Isolaatorite

Isolaatorite is a rare mineral that was first discovered in 1989 in the Isolotto mine, near the town of Baveno in the Italian Alps. It is named after the mine where it was found. Isolaatorite is a complex oxide mineral with the chemical formula (Na,Ca)2(Fe,Mn)2Ti2O8. It crystallizes in the cubic crystal system and typically forms small, dark brown to black crystals or granular masses.

Isolaatorite is notable for its unique crystal structure, which is characterized by the presence of octahedral and tetrahedral sites occupied by iron, manganese, and titanium. This structure gives the mineral its distinctive physical properties, including its magnetic behavior and its resistance to weathering.

The mineral is typically found in association with other oxide minerals such as magnetite, ilmenite, and hematite. It is often found in skarn deposits, which are metamorphic rocks formed by the alteration of carbonate rocks by igneous intrusions.

Isolaatorite is not currently known to have any significant economic value, but it is of interest to mineralogists and geologists due to its rarity and unique properties. Its discovery has contributed to our understanding of the complex processes that occur during the formation of skarn deposits and other metamorphic rocks.