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Formula: NaNbO3
Oxide, niobium-bearing mineral,
paramorph of
isolueshite, lueshite and
natroniobite
Crystal System: Trigonal
Specific gravity: 4.246 calculated
Colour: Pinkish brown
Fluorescence: Non-fluorescent under short (254 nm) or long wavelength (366 nm) UV
Environments
Although pauloabibite was approved in 2012, to date (July 2022) it has been reported only from the type locality.
Localities
At the type locality, the Jacupiranga Alkaline Complex, Cajati, São Paulo, Brazil, pauloabibite occurs in a
carbonatite. The locality is near an alkaline intrusion that
comprises dunites and
peridotites in its Northern part and
jacupirangite,
ijolite, and
nepheline syenites in the Southern; the
carbonatite plug is totally intruded into
jacupirangite.
Paulobabite was found where the carbonatite is coarser
and a pyrochlore-group mineral is present as an accessory mineral; in this
zone two other unique species were found, namely quintinite and
menezesite. Associated minerals include
dolomite, calcite,
magnetite, phlogopite,
pyrite, pyrrhotite,
ancylite-(Ce), tochilinite,
fluorapatite, pyrochlore,
vigezzite and strontianite.
Paulobabite occurs as encrustations of platy crystals, up to 2 mm in size, partially intergrown with an
unidentified calcium-niobium oxide, embedded in
dolomite crystals, which can reach centimetre sizes
(AM 100.442-446).
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