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Formula: TiV3+O3(OH)
Valence: Ti4+V3+O3(OH)
Oxide of vanadium and titanium
Crystal system: Monoclinic
Specific gravity: 4.17 calculated
Hardness: 5½
Streak: Black
Colour: Black
Environments
Localities
At the type locality, Lake View Consols Gold Mine, Kalgoorlie Consolidated Gold Mines, Kalgoorlie-Boulder,
Kalgoorlie-Boulder Shire, Western Australia, tivanite was found as a grain in
micaceous V–Au-rich stringers in the hydrothermal
gold deposit, in 1977. Only one grain of it was recognised at that time and no
additional material has been found here since, in spite of intensive searching. Mindat, however, cites 5 other
localities for the mineral, as of April 2026. The grain from Kalgoorlie is in a polished section, measures about
300 x 90 microns2, has an irregular outline, and contains numerous minute
quartz inclusions and veins. The grain consists of many small irregular
crystallites (5 to 30 microns in size) occurring in twin relationships. The associated minerals are
quartz, vanadium-bearing
muscovite and nolanite.
Tivanite is black with a black streak and a metallic to submetallic lustre. It is opaque to light and does not
exhibit internal reflections in either air or oil
(AM 66.866-871).
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