| Monazite-(Ce) | |
| Category: | Phosphate mineral |
| Formula: | CePO4 |
| Imasymbol: | Mnz-Ce[1] |
| System: | Monoclinic |
| Class: | Prismatic: 2/m |
| Symmetry: | P21/b |
| Unit Cell: | a = 6.7902, b = 7.0203, c = 6.4674 [Å]; β = 103.6° |
| References: | [2] |
Monazite-(Ce) (CePO4) is the most common representative of the monazite group. It is the cerium-dominant analogue of monazite-(La), monazite-(Nd), and monazite-(Sm). It is also the phosphorus analogue of gasparite-(Ce).[3] The group contains simple rare earth phosphate minerals with the general formula of AXO4, where A = Ce, La, Nd, or Sm (or, rarely, Bi), and X = P or, rarely, As. The A site may also bear Ca and Th.[4]