SEM BSE images showing kaitianite (Ktn) with tistarite (Tta), Ti,Al,Zr-oxide (TAZ), MgTi3+2Al4SiO12 phase (MTAS), spinel (Spl), sapphirine (Spr), and Ti-sulfide (Ti-S) in corundum Grain 1125C2. The upper rectangular area in (b) are enlarged in (c). The image is published in an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license ( https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ ). — Photo: Ma, C.; Cámara, F.; Bindi, L.; Toledo, V.; Griffin, W.L. · CC BY 4.0
Tistarite
Natural titanium(III) oxide — exceedingly rare, the titanium analogue of hematite; first found in the Allende meteorite.
Intro adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA).
Tistarite is an IMA-recognized mineral species in the oxides & hydroxide class, with the chemical formula Ti₂O₃.
It crystallizes in the hexagonal crystal system (space group R-3c). It is a member of the Corundum structural group.
Key properties: specific gravity 4.53.
IMA symbol Tta, IMA status: approved, named in 2008.
Found in a ferromagnesian chondrule in a CV3 carbonaceous chondrite meteorite.
It is found associated with Khamrabaevite, rutile, corundum, mullite.
Ti for the essential titanium in the compound and the word star, implying that this refractory mineral is among the first solids formed in the solar system at the birth of our star.