| Tistarite | |
| Category: | Oxide minerals |
| Formula: | Ti2O3 |
| Imasymbol: | Tta[1] |
| Strunz: | 4.CB.05 |
| System: | Trigonal |
| Class: | Hexagonal scalenohedral (m) H-M symbol: (2/m) |
| Symmetry: | Rc |
Tistarite is an exceedingly rare mineral with the formula Ti2O3, thus being the natural analogue of titanium(III) oxide.[2] [3] In terms of chemistry it is the titanium-analogue of hematite, corundum, eskolaite, and karelianite. Other minerals with the general formula A2O3 are arsenolite, avicennite, claudetite, bismite, bixbyite, kangite, sphaerobismoite, yttriaite-(Y) and valentinite. Tistarite and grossmanite – both found in the famous Allende meteorite (so is kangite) – are the only currently known minerals with trivalent titanium. Titanium in minerals is almost exclusively tetravalent.[3] [4] [5] The only known terrestrial occurrence of tistarite was found during minerals exploration by Shefa Yamim Ltd. in the upper mantle beneath Mount Carmel, Israel.[6]