Carbonatite
Rock
About it
Rare igneous rock made over half of carbonate minerals, so calcite types fizz in acid like marble. Hosts rare-earth and niobium ores at Mountain Pass, California, and Oka, Quebec; Ol Doinyo Lengai in Tanzania erupts it as lava.
- Type
- Rock (igneous)
- Group
- Igneous (plutonic or volcanic)
- Colours
- white, cream, grey, buff, brown
- Transparency
- opaque
Typical values: real specimens vary. For more, see mindat.org.