

The name of brookite was given by Armand Lévy, french mathematician and mineralogist in 1825 after Henry James Brooke, english crystallographer and mineralogist. The brookite is a titanium dioxide, polymorph (same chemical composition, other crystallization) of the akaogiite, the anatase and the rutile. It has an interesting photocatalytic ability, as titanium dioxide. Its lamellar, tabular, lengthwise stripped crystals issue in volcanic and metamorphic rocks (gneiss, crystalline slates). This rare mineral can be found in alpine type splits together with feldspars, quartz, titanite, rutile, anatase, chlorite. Its pseudohexagonal variety, arkansite issues in Magnet Cove (Arkansas, USA). Localities: Switzerland, Austria, France, Wales, Russia, Brazil, Pakistan etc.