Rutile

Rutile reddish-brown to black tetragonal mineral; commonly massive or as long prismatic crystals. Its cleavage is distinct {' 110}; hardness is 6-6.5 on Moh's scale and specific gravity is 4.2-4.5. It is a common accessory mineral of acid igneous and metamorphic rocks and also occurs in quartz veins and as residual grain in beach sand. Rutile is mainly used to make welding rods, in the paint industry, and as a source of Ti metal.

Table  Rutile reserve in Bangladesh.

Locality	Raw Sand	Heavy Mineral	Rutile
Badarmokam	1,765,000	411,000	3,288
Sabrang	347,558	68,582	1,372
Teknaf	1,939,580	442,291	13,230
Shilkhali	2,756,828	489,714	10,774
Inani	729,286	175,476	4,036
Cox's Bazar	5,119,000	920,000	6,440
Maheshkhali Island	4,114,230	784,210	24,596
Matarbari Island	69,030	15,215	295
Nijhum Island	379,337	96,348	424
Kutubdia Island	404,646	120,000	1,908
Kuakata	2,872,486	831,668	3,911
Total	20,496,981	4,354,504	70,274

Source  Badrul Imam, 1996.

In Bangladesh rutile is found as beach sand heavy mineral placer deposits in the sea beaches and coastal islands of Cox's Bazar, Chittagong, Noakhali and Patuakhali districts. It occurs mostly with fine to very fine sand grains. Generally the sands containing it are coarser than the sands containing zircon, magnetite and monazite. The highest concentration of 4% of rutile is reported from Maheshkhali Island, the lowest concentration of 0.35% from Kuakata, as and the average is 2%. The reserve of rutile in Bangladesh is about 70,274 thousand tons. [Sifatul Quader Chowdhury]

See also rocks and minerals.