Rock of the Day · Day 217 of 365

Jacupirangite

Dark pyroxenite from alkaline complexes

Jacupirangite, an igneous rock specimen
Igneous

Jacupirangite is a dark, dense ultramafic rock composed almost entirely of titanium-rich augite (titanaugite), typically found in alkaline-carbonatite igneous complexes. It represents one of the earliest crystallization products of highly alkaline magmas and is often associated with economically important deposits.

Composition

titanaugite, magnetite, ilmenite, nepheline, perovskite, apatite

Where Found

Jacupiranga (São Paulo, Brazil — type locality), Alnö (Sweden), Kola Peninsula (Russia), Fen Complex (Norway), Phalaborwa (South Africa)

Mohs Hardness

5-6

Fun Fact

The Jacupiranga complex in Brazil, where this rock was first described, is now a major phosphate mining center — the apatite concentrated in and around these dark rocks feeds Brazil's agricultural industry.

Test Your Knowledge

What type of igneous complex is jacupirangite most commonly associated with?

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