Zimbabweite
Encyclopedia
Zimbabweite is a mineral; formula (Na,K)2PbAs4(Nb,Ta,Ti)4O18. It is generally classed as an arsenite
but is notable for also containing niobium
and tantalum
. A yellow brown mineral with orthorhombic crystal habit and a hardness of 5. It was discovered in 1986 in kaolinized pegmatite
, i.e. weathered to clay, in Zimbabwe
.
Arsenite
In chemistry an arsenite is a chemical compound containing an arsenic oxoanion where arsenic has oxidation state +3.The different forms of the anion are the next ones:* ortho-arsenite: AsO33-* meta-arsenite: AsO2-...
but is notable for also containing niobium
Niobium
Niobium or columbium , is a chemical element with the symbol Nb and atomic number 41. It's a soft, grey, ductile transition metal, which is often found in the pyrochlore mineral, the main commercial source for niobium, and columbite...
and tantalum
Tantalum
Tantalum is a chemical element with the symbol Ta and atomic number 73. Previously known as tantalium, the name comes from Tantalus, a character in Greek mythology. Tantalum is a rare, hard, blue-gray, lustrous transition metal that is highly corrosion resistant. It is part of the refractory...
. A yellow brown mineral with orthorhombic crystal habit and a hardness of 5. It was discovered in 1986 in kaolinized pegmatite
Pegmatite
A pegmatite is a very crystalline, intrusive igneous rock composed of interlocking crystals usually larger than 2.5 cm in size; such rocks are referred to as pegmatitic....
, i.e. weathered to clay, in Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the African continent, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia and a tip of Namibia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east. Zimbabwe has three...
.