BROOKITE

HISTORY, NAME, LOCALITIES: Brookite, pronounced BROOK-ite, was identified as a mineral in 1826 and named in honor of British crystallographer and mineralogist Henry James Brook.  Notable collecting localities are in Pakistan, Russia, Austria, France, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Brazil, South Africa, Australia, and the United States (Arkansas, New Jersey, New Hampshire, New York, and Oklahoma).

MINERALOGY, PROPERTIES, OCCURRENCE: Brookite, rutile, and anatase are the three polymorphs of titanium dioxide (TiO2).  Brookite, which is uncommon, crystallizes in the orthorhombic system as then, tabular-to-platy, sometimes sheet-like crystals with pseudo-hexagonal cross sections and parallel striations, and less commonly as six-sided bipyramids.  It has a Mohs hardness of 5.5-6.0, a sub-metallic luster, poor one-directional cleavage, and a specific gravity of 4.1.  It is transparent to nearly opaque, with colors ranging from brownish-black and reddish-black to brown, yellow-brown, reddish-brown, and amber.  Brookite occurs mainly in alpine-cleft-type deposits (mineralized fissures in igneous rock) in association with anatase, rutile, titanite, and quartz.  Lesser amounts of brookite form by hydrothermal alteration.

METAPHYSICAL PROPERTIES, LORE, USES: Brookite has occasionally served as a minor ore of titanium, a metal used to produce rigid, lightweight, high-strength structural alloys with high melting points and exceptional corrosion resistance.  Although brookite has no use in jewelry, transparent crystals are occasionally faceted into collectors’ gems.  Modern metaphysical practitioners believe that brookite helps to dispel apathy and lethargy, and aids in dealing with difficult situations.

COLLECTORS’ INFORMATION: Brookite is collected for its rarity, unusual colors, and distinctive crystal forms, and is most popular as composite specimens with quartz.