Where it forms, where it's found
- Geological setting
iron meteorite of the IAB-MG type Kopernikite is confined to the external graphite zone of the nodule and intergrows with fluorapatite. Kopernikite crystallised from drops of phosphate melt simultaneously with fluorapatite at a temperature of 1000°C, due to the local enrichment of the melt with K, Ba, Ti and Cr.
- Type locality
- Morasko meteorite
- Poznań
- Greater Poland Voivodeship
- Poland
52.4833°, 16.9167°
1recorded occurrences
Physical
Optical
- Optical colour
- gray
- Anisotropism
- weakly anisotropic, a bluish tint is observed in some grains
- Internal reflections
- green
- Tropism
- Anisotropic
Crystallography
- Space group
- #135
- Cell parameters
- a = 10.0955(5) Å · c = 2.9534(2) Å
- Z
- 1
- Type-locality form
kopernikite was found as homogeneous xenomorphic grains within fluorapatite. The largest grain, measuring 100×50 μm, exhibits a low barium content: Within a relatively large fluorapatite aggregate, the second grain, a poikilitic kopernikite measuring 300 μm, exhibits an inhomogeneous distribution of barium that is clearly visible in the BSE (backscattered electron) image
Chemical composition
Synonyms
- IMA2025-082
- Kopernikiet
- UM1994-09-O:CrKTi
In other languages
- Catalan
- kopernikita
Classification
Strunz
10th ed.4.DK
- 4OxidesClass
- 4.DMetal: Oxygen = 1:2 and similarDivision
- 4.DKWith large (+- medium-sized) cations; tunnel structuresGroup
- 4.DKKopernikiteSpecies
Group, growth & confusion
Literature, links & citation
Citations
- —Galuskin, E., Muszyński, A., Kusz, J., Książek, M., Galuskina, I. and Zieliński, G. (2026) Kopernikite, IMA 2025-082. CNMNC Newsletter 89, Mineralogical Magazine, 90, https://doi.org/10.1180/mgm.2026.10199
- 2026Galuskin, Evgeny; Muszyński, Andrzej; Kusz, Joachim; Książek, Maria; Galuskina, Irina; Zieliński, Grzegorz (2026) Kopernikite, K(Ti7Cr3+)O16 – a new priderite group mineral from the Morasko IAB-MG iron meteorite (Poland). Mineralogical Magazine, p.1-20. doi:10.1180/mgm.2026.10230DOI: 10.1180/mgm.2026.10230
Cite this entry
@misc{mineral2026,
author = {Mineral Index editorial board},
title = {Kopernikite — Mineral Index},
year = {2026},
url = {https://mineralindex.org/minerals/kopernikite-499374},
note = {Accessed 2026-05-11}
}