Fe2+-Ti4+ charge transfer in stoichiometric Fe2+,Ti4+-minerals

Optical absorption spectra are presented for taramellite, traskite and neptunite, all of which have both Fe²⁺ and Ti⁴⁺ as major elements. The spectra of each of these minerals are dominated by a single, intense absorption band in the 415 to 460 nm region with 7000 to 9000 cm^?1 halfwidth. These transitions, assigned to Fe²⁺-Ti⁴⁺ intervalence charge transfer, showed little difference in intensity at 80 and 300 K and have molar absorptivities which range from ～100 to ～1300 M^?1 cm^?1. The Fe²⁺-Ti⁴⁺ absorptions in these standards generally compare well to other mineral spectra in which Fe²⁺ — Ti⁴⁺ intervalence absorption has previously been proposed with the exception of the most cited example, blue corundum.