Tapiolite Group - (Fe,Mn)(Ta,Nb)₂O₆

Habit: Black, short prismatic or equant crystals. Opaque, transparent on thin edges, subAdamantine to subMetallic, brilliant Luster.

Environment: Pegmatites and alluvial deposits

Etymology: Originally named "tapiolite"for Tapio, god of the forest in Finnish mythology. Renamed "ferrotapiolite"and "manganotapiolite", now tapiolite-(Fe) and tapiolite-(Mn)