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Hafnon

Hafnon is a rare mineral with the chemical formula HfSiO4, a hafnium silicate in the zircon group. It is the hafnium analogue of zircon (ZrSiO4) and shares the same crystal framework, with hafnium substituting for zirconium in the lattice. Hafnon forms under high-temperature, silica-rich conditions in granitic pegmatites and other alkaline igneous rocks, and it is sometimes found alongside zircon, monazite, xenotime, and thorite.

Crystallography and properties: Hafnon crystallizes in the tetragonal system and typically forms prismatic or tabular crystals

Occurrence and significance: Hafnon is considerably rarer than zircon and has been reported from a limited

Etymology and context: The name hafnon is derived from hafnium, the element present in the mineral. In

or
granular
masses.
It
is
usually
colorless
to
brown,
with
a
vitreous
luster.
Cleavage
is
not
observed,
and
it
has
a
relatively
high
hardness,
about
7
on
the
Mohs
scale.
Its
specific
gravity
is
high,
commonly
in
the
range
of
about
6.5
to
7.0,
reflecting
its
hafnium
content.
number
of
localities
worldwide.
It
is
most
often
associated
with
other
high-temperature,
hafnium-
and
zirconium-rich
minerals.
Economically,
hafnon
is
not
an
important
ore
of
hafnium;
hafnium
is
typically
recovered
from
a
variety
of
zirconium-bearing
minerals,
with
hafnon
being
of
mainly
mineralogical
and
scientific
interest
rather
than
industrial
use.
geoscience
and
mineralogy,
hafnon
is
discussed
in
relation
to
zircon
and
the
broader
hafnium–zirconium
system,
which
is
important
in
geochronology
and
earth
history
studies.