Fuyuanite

fuyuanite

oboniobite

fersmite

niobium

Images

Formula: Mg₇Nb₆O₁₈(OH)₈
Oxide, niobium-bearing mineral
Crystal system: Trigonal
Specific gravity: 4.156 calculated
Colour: Reddish brown to brown
Environments

Carbonatites

Fuyuanite is a new mineral, approved in 2024 and to date (October 2025) reported only from the type locality.

Localities

At the type locality, the Bayan Obo deposit, Bayan Obo, Bayan Obo mining district, Baotou City, Inner Mongolia, China, fuyuanite has been discovered in the rare earth-Nb-Fe deposit in a dolomite-calcite carbonatite dike. Associated minerals include oboniobite, fersmite, pyrochlore, magnetite, dolomite, apatite and calcite. Individual crystals of fuyuanite range in size from 40 to 60 μm, and no twinning is observed (AM 110.10.1649–1657).

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