Zircon

A mineral with the idealized composition ZrSiO4, one of the chief sources of the element zirconium. Trace amounts of uranium and of thorium are often present and the mineral may then be partly or entirely metamict. The name cyrtolite is applied to an altered type of zircon. Structurally, zircon is a...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Clifford Frondel
Format: Reference Entry
Language:English
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Summary:A mineral with the idealized composition ZrSiO4, one of the chief sources of the element zirconium. Trace amounts of uranium and of thorium are often present and the mineral may then be partly or entirely metamict. The name cyrtolite is applied to an altered type of zircon. Structurally, zircon is a nesosilicate, with isolated SiO4 groups. It is isostructural with the thorium silicate thorite and the yttrium phosphate xenotime. Radioactive minerals Silicate minerals Zirconium
DOI:10.1036/1097-8542.755600