New Yttrotungstite-(Nd) Mineral Discovered in Rwandan Mine

A team led by Frédéric Hatert identified a previously unknown mineral species—Yttrotungstite‑(Nd)—in the oxidised zones of the Nyakabingo tungsten deposit near Kigali, Rwanda. The discovery was published in the European Journal of Mineralogy (volume 38, pages 373–382) in 2026 and can be accessed via DOI ¹].

The new mineral forms tiny yellow‑orange tabular crystals that reach a maximum length of about 100 µm. In many specimens the crystals radiate from a central point, creating striking groups often observed as {010} dominant faces. A twinning parallel to (001) has also been reported for some grains.² Electron microprobe analyses confirm that the species belongs to the yttrotungstite group.² The authors note that the presence of neodymium (Nd) in the crystal lattice gives the compound its unique chemical signature.²

Frédéric Hatert, Simon Philippo, Pietro Vignola, and Maël Guennou are credited with this work.