Naturally occurring strontium titanate was not known as a mineral until its discovery in 1982. It was first found in Eastern Siberia, Russia, and later occurrences were found in Paraguay and Japan. It is a very rare mineral, found in tiny cubic crystals, crystal clusters, and irregular masses. Natural specimens are typically so small and so rare that they have no commercial use beyond mineral specimens.
| Physical Properties: Strontium Titanate / Tausonite | ||
| Strontium Titanate (man-made) | Tausonite (natural) | |
| Chemical Classification | Oxide | Oxide |
| Color | Usually colorless. Rare earth or transition metals can be added to produce red, orange, yellow, brown, blue. | Red, brown, orange, gray. |
| Streak | Colorless | Colorless |
| Luster | Adamantine | Adamantine |
| Diaphaneity | Transparent to translucent | Translucent to opaque |
| Cleavage | None | None |
| Mohs Hardness | 5.5 | 6 to 6.5 |
| Specific Gravity | 4.88 | 5.13 |
| Diagnostic Properties | Spectacular dispersion, attacked by HF | Spectacular dispersion, attacked by HF |
| Chemical Formula | SrTiO3 | SrTiO3 |
| Crystal System | Isometric | Isometric |
| Uses | Diamond simulant, optical instruments, voltage-dependent resistors, high-voltage capacitors, specialized ceramics, substrates for superconductors | None |