Rutile
“The titanium mineral with needle-like beauty”
Rutile is a titanium dioxide mineral that commonly forms as striking reddish-brown to golden needle-like crystals. It's the primary ore of titanium — a lightweight, incredibly strong metal used in aerospace, medical implants, and the white pigment in everything from paint to sunscreen.
titanium dioxide (TiO₂)
Sierra Leone, Australia (heavy mineral sands), Brazil, Norway, Virginia (USA), Madagascar
6-6.5
The golden needles of rutile trapped inside quartz crystals create 'rutilated quartz,' sometimes called Venus hair stone, which has been used in jewelry since ancient Roman times.
Test Your Knowledge
Why are rutile and ilmenite the world's primary sources of titanium rather than titanium metal ores?
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