Tistarite

 ( Oxide Minerals ) 

Tistarite is an exceedingly rare mineral with the formula Ti₂O₃, thus being the natural analogue of titanium(III) oxide.Ma, C., and Rossmann, G.R., 2009: Tistarite, Ti₂O₃, a new refractory mineral from the Allende meteorite. American Mineralogist 94(5–6), 841–844Mindat, Tistarite, http://www.mindat.org/min-38695.html In terms of chemistry it is the titanium-analogue of hematite, corundum, eskolaite, and karelianite. Other minerals with the general formula A₂O₃ are arsenolite, avicennite, claudetite, bismite, bixbyite, kangite, sphaerobismoite, yttriaite-(Y) and valentinite. Tistarite and grossmanite – both found in the famous Allende meteorite (so is kangite) – are the only currently known minerals with trivalent titanium. Titanium in minerals is almost exclusively tetravalent.Mindat, Kangite, http://www.mindat.org/min-42879.htmlMindat, Yttriaite-(Y), http://www.mindat.org/min-40471.html The only known terrestrial occurrence of tistarite was found during minerals exploration by Shefa Yamim in the upper mantle beneath Mount Carmel, Israel.