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Formula: MoO2
Valence: Mo4+O2
Simple oxide of molybdenum Mo4+
Crystal system: Monoclinic
Specific gravity: 6.58 calculated
Hardness: 4½
Streak: Greenish grey
Colour: Dark lilac-brown
Solubility: Insoluble in hot hydrochloric or sulphuric acid, but is dissolved very slowly by boiling concentrated
nitric acid
Electrical: Conductor of electricity
Environments
Volcanic igneous environments
Hydrothermal environments
Localities
At the type locality, the Lenskoye Mo-U deposit, Amur Oblast, Russia, tugarinovite occurs as prismatic or thick
tabular crystals 0.5 to 1.5 mm in size with a greasy to metallic lustre. It occurs in
quartz metasomatites associated
with uraninite, molybdenite,
zircon and galena.
Tugarinovite is considered to be of hypogene origin, formed
in a reducing medium with deficiency of sulphur
(AM 66.438-439).
Partial to complete pseudomorphism by
wulfenite occurs in oxidised material
(AM 73.189-199).
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