Nouvelles synthéses hydrothermales du zircon: substitutions isomorphiques; relation morphologie-milieu de croissance

Zircon has been synthesized from a large number of mineral salts and also from one organic compound of zirconium. Its crystallization requires an acid reactive environment.The obtained crystals have been studied morphologically and the crystallographic forms obtained are linked to the presence of specific ions.The study of substitutions in the zircon network shows that hydro-zircon αZr(SiO₄)_1?x(OH)_4x will form only when fluorine is present. Other varieties of the α and β phases ZrSiO₄ have been obtained, substituting Hf, U, for Zr, and Ge for Si and an immiscible α phase ThSiO₄.Germanium enters the zircon network only at low temperature. Uranium and Hf, but not Th, can substitute for Zr in zircon.