Orange cubic crystals of the very rare Zr mineral tazheranite from the type locality in Tazheran, Russia (Tazheranskii Massif, Lake Baikal, Irkutsk Oblast, Russian Federation). Ex Vandenbroucke Museum collection from Waregem, Belgium. — Photo: David Hospital · CC BY-SA 4.0
Tazheranite
Tazheranite is an IMA-recognized mineral species in the oxides & hydroxide class, with the chemical formula (Zr,Ti,Ca)(O, )₂.
It crystallizes in the cubic crystal system (space group Fm-3m). It is a member of the Fluorite structural group.
Key properties: Mohs hardness 7.5; specific gravity 5.01; Adamantine to greasy on fractures luster.
IMA symbol Taz, IMA status: approved, named in 1969.
Found in calciphyres banding periclase-brucite marble xenoliths in an alkalic massif (Tazheran massif, Russia). In a CV3 carbonaceous chondrite meteorite.
It is found associated with Spinel, forsterite, åkermanite-gehlenite, clinohumite, ludwigite, azoproite, magnesioferrite, calzirtite, baddeleyite, geikielite, perovskite, rutile, zircon.
The name refers to the Tazheran massif, Russia, where it was first noted.