Properties of Zircon

Zircon is a mineral belonging to the group of nesosilicates and is composed mainly of zirconium silicate (ZrSiO4). It is a dense, hard, and durable crystal found in a variety of colors, including brown, red, yellow, green, and blue.

Image of zircon mineral
Credit: Rob Lavinsky, iRocks.com - CC-BY-SA-3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The following table provides a comprehensive list of zircon properties in both SI and US customary/Imperial units at normal temperature and pressure (NTP).

Note: click on the icon to switch between Metric and Imperial units.

Table of Zircon Properties
Physical Properties
Metric
Chemical FormulaZrSiO4
Molar Mass183.307 g/mol
Crystal SystemTetragonal
Mohs Hardness7.5
Density4660 kg/m3
ColorBrown, reddish brown, colorless, gray, green
DiaphaneityTransparent, translucent, opaque
LusterAdamantine
Cleavage(110)
FractureUneven
StreakWhite
Thermal PropertiesMetric
Coefficient of Thermal Expansion (αL)4.5×10-6 1/°C

Note: unless stated otherwise, all values are taken at room temperature (approximately 20°C or 68°F) and 1 atm pressure. (1 atm = 101,325 Pa)

Related Pages
References: 1) Cardarelli, François. Materials Handbook: A Concise Desktop Reference. Switzerland: Springer International Publishing, 2018. 2) CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics, 97th Edition. United Kingdom: CRC Press, 2016-2017.