Baotite

baotite

bastnasite

riebeckite

bario-orthojoaquinite

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Formula: Ba₄(Ti,Nb,W)₈O₁₆(SiO₃)₄Cl
Cyclosilicate (ring silicate), niobium bearing mineral
Crystal System: Tetragonal
Specific gravity: 4.42 to 4.71 measured, 4.69 calculated
Hardness: 6
Colour: Light brown to black
Common impurities: Al,Fe,Cr,Mg,Ca,Na,K
Environments:

Hydrothermal environments

Baotite is a very rare niobium silicate.

At the type locality, the Bayan Obo deposit, Inner Mongolia, China, baotite occurs in quartz veins cutting quartzite near alkali granite and syenite (Webmin, HOM), associated with quartz, calcite, albite, aegirine, galena, pyrite, bastnäsite and alkaline amphiboles (Dana, HOM, AM 45.754, AM 47.987-993).

At the Zagi mountain, Northwest Frontier province, Pakistan, baotite has been found in Alpine-type veins in gneissic riebeckite granite, rarely associated with rutile (MinRec 35.3.210, 212).

At the California State Gem Mine, San Benito county, California, USA, baotite occurs with benitoite, bario-orthojoaquinite, fresnoite and natrolite (HOM).

At Ravalli county, Montana, USA, baotite occurs in a carbonate vein cutting hornblende gneiss in a calcite crust on aeschynite and associated with calcite, dolomite, ancylite, aeschynite, monazite, sodic amphiboles and baryte (HOM, AM 47.987-993). The Ravalli County carbonate veins show an unusual development of niobium species, namely columbite, niobian rutile, fersmite, aeschynite and baotite (AM 47.987-993).

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