a black mineral consisting of a niobium oxide of iron and manganese in orthorhombic crystalline form: occurs in coarse granite, often with tantalite, and is an ore of niobium. Formula: (Fe, Mn)(Nb)2O6
Also called: niobite
Word origin
C19: from columbium + -ite1
columbite in American English
(kəˈlʌmˌbaɪt)
noun
a black, orthorhombic mineral, (Fe,Mn)(Nb,Ta)2O6, that is an ore of niobium and tantalum