Crystal Structure and Chemical Composition of Ludwigite from Vranovac Ore Deposit (Boranja Mountain,Serbia)

The crystal structure of ludwigite from Vranovac ore deposit (Boranja Mt., Serbia) was refined using the X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD) Rietveld method in the space group Pbam to a final RB=7.45% and RF=5.26%. It has the unit cell dimensions of: a=9.2515(2) ?; b=12.3109(2) ?; c=3.03712(7) ?; and V=345.91(1) ?3. The calculated distances and angles are mostly in good agreement with the Mg2+-Fe2+ substitutions across the M(1) and M(3) sites, as well as with the Fe3+-Al3+ replacement in the M(4) site. However, the mean observed M(2)-O distance is considerably shorter than prescribed, due to a slight increase of the Fe3+ content in the M(2) site. Such replacement was compensated by slight increase of the Fe2+ content in the M(4) site, resulting in the (Mg1.48Fe2+0.46Fe3+0.05Mn0.02)2.01(Fe3+0.94Fe2+0.04Al0.02)1.00B1.00O5 composition. The formation temperature was estimated to be about 500–600°C. The influences of the various chemical compositions to the crystallographic parameters, M-O distances, M(3) and M(4) sites shift, distortion parameters and estimated valences, were also studied and compared with other reference samples.     

Hydroxycalciopyrochlore,A New Mineral Species from Sichuan,China

Hydroxycalciopyrochlore, ideally(Ca,Na,U,□)2(Nb,Ti)2O6(OH), cubic, is a new mineral species(IMA2011-026) within the pyrochlore supergroup that was found occurring at the Maoniuping mine, Mianning County, Xichang prefecture, Sichuan Province, southwest China. The mineral is found in an alkali feldspar granite rare-earth ore deposit(26–27 Ma). Associated minerals include calcite, barite, celestine, albite, aegirine, aegirine-augite, fluorite, parasite-(Ce), thorite, thorianite, zircon, galena, sphalerite, magnetite, and pyrite. Crystals occur mostly as octahedra, and less often as dodecahedra and tetrahexahedra or combinations thereof. Some occur with an allotriomorphic habit with a thick triangular tabular form. Crystals generally range from 0.1 to 1 mm in size. The mineral is brownishblack, greenish-black and black on fresh sections with a brown streak. The crystal is translucent, and has a greasy lustre on fresh sections. It is metamict without any observed parting or cleavage and with a conchoidal fracture. The Vickers microhardness is 572 kg/mm2(5–6 on the Mohs hardness scale). The density measured by hydrostatic weighing is 5.10(3) g/cm3. The strongest four reflections in the X-ray powder-diffraction pattern [d in(I) hkl] are: 2.9657(100) 2 2 2, 1.8142(34) 0 4 4, 1.5463(21) 2 2 6, 2.5688(18) 0 0 4. The unit-cell parameters are a = 10.381(4), V = 1118.7(7)3, Z = 8. The structure was solved and refined in the space group Fd3m with R = 0.09. The empirical formula is(Ca0.74Na0.58U0.40Ce0.05Fe0.02□0.21)2.00(Nb1.15Ti0.80Ta0.03Al0.01Mg0.01)2.00O6.02 [(OH)1.01F0.09]1.10, on the basis of 2 atoms of B pfu; the simplified formula is(Ca,Na,U,□)2(Nb,Ti)2O6(OH). Type material is deposited in the Geological Museum of China, Beijing, People's Republic of China, catalogue number M11800.     

A New Three–Dimensional Superstructure in Bafertisite

A new superstructure was found in bafertisite [(Ba0.98Na0.02)1.00(Fe1.71Mn0.26Mg0.01)1.98 TiO[(Si1.82Ti0.04Al0.03Cr0.01)1.90O7](OH1.40F0.53Cl0.03)1.96] from Donghai County, Jiangsu Province, China. The occurrence of the superstructure reflections were observed by single crystal diffraction using a SMAR APEX CCD. The a*, b*and c* axis directions revealed extra weak reflection spots of the superstructure. The apparent 2a, 2b and 2c superstructure is monoclinic with unit cell a＝10.6502(15)?, b＝13.7233(19)?, c＝21.6897(3)?, α＝90o, β＝94.698(3)o, γ＝90o,space group Cm,Z=16. If c* extra weak reflections are ignored, the secondary supercell gave a cell a＝10.6548(15)?, b＝13.7284(19)?, c＝11.6900(17)?, α＝90o, β＝112.322(28)o, γ＝90o,space group Cm,Z=8. The basic subcell was obtained by ignoring all extra weak reflection spots and gave: a＝5.3249(17)?, b＝6.8669(22)?, c＝10.8709(36)?, α＝90o, β＝94.740(62)o, γ＝90o,space P21/m,Z=2. The superstructure has been refined to R = 0.063 for 7805 [R(int) = 0.0266] unique reflections I>2δ(I). The structure consists of an octahedra (O) sheet sandwiched between two heteropolyhedral (H) sheets. These sheets consist of Ti–octahedra and twin tetrahedral disilicate groups [Si2O7]. The O sheet comprises (Fe,Mg)O4 octahedra. The large Ba cation is located in the interlayer area. The refined structure shows Fe, Mg are partly ordered. The shifting of the TiO6 octahedron and SiO4 tetrahedron sites in the sheet may be a consequence of the superstructure.     

Study on the Crystal of Daomanite

It was not possible to carry out a complete analyses of crystal, as the experiment by Ding and Shi et al.. It's analysis precision R=0.25 or more big than this, which value are not satisfied for single crystal study, but we through many test and found the best: [R(int)=14.5%]. The final fullmatix least-squares refinement on F2 converged to R1=0.0791 and wR2=0.1864 for 704 observed reflections [I 3 2s(I)]. Daomanite is orthorhombic system, space group Cmc21, a=3.7520(8))?, b=15.844(4) ?, c=5.8516(12) ?, α=β=γ=90°. V=347.86(14)?3, Z=4. Daomanite chemical formula is Cu Pt AsS 2. Idealized composition Me+M2+M2+S2=CuS ·PtA s S. There is no other similar mineral in the world.     

Magnesiocummingtonite-P21/m: A Ca- and Mn-Poor Clino-Amphibole from New South Wales

A Ca- and Mn-poor clino-amphibole with Mg/Mg+Fe_tot+Mn (atomic ratio)=0.81 is described. The structural formula is $$Na_{0.09} (Ca_{0.19} Mg_{5.45} Fe_{1.23}^{2 + } Mn_{0.04} Fe_{0.00}^{3 + } Ti_{0.01} Al_{0.07} )_{6.99} [(Si_{7.83} Al_{0.17} )_{8.00} O_{22} /(OH)_2 ].$$ The unit-cell constants area ₀=9.49 Å,b ₀=18.00 Å,c ₀=5.30 Å, β=102.0°,V ₀=886 ų, the refractive indices α_Na=1.621, β_Na=1.632, and γ_Na=1.643. These values, when plotted against the Mg/Mg+Fe ratio, fit the extrapolations towards Mg₇[Si₈O₂₂/(OH)₂] from recently published determinative curves for the cummingtonite series. The clino-amphibole, or part of it, has space groupP2₁/m rather thanC2/m. The most magnesian cummingtonites reported thus far have Mg/Mg+Fe+Mn ratios around 0.7, but recently more magnesian Ca-poorP2₁/m clino-amphiboles have been reported. Although Ca and Mn have been claimed to stabilize cummingtonite as against anthophyllite, most magnesian cummingtonites appear to have <0.24 Ca, and <0.1 Mn per formula unit. The nomenclature of the cummingtonite series is discussed. Retaining the subdivision of the cummingtonite series at Mg/Mg+Fe=0.5, the author proposes to reviveTilley’s (1939) name magnesiocummingtonite for members with Mg/Mg+Fe >0.5. Grunerite is reserved for members with Mg/Mg+Fe <0.5. The space group,C2/m orP2₁/m, may be indicated with a suffix, if known.     

Morphometric data on topotype assemblage of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Miogypsina (Lepidosemicyclina) droogeri</Emphasis>, foraminifera from Kachchh,Gujarat

For the first time we report alluaudite from India, which is metamict and is hosted in a zoned pegmatite, near Pisangan, Ajmer district, Rajasthan. Alluaudites known till date, all over the world, are non-metamict type. Therefore, the alluaudite reported from the area is the first locality in the world for the metamict-type of alluaudite. The most conspicuous features exhibited by the alluaudite are various types of cracks in different directions and shapes, including its isotropic nature. The calculated crystallographic parameters of the reported alluaudite are: a₀ = 11.9874 Å, b₀ = 12.5144 Å, and c₀ = 6.4136 Å, β = 114.240 with unit-cell volume (V) = 877.31 ų, which are in agreement with the values of alluaudite standard. Geochemical data indicates high content of P (32.30% P₂O₅), Fe (30.2% Fe₂O₃), Mn (10.62% MnO), besides Mg (7.71% MgO), Ca (5.60% CaO), Na (3.40% Na₂O) and Si (2.30% SiO₂), and appreciable amount of water of hydration (3.50% LOI). It is highly radioactive due to uranium (2.28% U₃O₈) and thorium (185 ppm Th). Calculated structural formula of the alluaudite is Na¹⁺_0.59Ca²⁺_0.54Mn²⁺_0.80Mg²⁺_1.02Fe³⁺_2.03Al³⁺_0.037U⁴⁺_0.043P⁵⁺_2.45O₁₂. The chondrite-normalised plot shows enrichment of HREE relative to LREE with pronounced negative Eu-anomaly (Eu/Eu* = 0.46). Such a high negative Eu-anomaly suggests extremely fractionated nature of the host pegmatite.     

Phase-equilibrium constraints on titanite and rutile activities in mafic epidote amphibolites and geobarometry using titanite–rutile equilibria

Activities of titanite (Ttn, CaTiSiO₅) and/or rutile (Rt, TiO₂) phase components were calculated for 45 well‐characterized natural titanite‐ or rutile‐undersaturated epidote–amphibolites by using the equilibria: (i) 3 anorthite + 2 zoisite/clinozoisite + rutile + quartz = 3 anorthite + titanite + water (referred to as TZARS) and (ii) anorthite + 2 titanite = grossular + 2 rutile + quartz (referred to as GRATiS). In titanite‐bearing and rutile‐absent samples a_Rt is 0.75 ± 0.26. In titanite‐absent, rutile‐bearing samples a_Ttn is 0.89 ± 0.16. Mean values derived for a_Rt/a_Ttn are 0.92 ± 0.12 for rutile + titanite‐bearing samples and 0.42 ± 0.27 for samples lacking both titanite and rutile. Use of these values with TZARS yields pressure estimates for epidote–amphibolites that differ on average by <0.5 kbar from those recorded by established mineral barometers, even where both titanite and rutile are lacking. Despite rather large uncertainties in the average values obtained for a_Rt, a_Ttn or a_Rt/a_Ttn, application of TZARS yields pressure estimates that agree with independent estimates to within ±0.5 kbar for titanite‐ and/or rutile‐saturated samples, and to within ±0.8 kbar for samples that contain neither Ti‐phase. The accuracy and precision of the TZARS barometer are comparable to that of many well‐calibrated barometers. TZARS offers a much‐needed barometer for mafic rocks metamorphosed at epidote‐bearing amphibolite and blueschist facies conditions. In addition, the results provide a basis for application of other thermobarometers, such as Ti‐in‐zircon, where rutile activity is required as input.     

Ferrovalleriite, 2(Fe,Cu)S · 1.5Fe(OH)2: Validation as a mineral species and new data

Ferrovalleriite, ideally 2(Fe,Cu)S · 1.5Fe(OH)₂, a layered hydroxide-sulfide of the valleriite group and an analog of valleriite with Fe instead of Mg in the hydroxide block, has been approved by the IMA Commission on New Minerals, Nomenclature and Classification as a valid mineral species. It was found in the Oktyabr’sky Mine, Noril’sk, Krasnoyarsk krai, Siberia, Russia. Ferrovalleriite occurs in cavities of massive sulfide ore mainly consisting of cubanite and mooihoekite. In different cases, it is associated with magnetite, Fe-rich chlorite-like phyllosilicate, ferrotochilinite, hibbingite, or rhodochrosite. Ferrovalleriite forms crystals flattened on [001] (from scaly to tabular; up to 5 mm across and up to 0.3 mm thick), typically split and curved. Occasionally, they are combined into aggregates up to 1.5 × 2 cm. Ferrovalleriite is dark bronze-colored, with a metallic luster and black streak. The Mohs’ hardness is ca. 1; VHN is 35 kg/mm². Cleavage is perfect parallel to {001}, mica-like. Individuals are flexible and inelastic. D(calc) = 3.72 g/cm³. In reflected light, ferrovalleriite is pleochroic from yellowish to gray; bireflectance is moderate. Anisotropy is strong, with bluish gray to yellowish beige rotation colors. Reflectance values [R ₁–R ₂ %, (λ, nm)] are: 15.6–16.6 (470), 14.8–20.5 (546), 14.7–22.3 (589), 14.5–24.1 (650). The IR spectrum shows the presence of (OH) groups bonded with Fe cations and the absence of H2O molecules. The chemical composition of the holotype (wt %; electron microprobe, H content is calculated) is as follows: 0.10 Al, 0.03 Mn, 45.31 Fe, 0.07 Ni, 18.29 Cu, 20.37 S, 15.62 O, 0.98 H, total is 100.77. The empirical formula calculated on the basis of 2 S atoms is: Al_0.01Fe_2.55Cu_0.91S₂(OH)_3.07 = (Fe_1.09Cu_0.91)_Σ2S₂ · (Fe _1.34 ²⁺ Fe _0.12 ³⁺ Al_0.01)_Σ1.47(OH)_3.07. The structure of ferrovalleriite is incommensurate (misfit); two sublattices are present: (1) sulfide sublattice, space group $R\bar 3m$ , R3m or R32; the unit-cell dimensions are: a = 3.792(2), c = 34.06(3) Å, V = 424(1) ų and (2) hydroxide sublattice, space group $P\bar 3m1$ , P3m1 or P321; the unit-cell dimensions: a = 3.202(3), c = 11.35(2)Å, V = 100.8(3) ų. Together with this main polytype modification with three-layer (R-cell, Z = 3) sulfide block, the holotype ferrovalleriite contains the modification with one-layer (P-cell, Z = 1) sulfide block (sulfide sublattice with $P\bar 3m1$ , P3m1 or P321, unit cell dimensions: a = 3.789(4), c = 11.35(1) Å, V = 141(5) ų). The strongest reflections in the X-ray powder pattern (d, Å-I) are: 5.69–100; 3.268–58; 3.163–36; 1.894–34; 1.871–45.     

Wakefieldite‐(Nd), a New Neodymium Vanadate Mineral in the Arase Stratiform Ferromanganese Deposit,Kochi Prefecture,Japan

Wakefieldite‐(Nd), NdVO₄, is a new mineral found from the Arase stratiform ferromanganese deposit in Kochi Prefecture, Shikoku Island, Japan. It is the Nd‐dominant analogue of wakefieldite‐(Y) and wakefieldite‐(Ce). The ferromanganese ore specimen mainly consists of hematite and caryopilite, and wakefieldite‐(Nd) is typically enclosed in caryopilite. Wakefieldite‐(Nd) is tetragonal, I4₁/amd, a = 7.338(16) Å, c = 6.509(19) Å, V = 350.5(18) ų, Z = 4. The four strongest lines in the X‐ray diffraction pattern [d(Å), I/I₀, hkl] using a Gandolfi camera are (3.67, 100, 200); (2.74, 51, 112); (4.84, 27, 101) and (1.89, 25, 312). Chemical composition of wakefieldite‐(Nd) are V₂O₃ 35.25, As₂O₃ 0.93, SiO₂ 0.14, MnO 1.45, Fe₂O₃ 0.41, Y₂O₃ 2.87, La₂O₃ 7.61, Ce₂O₃ 7.37, Pr₂O₃ 6.04, Nd₂O₃ 26.79, Sm₂O₃ 4.41, Eu₂O₃ 1.36, Gd₂O₃ 3.41, Tb₂O₃ 0.22, Dy₂O₃ 1.41, Er₂O₃ 0.10, total 99.77 wt.%. The empirical formula is (Nd_0.403La_0.118Ce_0.114Pr_0.093Y_0.064Sm_0.064Mn_0.052Gd_0.048Eu_0.020Dy_0.019Fe_0.013Tb_0.003Er_0.001)_1.012(V_0.981As_0.020Si_0.006)_1.007O₄ on the basis of O = 4. The calculated density is 4.782 g/cm³. Microtexture and co‐existing relationship between wakefieldite‐(Nd) and caryopilite suggest that recrystallization and dehydration of Fe‐ and Mn‐oxyhydroxide led to the generation of hematite, caryopilite, rhodochrosite and wakefieldite‐(Nd) by the metamorphism during the accretion of the host unit of the Arase deposit. Chondrite‐normalized REE pattern of the host ferromanganese ore, which is regarded as oceanic metalliferous sediment in origin, shows negative Ce anomaly. Chemical composition of wakefieldite‐(Nd) reflects Ce‐depleted bulk composition of REE‐enriched ferromanganese ore.     

Oxyphlogopite K(Mg,Ti,Fe)3[(Si,Al)4O10](O,F)2: A new mineral species of the mica group

Oxyphlogopite is a new mica-group mineral with the idealized formula K(Mg,Ti,Fe)₃[(Si,Al)₄O₁₀](O,F)₂. The holotype material came from a basalt quarry at Mount Rothenberg near Mendig at the Eifel volcanic complex in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. The mineral occurs as crystals up to 4 × 4 × 0.2 mm in size encrusting cavity walls in alkali basalt. The associated minerals are nepheline, plagioclase, sanidine, augite, diopside, and magnetite. Its color is dark brown, its streak is brown, and its luster is vitreous. D _meas = 3.06(1) g/cm³ (flotation in heavy liquids), and D _calc = 3.086 g/cm³. The IR spectrun does not contain bands of OH groups. Oxyphlogopite is biaxial (negative); α = 1.625(3), β = 1.668(1), and γ = 1.669(1); and 2V _meas = 16(2)° and 2V _calc = 17°. The dispersion is strong; r < ν. The pleochroism is medium; X > Y > Z (brown to dark brown). The chemical composition is as follows (electron microprobe, mean of 5 point analyses, wt %; the ranges are given in parentheses; the H₂O was determined using the Alimarin method; the Fe²⁺/Fe³⁺ was determined with X-ray emission spectroscopy): Na₂O 0.99 (0.89–1.12), K₂O 7.52 (7.44–7.58), MgO 14.65 (14.48–14.80), CaO 0.27 ((0.17–0.51), FeO 4.73, Fe₂O₃ 7.25 (the range of the total iron in the form of FeO is 11.09–11.38), Al₂O₃ 14.32 (14.06–14.64), Cr₂O₃ 0.60 (0.45–0.69), SiO₂ 34.41 (34.03–34.66), TiO₂ 12.93 (12.69–13.13), F 3.06 (2.59–3.44), H₂O 0.14; O=F₂ −1.29; 99/58 in total. The empirical formula is (K_0.72Na_0.14Ca_0.02)(Mg_1.64Ti_0.73Fe_0.30²⁺ Fe_0.27³⁺Cr_0.04)_Σ2.98(Si_2.59Al_1.27Fe_0.14³⁺ O₁₀) O_1.20F_0.73(OH)_0.07. The crystal structure was refined on a single crystal. Oxyphlogopite is monoclinic with space group C2/m; the unit-cell parameters are as follows: a = 5.3165(1), b = 9.2000(2), c = 10.0602(2) ?, β = 100.354(2)°. The presence of Ti results in the strong distortion of octahedron M(2). The strongest lines of the X-ray powder diffraction pattern [d, ? (I, %) [hkl]] are as follows: 9.91(32) [001], 4.53(11) 110], 3.300(100) [003], 3.090(12) [112], 1.895(21) [005], 1.659(12) [−135], 1.527(16) [−206, 060]. The type specimens of oxyphlogopite are deposited at the Fersman Mineralogical Museum in Moscow, Russia; the registration numbers are 3884/2 (holotype) and 3884/1 (cotype).     

The Crystal Structure of Lisiguangite

The crystal structure of lisiguangite,CuPtBiS3,from Yanshan mountains,Chengde Prefecture,Hebei Province,China has been determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction.It belongs to orthorhombic space group P2_12_12_1 with a = 7.7372(15) A,b = 12.844(3) A,c = 4.9062(10) A,V =487.57(17) A~3,Z = 4.The final full-matric least-square refinement on F2 converged with Rl = 0.0495 and wR2 = 0.0992 for 704 observed reflections[I≥2σ(I)].Lisiguangite is the isomorph of known CuNiSbS_3 and CuNiBiS_3· Pt~(2+) and Bi~(3+) have the distorted octahedral coordination enviroments composed of two metal and four S and Cu~(+2) has a distorted tetrahedral coordination environment with four S atoms.Each S atom is surrounded by four metals to give a tetrahedral environment.The crystal structure is a complex 3 dimensional network.     

Perrierite-(La), (La,Ce,Ca)4(Fe2+,Mn)(Ti,Fe3+,Al)4(Si2O7)2O8, a new mineral species from the Eifel volcanic district, Germany

Non-metamict perrierite-(La) discovered in the Dellen pumice quarry, near Mendig, in the Eifel volcanic district, Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany has been approved as a new mineral species (IMA no. 2010-089). The mineral was found in the late assemblage of sanidine, phlogopite, pyrophanite, zirconolite, members of the jacobsite-magnetite series, fluorcalciopyrochlore, and zircon. Perrierite-(La) occurs as isolated prismatic crystals up to 0.5 × 1 mm in size within cavities in sanidinite. The new mineral is black with brown streak; it is brittle, with the Mohs hardness of 6 and distinct cleavage parallel to (001). The calculated density is 4.791 g/cm³. The IR spectrum does not contain absorption bands that correspond to H₂O and OH groups. Perrierite-(La) is biaxial (-), α = 1.94(1), β = 2.020(15), γ = 2.040(15), 2V _meas = 50(10)°, 2V _calc = 51°. The chemical composition (electron microprobe, average of seven point analyses, the Fe²⁺/Fe³⁺ ratio determined from the X-ray structural data, wt %) is as follows: 3.26 CaO, 22.92 La₂O₃, 19.64 Ce₂O₃, 0.83 Pr₂O₂, 2.09 Nd₂O₃, 0.25 MgO, 2.25 MnO, 3.16 FeO, 5.28 Fe₂O₃, 2.59 Al₂O₃, 16.13 TiO₂, 0.75 Nb₂O₅, and 20.06 SiO₂, total is 99.21. The empirical formula is (La_1.70Ce_1.45Nd_0.15Pr_0.06Ca_0.70)_Σ4.06(Fe _0.53 ²⁺ Mn_0.38Mg_0.08)_Σ0.99(Ti_2.44Fe _0.80 ³⁺ Al_0.62Nb_0.07)_Σ3.93Si_4.04O₂₂. The simplified formula is (La,Ce,Ca)₄(Fe²⁺,Mn)(Ti,Fe³⁺,Al)₄(Si₂O₇)₂O₈. The crystal structure was determined by a single crystal. Perrierite-(La) is monoclinic, space group P2₁/a, and the unit-cell dimensions are as follows: a =13.668(1), b = 5.6601(6), c = 11.743(1) Å, β = 113.64(1)°; V = 832.2(2) ų, Z = 2. The strong reflections in the X-ray powder diffraction pattern are [d, Å (I, %) (hkl)]: 5.19 (40) (110), 3.53 (40) ( $\overline 3 $ 11), 2.96 (100) ( $\overline 3 $ 13, 311), 2.80 (50) (020), 2.14 (50) ( $\overline 4 $ 22, $\overline 3 $ 15, 313), 1.947 (50) (024, 223), 1.657 (40) ( $\overline 4 $ 07, $\overline 4 $ 33, 331). The holotype specimen of perrierite-(La) is deposited at the Fersman Mineralogical Museum, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia, with the registration number 4059/1.     

Pyrochlores from the Lueshe carbonatite complex (Democratic Republic of Congo): a geochemical record of different alteration stages

Magmatic pyrochlores from the Lueshe syenite–carbonatite complex from the northeastern part of Democratic Republic of Congo (ex-Zaı̈re) are characterized by Ta/Nb ratios in an increasing order from pyroxenite, calcite-carbonatite (sövite), silicate xenoliths (nodules) to syenite. Substitutions involving Nb, Ta, Ti and REE have been precisely described. Hydrothermal alteration of Lueshe pyrochlore involves the substitution of Na⁺+F⁻=VA+VY and Ca+O=VA+VY (VA=A-site vacancy and VY=Y-site vacancy). In calcite carbonatite, hydrothermal alteration of pyrochlore took place during and after the precipitation of ancylite-(Ce), strontianite, celestite, baryte and fayalite according to a fluid composition of relatively low pH, a_Na⁺, a_Ca²⁺ and a_HF, and high a_Sr²⁺ and a_LREE³⁺. The supergene alteration is characterized by complete leaching of Na, Ca and F and partial incorporation of K, Ba, Sr and Ce resulting in the formation of kali-, bario-, strontio- and ceriopyrochlore respectively. The Na-poor pyrochlore may be an intermediate variety corresponding to an alteration stage between the hydrothermal and weathered pyrochlores. The IR spectroscopic study has indicated that the weathered pyrochlore is a hydrated variety containing two bands of OH vibration modes at 3413 and 1630 cm⁻¹. During hydrothermal and supergene alterations, the cations at B-site remain relatively constant. The variable chemical compositions of the pyrochlores from the Lueshe complex represent geochemical memories of the different alteration conditions including the variation in the oxidation–reduction environment.     

Titanium,Ti, A New Mineral Species from Luobusha,Tibet, China

We describe the new mineral species titanium,ideally Ti,found in the podiform chromitites of the Luobusha ophiolite in Tibet,People’s Republic of China.The irregular crystals range from 0.1 to 0.6 mm in diameter and form an intergrowth with coesite and kyanite.Titanium is silver grey in colour,the luster is metallic,it is opaque,the streak is grayish black,and it is non-fluorescent.The mineral is malleable,has a rough to hackly fracture and has no apparent cleavage.The estimated Mohs hardness is 4,and the calculated density is 4.503 g/cm3.The composition is Ti 99.23-100.00 wt%.The mineral is hexagonal,space group P63 /mmc.Unit-cell parameters are a 2.950(2),c 4.686(1),V 35.32(5) 3,Z = 2.The five strongest powder diffraction lines [d in(hkl)(I/I0)] are: 2.569(010)(32),2.254(011)(100),1.730(012)(16),1.478(110)(21),and 0.9464(121)(8).The species and name were approved by the CNMNC(IMA 2010–044).     

Synthesis, crystal structure and crystal chemistry of ferri-clinoholmquistite, ?Li 2Mg 3Fe 3+ 2Si 8O 22(OH) 2

This work reports the synthesis of ferri-clinoholmquistite, nominally _Li2(Mg₃Fe³⁺₂)Si₈O₂₂(OH)₂, at varying f_O2 conditions. Amphibole compositions were characterized by X-ray (powder and single-crystal) diffraction, microchemical (EMPA) and spectroscopic (FTIR, Mössbauer and Raman) techniques. Under reducing conditions ( NNO+1, where NNO = Nickel–Nickel oxide buffer), the amphibole yield is very high (>90%), but its composition, and in particular the FeO/Fe₂O₃ ratio, departs significantly from the nominal one. Under oxidizing conditions ( NNO+1.5), the amphibole yield is much lower (<60%, with Li-pyroxene abundant), but its composition is close to the ideal stoichiometry. The exchange vector of relevance for the studied system is ^M2(Mg,Fe²⁺) ^M4(Mg,Fe²⁺) ^M2Fe³⁺_–1 ^M4Li_–1, which is still rather unexplored in natural systems. Amphibole crystals of suitable size for structure refinement were obtained only at 800 °C, 0.4 GPa and NNO conditions (sample 152), and have C2/m symmetry. The X-ray powder patterns for all other samples were indexed in the same symmetry; the amphibole closest to ideal composition has a = 9.428(1) Å, b = 17.878(3) Å, c = 5.282(1) Å, = 102.06(2)°, V = 870.8(3) ų. Mössbauer spectra show that Fe³⁺ is strongly ordered at M2 in all samples, whereas Fe²⁺ is disordered over the B and C sites. FTIR analysis shows that the amount of ^CFe²⁺ increases for increasingly reducing conditions. FTIR data also provide strong evidence for slight but significant amounts of Li at the A sites.     

The crystal and magnetic structure of Li-aegirine LiFe3+Si2O6: a temperature-dependent study

Single crystals of Li-aegirine LiFe³⁺Si₂O₆ were synthesized at 1573?K and 3?GPa, and a polycrystalline sample suitable for neutron diffraction was produced by ceramic sintering at 1223?K. LiFe³⁺Si₂O₆ is monoclinic, space group C2/c, a=9.6641(2)?Å, b= 8.6612(3)?Å, c=5.2924(2)?Å, β=110.12(1)^° at 300?K as refined from powder neutron data. At 229?K Li-aegirine undergoes a phase transition from C2/c to P2₁ /c. This is indicated by strong discontinuities in the temperature variation of the lattice parameters, especially for the monoclinic angle β and by the appearance of Bragg reflections (hkl) with h+k≠2n. In the low-temperature form two non-equivalent Si-sites with 〈SiA–O〉=1.622?Å and 〈SiB–O〉=1.624?Å at 100?K are present. The bridging angles of the SiO₄ tetrahedra O3–O3–O3 are 192.55(8)° and 160.02(9)° at 100?K in the two independent tetrahedral chains in space group P2₁ /c, whereas it is 180.83(9)° at 300?K in the high-temperature C2/c phase, i.e. the chains are nearly fully expanded. Upon the phase transition the Li-coordination changes from six to five. At 100?K four Li–O bond lengths lie within 2.072(4)–2.172(3)?Å, the fifth Li–O bond length is 2.356(4)?Å, whereas the Li–O3?A bond lengths amount to 2.796(4)?Å. From ⁵⁷Fe Mössbauer spectroscopic measurements between 80 and 500?K the structural phase transition is characterized by a small discontinuity of the quadrupole splitting. Temperature-dependent neutron powder diffraction experiments show first occurrence of magnetic reflections at 16.5?K in good agreement with the point of inflection in the temperature-dependent magnetization of LiFe³⁺Si₂O₆. Distinct preordering phenomena can be observed up to 35?K. At the magnetic phase transition the unit cell parameters exhibit a pronounced magneto-striction of the lattice. Below T _N Li-aegirine shows a collinear antiferromagnetic structure. From our neutron powder diffraction experiments we extract a collinear antiferromagnetic spin arrangement within the a–c plane.     

Direct observation of anti-phase domain structure in omphacite

Single crystal electron diffraction patterns of an omphacite (CaNa, Mg²⁺, Fe²⁺, Al³⁺, Fe³⁺)Si₂O₆ from a glaucophane schist facies (type C) eclogite, Tiburon Peninsula, California show weak reflections violating the C2/c space group. Transmission electron microscopy with dark field imaging, using h+k = even reflections reveal no special features, while dark field viewing through certain superstructure reflections violating the C2/c space group (h k l, with h+k = odd and h 0 l with h and/or l odd) reveal anti-phase domains, 100 to 3000 Å in width. Diffraction contrast experiments show that these domains are related by a displacement vector R=1/2[110]. This displacement vector explains the origin of the domains in terms of ordering of various cations in the octahedral (M1 type) and polyhedral (M2 type) sites without any changes in the tetrahedral silicate chains.     

Droninoite,Ni<Subscript>3</Subscript>Fe<Superscript>3+</Superscript>Cl(OH)<Subscript>8</Subscript> · 2H<Subscript>2</Subscript>O,a new hydrotalcite-group mineral species from the weathered Dronino meteorite

A new mineral, droninoite, was found in a fragment of a weathered Dronino iron meteorite (which fell near the village of Dronino, Kasimov district, Ryazan oblast, Russia) as dark green to brown fine-grained (the size of single grains is not larger than 1 μm) segregations up to 0.15 × 1 × 1 mm in size associated with taenite, violarite, troilite, chromite, goethite, lepidocrocite, nickelbischofite, and amorphous Fe³⁺ hydroxides. The mineral was named after its type locality. Aggregates of droninoite are earthy and soft; the Mohs hardness is 1–1.5. The calculated density is 2.857 g/cm³. Under a microscope, droninoite is dark gray-green and nonpleochroic. The mean (cooperative for fine-grained aggregate) refractive index is 1.72(1). The IR spectrum indicates the absence of S O ₄ ^2? and C O ₃ ^2? anions. Chemical composition (electron microprobe, partition of total iron into Fe²⁺ and Fe³⁺ made on the basis of the ratio (Ni + Fe²⁺): Fe³⁺ = 3: 1; water is calculated from the difference) is as follows, wt %: 36.45 NiO, 12.15 FeO, 17.55 Fe₂O₃, 23.78 H₂O, 13.01 Cl, ?O=Cl₂ ?2.94, total is 100.00. The empirical formula (Z = 6) is Ni_2.16Fe _0.75 ²⁺ Fe _0.97 ³⁺ Cl_1.62(OH)_7.10 · 2.28H₂O. The simplified formula is Ni₃Fe³⁺Cl(OH)₈ · 2H₂O. Droninoite is trigonal, space group R \(\bar 3\) m, R3m, or R32; a = 6.206(2), c = 46.184(18) Å; V = 1540.4(8) ų. The strong reflections in the X-ray powder diffraction pattern [d, Å (I, %) (hkl)] are 7.76(100)(006), 3.88(40)(0.0.12), 2.64(25)(202, 024), 2.32(20)(0.2.10), 1.965(0.2.16). The holotype specimen is deposited at the Fersman Mineralogical Museum, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, registration number 3676/1.     

Yarlongite: A New Metallic Carbide Mineral

Yarlongite occurs in ophiolitic chromitite at the Luobusha mine (29°5′N 92°5′E, about 200 km ESE of Lhasa), Qusum County, Shannan Prefecture, Tibet Autonomous Region, People’s Republic of China. Associated minerals are: diamond, moissanite, wüstite, iridium (“osmiridium”), osmium (“iridosmine”), periclase, chromite, native iron, native nickel, native chromium, forsterite, Cr-rich diopside, intermetallic compounds Ni-Fe-Cr, Ni-Cr, Cr-C, etc. Yarlongite and its associated minerals were handpicked from a large heavy mineral sample of chromitite. The metallic carbides associated with yarlongite are cohenite, tongbaite, khamrabaevite and qusongite (IMA2007-034). Yarlongite occurs as irregular grains, with a size between 0.02 and 0.06 mm, steel-grey colour, H Mohs: 5?-6. Tenacity: brittle. Cleavage: {0 0 1} perfect. Fracture: conchoidal. Chemical formula: (Cr4Fe4Ni)Σ9C4, or (Cr,Fe,Ni)Σ9C4, Crystal system: Hexagonal, Space Group: P63/mc, a = 18.839(2) ?, c = 4.4960 (9) ?, V = 745.7(2) ?3, Z = 6, Density (calc.) = 7.19 g/cm3 (with simplified formula). Yarlongite has been approved as a new mineral by the CNMNC (IMA2007-035). Holotype material is deposited at the Geological Museum of China (No. M11650).     

Luobusaite： A New Mineral

A group of mantle minerals including about 70-80 subtypes of minerals are discovered from a podiform chromitite in Tibet, China. Recovered minerals include diamond, coesite, moissanite, wustite, Fe-silides and a new mineral, luobusaite. All of these minerals were hand-picked from heavymineral separates of the podiform chromitite in the mantle peridotite of an ophiolite. The grains of luobusaite are as host mineral with inclusions of native silicon or as an intergrowth with native silicon and Fe-Si phase. Luobusaite occurs as irregular grains, with 0.1-0.2 mm in size, consisting of very finegrained aggregates. The mineral is steel-grey in color, metallic luster, and opaque. The empirical formula （based on 2 for Si） is Fe0.83Si2, according to the chemical compositions of luobusaite. X-ray powder-diffraction data： orthorhombic system, space group Cmca, a = 9.874 （14） A, b = 7.784 （5） A, c= 7.829（7） A, Z=16.