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Tellurite

Named after its composition as tellurium (tellur) dioxide where the name for tellurium come from the Latin for “earth,” tellus. Found as an oxidation product of tellurium bearing minerals. It is found in a small number of locations including Romania, Kazakhstan, Japan, the USA, and Mexico.Crystals are acicular, straw yellow to bright golden and glassy.
Ref. Handbook of Mineralogy, Anthony et al (1995) and MSA at http://www.handbookofmineralogy.org/pdfs/tellurite.pdf
- Formula
- TeO2
- Crystal System
- Orthorhombic
- Crystal Habit
- Acicular, Prismatic
- Cleavage
- Perfect, None, None
- Luster
- Adamantine
- Color
- yellow orange, white, straw yellow
- Streak
- white
- Class
- Orthorhombic - Dipyramidal
- Fracture
- Flexible
- Hardness
- 2
- WebMineral
- View Tellurite
- Mindat
- View Tellurite
Tellurite from Moctezuma mine, Moctezuma, Sonora, Mexico

Tellurite from Clinton mine, Lawrence Co., Soth Dakota

Tiny, about 0.75mm, lustrous yellow, acicular crystals.
Tellurite from Moctezuma mine, Moctezuma, Sonora, Mexico

Glassy, golden yellow prismatic crystals up to 1cm.