Formula: Ce
Native element, lanthanide and rare earth mineral
Specific gravity: 6.78
Hardness: 2.5
Colour: Grey
Melting point: 798oC
Boiling point: 3,443oC
Solubility: Attacked by alkali solutions and all acids
Abundance: In the Earth’s crust, 60 parts per million by mass, 8.9 parts per million by moles; in the Solar System, 4
parts per billion by mass, 30 parts per trillion by moles
(ChC).
Cerium is found among the lunar regolith fraction below 74 microns in size. The fraction consists mainly of
glass, olivine, plagioclase,
pyroxene and iron oxide minerals. Other associated reduced species include
molybdenum,
ytterbium and
zinc
(Mindat).
When present in compounds, cerium exists in both the trivalent state, Ce3+, and the tetravalent state,
Ce4+
(ChC)
Cerium tarnishes in moist air and reacts with water to form cerium hydroxide plus hydrogen gas.
Cerium-bearing minerals include:
Oxides - the oxide anion is O2-
aeschynite-(Ce)
davidite-(Ce)
vigezzite
Fluorides - the fluoride anion is F-
fluocerite-(Ce)
gagarinite-(Ce)
håleniusite-(Ce)
Carbonates - the carbonate anion is (CO3)2-
ancylite-(Ce)
arisite-(Ce)
astrocyanite-(Ce)
bastnäsite-(Ce)
burbankite
cebaite-(Ce)
calkinsite-(Ce)
carbocernaite
cordylite-(Ce)
hydroxylbastnäsite-(Ce)
khanneshite
kukharenkoite-(Ce)
Sulphates - the sulphate anion is (SO4)2-
bridgesite-(Ce)
Phosphates - the phosphate anion is (P5+O4)3-
bario-olgite
belovite-(Ce)
steenstrupine-(Ce)
vitusite-(Ce)
Arsenates - the arsenate anion is (As5+O4)3-
agardite-(Ce)
armellinoite-(Ce)
graulichite-(Ce)
retzian-(Ce)
Nesosilicates - insular (Si4+O4)4- groups
arrheniusite-(Ce)
gadolinite-(Ce)
melanocerite-(Ce)
stillwellite-(Ce)
tritomite-(Ce)
vicanite-(Ce)
Sorosilicates - (Si4+2O7)6- groups
allanite-(Ce)
ferriandrosite-(Ce)
karnasurtite-(Ce)
perrierite-(Ce)
perrierite-(La)
Cyclosilicates - (Si4+nO3n)2n- groups
joaquinite-(Ce)
Inosilicates - single chain - (Si4+nO3n)2n- groups
hellandite-(Ce)
Inosilicates - double chain - (Si4+4nO11n)6n- groups
letnikovite-(Ce)
Unclassified silicates
kalyuzhnyite-(Ce)
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