Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jun 21, 2026

Davidite

Davidite is a rare earth oxide mineral with chemical end members Lanthanum (La) and Cerium (Ce). It exists in two forms:Davidite-(La) (La,Ce,Ca)(Y,U)(Ti,Fe3+)20O38 discovered at Radium Hill mine, South Australia in 1906 and named by Douglas Mawson for Australian geologist Tannatt William Edgeworth David (1858-1934). Davidite-(Ce) (Ce,La)(Y,U)(Ti,Fe3+)20O38 first described in 1960 from Vemork, Iveland Municipality, Norway.

Last revised
Jun 21, 2026
Read time
≈ 1 min
Length
196 w
Citations
8
Source
Davidite-(La)
Davidite-(La) from Kazakhstan
General
CategoryOxide minerals
Formula(La,Ce,Ca)(Y,U)(Ti,Fe3+
)
20
O
38
IMA symbolDvd-La1
Strunz classification4.CC.40
Crystal systemTrigonal
Crystal classRhombohedral (3)
H-M symbol: (3)
Space groupR3
Unit cella = 10.376, c = 20.91 [Å]; Z = 3
Identification
ColorBlack
FractureSubconchoidal to uneven
TenacityBrittle
Mohs scale hardness6 2
LusterVitreous
DiaphaneityOpaque, translucent in very thin fragments
Specific gravity4.33 to 4.48
Alters toMetamict
Other characteristics Radioactive
References3456

Davidite is a rare earth oxide mineral with chemical end members Lanthanum (La) and Cerium (Ce). It exists in two forms:

References

References

  1. Warr, L.N. (2021). "IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols". Mineralogical Magazine. 85 (3): 291–320. Bibcode:2021MinM...85..291W. doi:10.1180/mgm.2021.43. S2CID 235729616.
  2. "Davidite-(La) Mineral Data".
  3. Davidite-La in Handbook of Mineralogy
  4. Davidite-La on Mindat
  5. Davidite-(La) on Webmineral
  6. Davidite-(Ce) on Webmineral
  7. Branagan, D.F. (2005): T.W. Edgeworth David: A Life: Geologist, Adventurer and "Knight in the Old Brown Hat", National Library of Australia, Canberra, p. 471. ISBN 0 642 10791 2
  8. Branagan, David (2007). "Davidite and other early events in Australia's uranium story" (PDF). Journal and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New South Wales. /07/01001–9. 140: 1–9. ISSN 0035-9173. Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 March 2017.