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Columbite
Name	Columbite
Chemistry	(Fe,Mn)(Nb,Ta)2O6
Uses	As ore of niobium and tantalum.
Color	Iron black to brownish black, reddish brown in thin splinters.
Hardness	6
Specific gravity	5.2
Crystal system	Orthorhombic.  crystal habit: short prismatic crystals, sometimes thick or thin tabular, also masive.
Accompanied by:	Granite
Fracture	Subconchoidal to uneven
Luster	Submetallic to subresinous.
Cleavage	Pinacoidal, distinct (101).      subconchoidal to uneven fracture.
Streak	Dark red to black
Similar to:	Berthierite, Jamesonite
The formation and occurrence are usually as a primary mineral in granite pegmatites of complex mineralogy.

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