rare, hard, blue-gray, lustrous transition metal, tantalum is highly corrosion resistant and occurs naturally in the mineral tantalite, always together with the chemically similar niobium...
substitutes for some of the
niobiumNiobium , or columbium , is the chemical element with the symbol Nb and the atomic number 41...
. The mineral has tetragonal crystal symmetry and the same structure as
scheeliteScheelite is a calcium tungstate mineral with the chemical formula CaWO4. It is an important ore of tungsten. Well-formed crystals are sought by collectors and are occasionally fashioned into gemstones when suitably free of flaws...
(calcium tungstate, CaW
4), but can be metamict (amorphous) due to radiation damage from its small content of
thoriumThorium is a chemical element with the symbol Th and atomic number 90. It is a naturally occurring, slightly radioactive metal. Thorium is estimated to be about three to four times more abundant than uranium in the earth's crust...
. It is found as needle-like or prismatic crystals in
pegmatiteA pegmatite is a very coarse-grained, intrusive igneous rock comprised of interlocking grains usually larger than 2.5 cm in diameter; such rocks are referred to as pegmatitic....
. It was named after British Politician and mineral collector Robert Ferguson of Raith (1767–1840)