Formula: (Ce,La,Nd,Th)PO4
Origin of name: From Greek for to be solitary
Crystal system: Monoclinic
Crystal class: 2/m
Twinning: Common on {100}, sometimes cruciform; rare on {001}, lamellar
Unit cell: a = 6.84 Å, b = 7.07 Å, c = 6.45 Å, β = 103.9°
Colour: Reddish-brown, pink, yellow-brown, green, gray-white
Diaphaneity:
Luster: Resinous, waxy
Habit: Crystals thin to thick tabular, small, elongated along c-axis; also equant, wedge-shaped or prismatic; massive granular
Hardness: 5 to 5.5
Specific gravity: 4.6 to 5.4
Cleavage: 5; {100} distinct, {010} less distinct, {110}, {101} and {011} indistinct
Tenacity: Brittle
Streak:
Synonyms/varieties: kularite
Comments: Three distinct species with the extensions -(Ce), -(La) and -(Nd) indicating the predominant rare earth cation in the formula
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