Rutile

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Rutile crystals - click for larger pic
Rutile crystal
Photo by Violet Anderson
© Royal Ontario Museum

Rutile crystals - click for larger pic
Rutile crystal
Photo by Violet Anderson
© Royal Ontario Museum

Rutile crystals - click for larger pic
Rutile crystals
© Doug Merson

TiO

Rutile, a member of the rutile group, is fairly common at the locality.

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS:

Color is usually black, very rarely red or brown.
Luster is submetallic to adamantine.
Diaphaneity is opaque to translucent.
Crystal System is tetragonal; mnm
Crystal Habits include blocky or short prismatic to 6mm, equant curved
crystals to 2mm, elongated prisms to 1.2cm and oriented acicular
crystals forming reticulated aggregates.
Cleavage {110} is distinct, {100} is indistinct.
Fracture is concohidal to uneven.
Hardness is 6 – 6.5
Specific Gravity is approximately 4.2 g/cm
Streak is pale brown.
Associated Minerals include albite, anatase, bastnäsite, calcite, chlorite
group, dolomite, epididymite, fluorapatite, microcline, natrolite, pyrite,
pyrochlore, pyrophanite, pyrrhotite, quartz, siderite and synchysite.
Distinguishing Features: Crystal habit and luster.
Origin: Named in 1803 from the Latin rutilas, golden red, alluding to its
common color, especially in transmitted light.

CLASSIFICATION:

Dana System
# 4.4.1.1

Strunz Classification
# IV/D.02-10

REFERENCES:
MinRec 21:333 (1990), Dana 8:235-237 (1997)

DISTRIBUTION AND RARITY AT MONT SAINT-HILAIRE:

MSH
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Legend

Rutile crystals - click for larger pic
Rutile crystals
© Doug Merson

Rutile crystals - click for larger pic
Rutile crystals
© Doug Merson

Rutile crystals - click for larger pic
Rutile crystals
© Doug Merson