BATISITE

    Class : Silicates
    Subclass : Inosilicates
    Crystal System : Orthorhombic
    Chemistry : Na2BaTi2(Si2O7)2
    Rarity : Very rare

Batisite is an extremely rare silicate of barium and titanium from igneous rocks with a high silica deficit. It is found in nepheline syenite pegmatoids (Inagli, Aldan plateau, Siberia; Khibiny, Kola, Russia), and in leucite and nepheline basaltic lavas (Eifel, Germany). It owes its name to its chemical composition : barium, titanium, silicon. Batisite occurs in elongated crystals, the color is brown-black, exceptionally reddish or red. In syenitic pegmatoids, it notably accompanies microcline, arfvedsonite, eudialyte, aegyrine and nepheline.

Main photo : Batisite de Graulay, Eifel, Germany © Volker Heck

Batisite from Graulay, Eifel, Germany © Gianfranco Ciccolini
Batisite from Graulay, Eifel, Germany © Ko Jansen
Batisite from Graulay, Eifel, Germany © Stephan Wolfsried
Batisite and arfvedsonite from Inagli, Aldan, Russia © Pavel M. Kartashov

Batisite in the World

The most beautiful crystals come from the Eifel Volcanic Massif (Germany) and more particularly from the Graulay quarry, they are small tablets not exceeding one millimeter. The largest crystals come from the alkaline Massif of Aldan (Russia) and do not exceed one centimeter.

Batisite in France

This mineral is not present in the French underground.

Twinning and special crystallizations

No known twin for this mineral species.

Fakes and treatments

No fake or treatment identified for this mineral species.


Hardness : 5.5 to 6
Density : 3.43
Fracture : Conchoidal
Trace : Pink to brown

TP : Translucent to transparent
RI : 1.727 to 1.789
Birefringence : 0.062
Optical character : Biaxial +
Pleochroism : Visible
Fluorescence : None

Solubility : Insoluble

Magnetism : None
Radioactivity : None

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