Tantalite Value, Price, and Jewelry Information
Tantalite is too dark to be of use as a faceted gem but is sometimes cut as a collector curiosity, either faceted or in cabochons. These could be of any desired size.
TANTALITE Series to Columbite: (Fe,Mn)(Nb,Ta)2O6.
Streak: Black, brownish black, reddish brown.
Optics:a= 2.26; β= 2.30-2.40; γ=2.43.
Biaxial (+), 2VLarge. Usually opaque, indices measured on powders or thin splinters
Spectral: Not diagnostic.
Occurrence: In granite pegmatites.
Colorado; Wyoming; New England.
Canada; Brazil; Madagascar; France; Sweden: Finland; USSR; Zimbabwe; Western Australia.
South Dakota: various localities.
California: various localities.
Comments: Tantalite is too dark to be of use as a faceted gem but is sometimes cut as a collector curiosity, either faceted or in cabochons. These could be of any desired size.
Name: After the mythical character Tantalus, because it is difficult to dissolve the mineral in acids prior to analysis.
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