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Formula: CeVO4
Anhydrous normal vanadate,
xenotime group
Specific gravity: 4.76
Hardness: 4½
Streak: Rusty brown
Colour: Black, yellow in transmitted light
Weakly RADIOACTIVE
Environments
Sedimentary environments
Hydrothermal environments
Localities
At the Marron Volcanics of the Olalla Area South-Central British Columbia, Canada, nearly black (burgundy-red at thin edges)
crystals of wakefieldite-(Ce) typically consist of tetragonal prisms, tetragonal pyramids or a combination of both.
The wakefieldite-(Ce) occurs here in two different associations. In the first association, in the veins,
wakefieldite-(Ce) is found on and among brewsterite crystals, which
have overgrown strontium-rich heulandite;
laumontite and calcite also occur in
these veins. In the second association, in the vesicles adjacent to the veins, wakefieldite-(Ce) is accompanied by
analcime, mesolite and/or
thomsonite
(R&M 96.6.527).
Wakefieldite-(Ce) from Olalla - Image
At the type locality, the Kusu vanadium deposit, Kongo Central, DR Congo, wakefieldite-(Ce) occurs as black crystals
up to 1 mm in size in the oxidised zone in silicified limestone. Associated
minerals include mottramite, chervetite,
cuprite, dioptase,
heyite, malachite,
plancheite and vanadinite
(AM 62.1058 as kusuite).
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