About
Crystal Forms & Aggregates
Other ID Marks
Striking Features
Environment
Varieties
✓ common · ✗ uncommon
- Leucoxene— Alteration product of Ilmenite and other titanium or iron oxides, including Rutile, Brookite, Titanite, Perovskite, and Hematite.
- Iserine— Rounded, waterworn form of Ilmenite found at the placer deposit of the Iser (Jizerská) meadow in the Jizerské Mts, Bohemia, Czech Republic.
- Menaccanite— Magnesium-rich variety of Ilmenite.
- Picroilmenite— Magnesium-rich variety of Ilmenite.
- Washingtonite— Iron-rich variety of Ilmenite named after Washington, Litchfield Co., Connecticut.
Uses
Noteworthy Localities
The type locality of Ilmenite, famous for having produced single thick crystals, is Miass, in the Ilmen Mts, Southern Urals, Russia. Large, well-formed crystals are well-known from Åmdal, Froland, Aust-Agder, Norway; and brownish-gray crystals from Kragerø, Telemark, Norway. Beautiful rosettes similar to Hematite Iron Roses occur in the Tormiq valley, Haramosh Mts., Skardu District, Pakistan; and highly lustrous crystal plates are found on Zagi Mountain, near Peshawar, Pakistan.
In Canada, good Ilmenite crystals have come from Bancroft, Faraday Twp, Hastings Co., Ontario; and some of the largest crystals were found in Girardville, near Lac Saint-Jean, Quebec. In the U.S., crystals were once found in Chester, Hampden Co., Massachusetts; and a manganese-rich form from Washington, Litchfield Co., Connecticut. A massive Ilmenite came from the McIntyre Mine, Newcomb, Essex Co., New York.
Common Mineral Associations
Distinguishing Similar Minerals
Magnetite - Strongly attracted to magnetic fields.
Rutile - Lacks magnetism, usually more reddish on edges, and may be slightly translucent on edges.
Columbite - Higher specific gravity, lacks any magnetism.
Photos
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