Zircon

Zircon ( /ˈzɜːrkɒn/[6][7] or /ˈzɜːrkən/[8]) is a

mineral belonging to the group of
nesosilicates. Its chemical name is
zirconium silicate, and its corresponding
chemical formula is ZrSiO4. A common
empirical formula showing some of the
range of substitution in zircon is (Zr1–y,
REEy)(SiO4)1–x(OH)4x–y. Zircon forms in
silicate melts with large proportions of
high field strength incompatible
elements. For example, hafnium is
almost always present in quantities
ranging from 1 to 4%. The crystal
structure of zircon is tetragonal crystal
system. The natural colour of zircon
varies between colourless, yellow-golden,
red, brown, blue and green. Colourless
specimens that show gem quality are a
popular substitute for diamond and are
also known as "Matura diamond".
 Zircon

A lustrous crystal of zircon perched on a tan

matrix of calcite from the Gilgit District of
Pakistan

General

Category Nesosilicates

Formula zirconium silicate

(repeating unit) (ZrSiO4)

Strunz classification 9.AD.30

Crystal system Tetragonal

Crystal class Ditetragonal

dipyramidal (4/mmm)
H-M symbol: (4/m 2/m
 2/m)

Space group I41/amd

Unit cell a = 6.607(1), c =

5.982(1) [Å]; Z = 4

Identification

Color Reddish brown, yellow,

green, blue, gray,
colorless; in thin
section, colorless to
pale brown

Crystal habit tabular to prismatic

crystals, irregular
grains, massive

Twinning On {101}. Crystals

shocked by meteorite
impact show

polysynthetic twins on
{112}
Cleavage {110} and {111}

Fracture Conchoidal to uneven

Tenacity Brittle

Mohs scale hardness 7.5

Luster Vitreous to
adamantine; greasy
when metamict.

Streak White

Diaphaneity Transparent to opaque

Specific gravity 4.6–4.7

Optical properties Uniaxial (+)

Refractive index nω = 1.925–1.961

nε = 1.980–2.015, 1.75
when metamict

Birefringence δ = 0.047–0.055

Pleochroism Weak

Fusibility close to 2,550 °C

 y ,
depend on
Hf,Th,U,H,etc...
concentrations.

Solubility Insoluble

Other characteristics Fluorescent and

radioactive,
May form pleochroic
halos,
Relief: high

References [1][2][3][4][5]

The name derives from the Persian

zargun, meaning "gold-hued".[9] This word
is corrupted into "jargoon", a term applied
to light-colored zircons. The English word
"zircon" is derived from Zirkon, which is
the German adaptation of this word.[10]
Yellow, orange and red zircon is also
known as "hyacinth",[11] from the flower
hyacinthus, whose name is of Ancient
Greek origin.

Properties

Optical microscope photograph; the length of the

crystal is about 250 µm

Zircon is common in the crust of Earth. It

occurs as a common accessory mineral
in igneous rocks (as primary
crystallization products), in metamorphic
rocks and as detrital grains in
sedimentary rocks.[1] Large zircon
crystals are rare. Their average size in
granite rocks is about 0.1–0.3 mm, but
they can also grow to sizes of several
centimeters, especially in mafic
pegmatites and carbonatites.[1] Zircon is
also very resistant to heat and corrosion.

Because of their uranium and thorium

content, some zircons undergo
metamictization. Connected to internal
radiation damage, these processes
partially disrupt the crystal structure and
partly explain the highly variable
properties of zircon. As zircon becomes
more and more modified by internal
radiation damage, the density decreases,
the crystal structure is compromised,
and the color changes.

Zircon occurs in many colors, including

reddish brown, yellow, green, blue, gray
and colorless.[1] The color of zircons can
sometimes be changed by heat
treatment. Common brown zircons can
be transformed into colorless and blue
zircons by heating to 800 to 1000 °C.[12]
In geological settings, the development
of pink, red, and purple zircon occurs
after hundreds of millions of years, if the
crystal has sufficient trace elements to
produce color centers. Color in this red or
pink series is annealed in geological
conditions above temperatures of around
400 °C.[13]

Applications

Sand-sized grains of zircon

Zircon is mainly consumed as an

opacifier, and has been known to be used
in the decorative ceramics industry.[14] It
is also the principal precursor not only to
metallic zirconium, although this
application is small, but also to all
compounds of zirconium including
zirconium dioxide (ZrO2), one of the most
refractory materials known.

Other applications include use in

refractories and foundry casting and a
growing array of specialty applications
as zirconia and zirconium chemicals,
including in nuclear fuel rods, catalytic
fuel converters and in water and air
purification systems.[15]

Zircon is one of the key minerals used by

geologists for geochronology.
Zircon is a part of the ZTR index to
classify highly-weathered sediments.

Occurrence

World production trend of zirconium mineral

concentrates

Zircon is a common accessory to trace

mineral constituent of most granite and
felsic igneous rocks. Due to its hardness,
durability and chemical inertness, zircon
persists in sedimentary deposits and is a
common constituent of most sands.
Zircon is rare within mafic rocks and very
rare within ultramafic rocks aside from a
group of ultrapotassic intrusive rocks
such as kimberlites, carbonatites, and
lamprophyre, where zircon can
occasionally be found as a trace mineral
owing to the unusual magma genesis of
these rocks.

Zircon forms economic concentrations

within heavy mineral sands ore deposits,
within certain pegmatites, and within
some rare alkaline volcanic rocks, for
example the Toongi Trachyte, Dubbo,
New South Wales Australia[16] in
association with the zirconium-hafnium
minerals eudialyte and armstrongite.

Australia leads the world in zircon

mining, producing 37% of the world total
and accounting for 40% of world EDR
(economic demonstrated resources) for
the mineral.[17] South Africa is Africa's
main producer, with 30% of world
production, second after Australia.[18]

Radiometric dating

SEM-CL image of Zircon grain showing zonations

 g g g
and poly-cycles (core-rim structure)

Zircon has played an important role

during the evolution of radiometric
dating. Zircons contain trace amounts of
uranium and thorium (from 10 ppm up to
1 wt%) and can be dated using several
modern analytical techniques. Because
zircons can survive geologic processes
like erosion, transport, even high-grade
metamorphism, they contain a rich and
varied record of geological processes.
Currently, zircons are typically dated by
uranium-lead (U-Pb), fission-track,
cathodoluminescence, and U+Th/He
techniques. For instance, imaging the
cathodoluminescence emission from
fast electrons can be used as a
prescreening tool for high-resolution
secondary-ion-mass spectrometry
(SIMS) to image the zonation pattern and
identify regions of interest for isotope
analysis. This is done using an integrated
cathodoluminescence and scanning
electron microscope.[19] Zircons in
sedimentary rock can identify the
sediment source.

Zircons from Jack Hills in the Narryer

Gneiss Terrane, Yilgarn Craton, Western
Australia, have yielded U-Pb ages up to
4.404 billion years,[20] interpreted to be
the age of crystallization, making them
the oldest minerals so far dated on Earth.
In addition, the oxygen isotopic
compositions of some of these zircons
have been interpreted to indicate that
more than 4.4 billion years ago there was
already water on the surface of the
Earth.[20][21] This interpretation is
supported by additional trace element
data,[22][23] but is also the subject of
debate.[24][25] In 2015, "remains of biotic
life" were found in 4.1 billion-year-old
rocks in the Jack Hills of Western
Australia.[26][27] According to one of the
researchers, "If life arose relatively
quickly on Earth ... then it could be
common in the universe."[26]

Gallery
Crystal structure of zircon

A unit cell
SEM image of zircon

Unusual olive-green zircon

 Cluster of three compound crystals of
zircon

Similar minerals
Hafnon (HfSiO4), xenotime (YPO4),
béhierite, schiavinatoite ((Ta,Nb)BO4),
thorite (ThSiO4), and coffinite (USiO4) all
share the same crystal structure (VIIIX IVY
O4) as zircon.

See also
 Baddeleyite, ZrO2
Cathodoluminescence microscope
Cool Early Earth
Earliest known life forms
Hadean zircon
Heavy mineral sands ore deposits
History of Earth
Ilmenite

References
1. Anthony, John W.; Bideaux, Richard
A.; Bladh, Kenneth W.; Nichols,
Monte C., eds. (1995). "Zircon"
(PDF). Handbook of Mineralogy. II
(Silica, Silicates). Chantilly, VA, US:
 Mineralogical Society of America.
ISBN 978-0962209710.
2. Zircon . Mindat
3. Zircon . Webmineral
4. Hurlbut, Cornelius S.; Klein, Cornelis,
1985, Manual of Mineralogy, 20th
ed., ISBN 0-471-80580-7
5. http://www.minsocam.org/MSA/Am
Min/TOC/Abstracts/2013_Abstracts
/Jan13_Abstracts/Erickson_p53_13
.pdf
6. "Zircon definition and meaning -
Collins English Dictionary" .
www.collinsdictionary.com.
Retrieved April 29, 2018.
 7. "zircon" . The American Heritage
Dictionary of the English Language
(5th ed.). Boston: Houghton Mifflin
Harcourt. 2014.
8. "Definition of ZIRCON" .
www.merriam-webster.com.
Retrieved April 29, 2018.
9. Stwertka, Albert (1996). A Guide to
the Elements. Oxford University
Press. pp. 117–119. ISBN 978-0-19-
508083-4.
10. Harper, Douglas. "zircon" . Online
Etymology Dictionary.
11. "Hyacinth (gem)" . Encyclopædia
Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica
Inc. Retrieved October 7, 2016.
12. "Zircon gemstone information" .
www.gemdat.org. Retrieved April 29,
2018.
13. Garver, John I.; Kamp, Peter J.J.
(2002). "Integration of zircon color
and zircon fission-track zonation
patterns in orogenic belts:
Application to the Southern Alps,
New Zealand". Tectonophysics. 349
(1–4): 203–219.
Bibcode:2002Tectp.349..203G .
CiteSeerX 10.1.1.570.3912 .
doi:10.1016/S0040-1951(02)00054-
9.
14. Nielsen, Ralph (2000). "Zirconium
and Zirconium Compounds".
 Ullmann's Encyclopedia of Industrial
Chemistry.
doi:10.1002/14356007.a28_543 .
ISBN 978-3527306732.
15. "Products" . Mineral Commodities
Ltd. Retrieved August 8, 2016.
16. Staff (June 2007). "Dubbo Zirconia
Project Fact Sheet June 2014"
(PDF). Alkane Resources Limited.
Retrieved September 10, 2007.
17. "The Mineral Sands Industry
Factbook" (PDF).
18. "Heavy Minerals Mining in Africa -
Titanium And Zirconium" . Retrieved
August 8, 2016.
19. BV, DELMIC. "Zircons - Application
Note | DELMIC" .
request.delmic.com. Retrieved
February 10, 2017.
20. Wilde, Simon A.; Valley, John W.;
Peck, William H.; Graham, Colin M.
(2001). "Evidence from detrital
zircons for the existence of
continental crust and oceans on the
Earth 4.4 Gyr ago". Nature. 409
(6817): 175–178.
doi:10.1038/35051550 .
PMID 11196637 .
21. Mojzsis, Stephen J.; Harrison, T.
Mark; Pidgeon, Robert T. (2001).
"Oxygen-isotope evidence from
 ancient zircons for liquid water at
the Earth's surface 4,300 Myr ago".
Nature. 409 (6817): 178–181.
doi:10.1038/35051557 .
PMID 11196638 .
22. Ushikubo, Takayuki; Kita, Noriko T.;
Cavosie, Aaron J.; Wilde, Simon A.;
Rudnick, Roberta L.; Valley, John W.
(2008). "Lithium in Jack Hills
zircons: Evidence for extensive
weathering of Earth's earliest crust".
Earth and Planetary Science Letters.
272 (3–4): 666–676.
Bibcode:2008E&PSL.272..666U .
doi:10.1016/j.epsl.2008.05.032 .
23. "Ancient mineral shows early Earth
climate tough on continents" .
Physorg.com. June 13, 2008.
24. Nemchin, A.; Pidgeon, R.;
Whitehouse, M. (2006). "Re-
evaluation of the origin and evolution
of >4.2 Ga zircons from the Jack
Hills metasedimentary rocks". Earth
and Planetary Science Letters. 244
(1–2): 218–233.
doi:10.1016/j.epsl.2006.01.054 .
25. Cavosie, A.J.; Valley, J.W.; Wilde,
S.A.; e.i.m.f (2005). "Magmatic δ18O
in 4400–3900 Ma detrital zircons: A
record of the alteration and recycling
of crust in the Early Archean". Earth
 and Planetary Science Letters. 235
(3–4): 663–681.
doi:10.1016/j.epsl.2005.04.028 .
26. Borenstein, Seth (October 19, 2015).
"Hints of life on what was thought to
be desolate early Earth" . Excite.
Yonkers, NY: Mindspark Interactive
Network. Associated Press. Archived
from the original on October 23,
2015. Retrieved October 8, 2018.
27. Bell, Elizabeth A.; Boehnke, Patrick;
Harrison, T. Mark; Mao, Wendy L.
(2015). "Potentially biogenic carbon
preserved in a 4.1 billion-year-old
zircon" . Proceedings of the National
Academy of Sciences. 112 (47):
 14518–14521.
Bibcode:2015PNAS..11214518B .
doi:10.1073/pnas.1517557112 .
PMC 4664351 . PMID 26483481 .

Further reading
John M. Hanchar & Paul W. O. Hoskin (eds.)
(2003). "Zircon" . Reviews in Mineralogy and
Geochemistry, 53. ISBN 0-939950-65-0
(Mineralogical Society of America
monograph).
D. J. Cherniak & E. B. Watson (2000). "Pb
diffusion in zircon". Chemical Geology. 172
(1–2): 5–24.
Bibcode:2001ChGeo.172....5C .
doi:10.1016/S0009-2541(00)00233-3 .
A. N. Halliday (2001). "In the beginning…".
Nature. 409 (6817): 144–145.
doi:10.1038/35051685 . PMID 11196624 .
Hermann Köhler (1970). "Die Änderung der
Zirkonmorphologie mit dem
Differentiationsgrad eines Granits". Neues
Jahrbuch für Mineralogie - Monatshefte. 9:
405–420.
K. Mezger & E. J. Krogstad (1997).
"Interpretation of discordant U-Pb zircon
ages: An evaluation". Journal of
Metamorphic Geology. 15 (1): 127–140.
Bibcode:1997JMetG..15..127M .
doi:10.1111/j.1525-1314.1997.00008.x .
J. P. Pupin (1980). "Zircon and Granite
petrology". Contributions to Mineralogy and
Petrology. 73 (3): 207–220.
Bibcode:1980CoMP...73..207P .
doi:10.1007/BF00381441 .
Gunnar Ries (2001). "Zirkon als
akzessorisches Mineral". Aufschluss. 52:
381–383.
G. Vavra (1990). "On the kinematics of
zircon growth and its petrogenetic
significance: a cathodoluminescence
study". Contributions to Mineralogy and
Petrology. 106 (1): 90–99.
Bibcode:1990CoMP..106...90V .
doi:10.1007/BF00306410 .
John W. Valley, William H. Peck, Elizabeth
M. King, Simon A. Wilde; Peck; King; Wilde
(2002). "A Cool Early Earth" . Geology. 30
(4): 351–354.
Bibcode:2002Geo....30..351V .
doi:10.1130/0091-
7613(2002)030<0351:ACEE>2.0.CO;2 .
Retrieved April 11, 2005.
 G. Vavra (1994). "Systematics of internal
zircon morphology in major Variscan
granitoid types". Contributions to
Mineralogy and Petrology. 117 (4): 331–
344. Bibcode:1994CoMP..117..331V .
doi:10.1007/BF00307269 .

External links

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