Lovchorrite

(named after Mount Lovchorr in Khibiny, Murmansk Oblast), a rare mineral found in the form of amorphous yellow and brown-yellow masses that are not constant in composition. In chemical composition lovchorrite resembles the mineral rinkolite, Na₂Ca₄CeTi[Si₂O₇]O(F, OH)₃, and is possibly an amorphous variety of rinkolite. Lovchorrite contains admixtures of such oxides as ZrO₂, Al₂ O₃, and ThO₂. It is radioactive and has a cryptocrystalline structure. Its hardness on Molis’ scale is about 5, and its density is 3,150–3,320 kg/m³.

Lovchorrite is found in the form of veins, irregular accumulations, or paramorphs after rinkolite crystals in alkaline pegmatites associated with rocks of the nepheline-syenite group. It is an ore from which the rare-earth metals and thorium are obtained.