Formula: (Ca,Y)Zr(Ti,Mg,Al)2O7
Multiple oxide, zirconium and titanium
bearing mineral
Specific gravity: 4.8
Hardness: 5½
Streak: Dark brown
Colour: Black to brown, red
Environments
Plutonic igneous environments
Pegmatites
Carbonatites
Zirconolite occurs in pegmatites, carbonatites, kimberlite,
syenite and sanidine-rich rocks; more
rarely in ultramafic rocks and as a detrital mineral. Associated minerals include
apatite, clinohumite,
phlogopite, richterite,
pyrochlore, baddeleyite,
perovskite, titanite,
pyrrhotite and calcite
(HOM).
Localities
At Kaiserstuhl, Baden-Württemberg, Germany, zirconolite occurs in carbonatite
(Dana).
At Monte de Procida, Campi Flegrei, Campania, Italy, zirconolite occurs in
sanidine-rich rocks associated with a member of the
pyrochlore group
(Dana).
At Fredriksvärn, Larvik, Vestfold, Norway, zirconolite occurs in a pegmatite with
magnetite, nepheline,
zircon and pyrochlore
(Dana).
The type locality is the Afrikanda complex, Murmansk Oblast, Russia.
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