Shop

Rutile is one of the major minerals containing titanium. It is tetragonal and often has intact tetra-columnar or needle crystalline-like structure. Its aggregate exhibits granular or compacting blocky shape. It appears as dark, red, maroon, yellow or orange color with iron-rich product appearing as black color; it streaks appears as yellow to light brown color. It has adamantine gloss. Iron rutile exhibits semi-metallic gloss. It is brittle with the hardness being 6 to 6.5 and the density being 4.2~4.3 g/cm3. Products being rich in iron, niobium and tantalum have the density being increased with the high value being up to 5.5 g/cm3 or more. It can be dissolved in hot phosphoric acid. After cooling and dilution, adding sodium peroxide can turn the solution to brown color (titanium reaction). Rutile can be produced in gneiss, pegmatite, eclogite (flash) rock and placer.