Thorite
Th(SiO4)IMA symbol: Thrgrandfathered
Thorite is a silicate mineral with the formula Th(SiO4), crystallizing in the tetragonal system. It has a Mohs hardness of 5, typically brown or red in color, with a resinous or vitreous luster, a specific gravity of 4.126. Its streak is brown or yellow.
Photos
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Crystallography
| Crystal system | tetragonal crystal systemWikidata (CC0) |
|---|---|
| Space group | I 41/a m d :2 |
| Cell (Å, °) | a = 7.1328, b = 7.1328, c = 6.3188; α = 90, β = 90, γ = 90 |
| Cell volume | 321.481 ų, Z = 4 |
| Axial ratios | 1.0000:1:0.8859calculated from COD 9007624 |
| Source structure | COD 9007624 (Acta Crystallographica, Section B, 1978) — 1 of 2 structures |
Powder X-ray diffraction (calculated)
| d (Å) | 3.566 | 4.73 | 2.677 | 1.836 | 2.848 | 1.888 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| I/I₀ | 100 | 90.1 | 75.4 | 60.2 | 43.1 | 25.8 |
xrd-v1: CuKa1 1.5406A, 2theta 5-90, top10, Imax=100, no DW/PO. Computed from COD 9007624; idealized occupancies, no preferred orientation.
Physical properties
| Density (calculated) | 6.697 g/cm³calculated from COD 9007624 |
|---|---|
| Hardness (Mohs) | 5single sourceDana, System of Mineralogy, 6th ed. (1892) |
| Specific gravity | 4.126 g/cm3single sourceDana, System of Mineralogy, 6th ed. (1892) |
| Color | brown, redsingle sourceDana, System of Mineralogy, 6th ed. (1892) |
| Streak | brown, yellowsingle sourceDana, System of Mineralogy, 6th ed. (1892) |
| Luster | resinous, vitreoussingle sourceDana, System of Mineralogy, 6th ed. (1892) |
Chemistry (calculated)
| Molecular weight | 324.12 g/molcalculated from the IMA formula |
|---|---|
| Composition (wt%) | Th 71.59%, Si 8.67%, O 19.74% |
Classification
| Nickel-Strunz (10th) | 9.AD.30Wikidata (CC0) |
|---|---|
| Nickel-Strunz (9th) | 9.AD.30Wikidata (CC0) |
| Dana (8th) | 51.5.2.3Wikidata (CC0) |