Cerite
Cerite is a complex silicate mineral group containing cerium, formula 963. The cerium and lanthanum content varies with the Ce rich species and the La rich species. Analysis of a sample from the Mountain Pass carbonatite gave 35.05% Ce2O3 and 30.04% La2O3.
Cerite was first described in 1803 for an occurrence in Bastnäs in Västmanland, Sweden. The lanthanum rich species, cerite- was first described for an occurrence in the Khibina massif, Kola Peninsula, Russia in 2002.
