RUTILE SPECIMENS

Rutile is an oxide mineral composed primarily of TiO2, although iron is a typical chemical variation. It comes in a wide variety of crystal forms, from lustrous metallic-like crystals, thin straw-like crystals, to even deep red crystals with slight translucence. Rutile has also been know to form needle-like inclusions within other minerals, most commonly with quartz. Rarer polymorphs of rutile (TiO2) include anatase and brookite, both of which have unique crystal structures.