Synthetic and natural chromium-bearing spinels: an optical spectroscopy study

Four samples of synthetic chromium-bearing spinels of (Mg, Fe²⁺)(Cr, Fe³⁺)₂O₄ composition and four samples of natural spinels of predominantly (Mg, Fe²⁺)(Al, Cr)₂O₄ composition were studied at ambient conditions by means of optical absorption spectroscopy. Synthetic end-member MgCr₂O₄ spinel was also studied at pressures up to ca. 10 GPa. In both synthetic and natural samples, chromium is present predominantly as octahedral Cr³⁺ seen in the spectra as two broad intense absorption bands in the visible range caused by the electronic spin-allowed ⁴ A _2g  → ⁴ T _2g and ⁴ A _2g  → ⁴ T _1g transitions (U- and Y-band, respectively). A distinct doublet structure of the Y-band in both synthetic and natural spinels is related to trigonal distortion of the octahedral site in the spinel structure. A small, if any, splitting of the U-band can only be resolved at curve-fitting analysis. In all synthetic high-chromium spinels, a couple of relatively narrow and weak bands of the spin-allowed transitions ⁴ A _2g  → ² E _g and ⁴ A _2g  → ² T _1g of Cr³⁺, intensified by exchange-coupled interaction between Cr³⁺ and Fe³⁺ at neighboring octahedral sites of the structure, appear at ~14,400 and ~15,100 cm^?1. A vague broad band in the range from ca. 15,000 to 12,000 cm^?1 in synthetic spinels is tentatively attributed to ^IVCr²⁺ + ^VICr³⁺ → ^IVCr³⁺ + ^VICr²⁺ intervalence charge-transfer transition. Iron, mainly as octahedral Fe³⁺, causes intense high-energy absorption edge in near UV-range (ligand–metal charge-transfer O^2? → Fe³⁺, Fe²⁺ transitions). As tetrahedral Fe²⁺, it appears as a strong infrared absorption band at around 4,850 cm^?1 caused by electronic spin-allowed ⁵ E → ⁵ T ₂ transitions of ^IVFe²⁺. From the composition shift of the U-band in natural and synthetic MgCr₂O₄ spinels, the coefficient of local structural relaxation around Cr³⁺ in spinel MgAl₂O₄–MgCr₂O₄ system was evaluated as ~0.56(4), one of the lowest among (Al, Cr)O₆ polyhedra known so far. The octahedral modulus of Cr³⁺ in MgCr₂O₄, derived from pressure-induced shift of the U-band of Cr³⁺, is ~313 (50) GPa, which is nearly the same as in natural low-chromium Mg, Al-spinel reported by Langer et al. (1997). Calculated from the results of the curve-fitting analysis, the Racah parameter B of Cr³⁺ in natural and synthetic MgCr₂O₄ spinels indicates that Cr–O-bonding in octahedral sites of MgCr₂O₄ has more covalent character than in the diluted natural samples. Within the uncertainty of determination in synthetic MgAl₂O₄ spinel, B does not much depend on pressure.     

ELNES spectroscopy of mixed Si coordination minerals

 Si K- and L-edge ELNES spectroscopy and multiple-scattering (MS) calculations are used to examine mixed Si coordination compounds varying in Si^VI:Si^IV ratio. As in previous studies, the edges are influenced mainly by silicon coordination (tetrahedral vs. octahedral), as supported by the MS calculations. We demonstrate two methods semi-quantitatively to extract the value of Si^VI/(Si^VI+Si^IV): (1) A linear relationship between the L_2,3-L₁ splitting and Si^VI/(Si^VI+Si^IV) is observed, (2) a fitting method based on the coaddition of reference tetrahedral and octahedral Si spectra is applied to both Si K- and L-edge ELNES spectra. Received: February 10, 1997 / Revised, accepted: May 23, 1997     

The effect of valence state and site geometry on Cr L3,2 electron energy-loss spectra of Cr-bearing oxidic compounds

Chromium L_3,2 energy loss near-edge structures (ELNES) of nine chromium compounds were measured in a transmission electron microscope to study the effect of valence state and site geometry of chromium on spectral features. The compounds studied represent a set of standards with given valence state and coordination. The chromium coordination is either octahedral or tetrahedral with different degree of distortion. The distortion of polyhedra results in a loss of the fine detail of spectral features in Cr L_3,2 ELNES spectra. The effect of valence state manifests in a systematic chemical shift of the ELNES spectra by about 2 eV per oxidation state for octahedrally coordinated Cr and 0.4–1.4 eV per oxidation state for tetrahedrally coordinated Cr. On the basis of collected Cr L_3,2 ELNES spectra we propose a simple quantification technique for the determination of chromium oxidation state in oxidic compounds which is independent of the coordination.     

The oxidation state of Ti in hornblende and biotite determined by electron energy-loss spectroscopy,with inferences regarding the Ti substitution

Structural formulae of many Ti-rich hornblendes and biotites exhibit cation deficiencies that increase with Ti content. These deficiencies may be caused by the presence of trivalent instead of tetravalent Ti, of oxygen replacing hydroxyl, or of vacancies on octahedral cation sites. In order to determine the oxidation state of their Ti, electron energy-loss spectra of natural, Ti-rich hornblende and biotites are compared with spectra of natural and synthetic Ti-bearing oxides and silicates. Spectra of Ti₂O₃ and TiO₂ demonstrate that the Ti L _2,3 edge for Ti³⁺ is shifted by ca. 2 eV to lower energy relative to the edge for Ti⁴⁺. Oxidation states of Ti determined by energy-loss spectroscopy for several minerals agree with data from other techniques: tetravalent for Ti-omphacite, perovskite, ilmenite and titanite; trivalent for NaTi³⁺Si₂O₆ pyroxene and fassaite from the Allende meteorite. The energy-loss spectra of the hornblende and biotite show that their Ti is tetravalent and cannot be the cause of the cation deficiencies. The relations between Ti contents and the number of deficiencies differ for hornblende and biotite. Hornblende shows a 2:1 relation between Ti content and deficiencies, suggesting Ti is coupled to an oxygen that is replacing hydroxyl (Ti-oxyhornblende substitution). Biotite shows a 1:1 relation, consistent with coupling of Ti to a vacant octahedral cation site (Ti-vacancy substitution) or to a variable combination of such vacancies and two oxygens replacing hydroxyls (Ti-oxybiotite substitution).     

OH incorporation in nearly pure MgAl2O4 natural and synthetic spinels

Four nearly pure MgAl₂O₄ spinels, of both natural and synthetic occurrence, have been studied by means of X-ray single crystal diffraction and FTIR spectroscopy in order to detect their potential OH content. Absorption bands that can be assigned to OH incorporated in the spinel structure were only observed in spectra of a non-stoichiometric synthetic sample. The absorption intensity of two bands occurring at 3350 and 3548 cm⁻¹ indicate an OH content of 90 ppm H₂O. Based on correlations of OH vibrational frequencies and O-H?O distances, the observed absorption bands correspond to O-H?O distances of 2.77 and 2.99 Å, respectively, which is close to the values obtained by the structure refinements for ^VIO-O_unsh (2.825 Å) and ^IVO-O (3.001 Å). This indicates that one probable local position for hydrogen incorporation is the oxygens coordinating a vacant tetrahedral site. The present spectra demonstrate that the detection limit for OH in Fe-free spinels is in the range 10-20 ppm H₂O. However, at appreciable Fe²⁺ levels, the detection of OH bands becomes hampered due to overlap with strong absorption bands caused by electronic d-d transitions in Fe²⁺ in the tetrahedral position.     

Spectroscopic studies on natural chloritoids

Room temperature and low temperature Mössbauer and optical absorption spectroscopic data on six natural chloritoids characterized by means of electron microprobe and X-ray powder diffraction techniques are presented. Two narrow quadrupole doublets with widths of 0.25–0.29 mm/s assigned to Fe²⁺ in a relatively large octahedral site and Fe³⁺ in a smaller octahedral site, are observed in the Mössbauer spectra. Polarized optical absorption spectra reveal three main absorption bands. A broad absorption band at 16,300 cm^?1, which is strongly polarized in E‖X and E‖Y and shows a linear increase in integral absorption with increasing [Fe²⁺] [Fe³⁺] concentration product, is assigned to a Fe²⁺+Fe³⁺→Fe³⁺+Fe²⁺ charge transfer transition. This band displays also a temperature dependence different from that of single ion d?d transitions. Two absorption bands at 10,900 cm^?1 and 8,000 cm^?1 are, on the basis of compositional dependence and energy, assigned to Fe²⁺ in the large M(1B) octahedra of the brucite-type layer in chloritoid. Combined spectroscopic evidence and structural and chemical considerations support a distribution scheme for ferrous and ferric iron which orders the Fe²⁺ ions in the M(1B) octahedra and the Fe³⁺ ions in the small M(1A) octahedral sites. Both types of octahedra are found in the brucite type layer of chloritoid.     

Iron in hibonite: a spectroscopic study

A combined polarized optical absorption and ⁵⁷Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy study of inhomogeneous, Fe and Ti-bearing terrestrial hibonite (Madagascar) has been carried out. Mössbauer data were also obtained on synthetic material prepared under different fo₂ inconditions. A strong band at 5400 cm^-1 in the near-infrared spectra is attributed to spin-allowed d-d transitions of Fe²⁺ occupying tetrahedral sites within the spinel blocks of the hibonite crystal structure. There is agreement with the Mössbauer results, showing that ferrous iron orders onto a single, low-coordinated crystallographic site. Ferric iron is distributed over several positions, but shows strongest preference for the large bipyramidal site located outside the spinel blocks. The colour and pleochroism of hibonite in thin section is related to a prominent UV absorption edge, and several broad absorption bands in the visible spectrum ascribed to charge-transfer transitions involving Fe²⁺, Fe³⁺ and Ti⁴⁺.     

Neutron irradiation and post-irradiation annealing of rutile (TiO2−x ): effect on hydrogen incorporation and optical absorption

Neutron irradiation and post-irradiation annealing under oxidising and reducing conditions have been used to investigate H incorporation in, and the optical properties of, reduced (TiO_2−x ) rutile. Optical absorption in rutile is mainly due to a Ti³⁺ Ti⁴⁺ intervalence charge transfer effect. The main mechanism for H incorporation in rutile involves interstitial H not coupled to other defects, which has important implications for the rate of H diffusion, and possibly also on the electrical properties of rutile. Additional minor OH absorption bands in IR spectra indicate that a small amount of interstitial H is coupled to defects such as Ti³⁺ on the main octahedral site, and indicates that more than one H incorporation mechanism may operate. Concentration of oxygen vacancies has a controlling influence on the H affinity of rutile.     

High-resolution parallel electron energy-loss spectroscopy of Mn L2,3-edges in inorganic manganese compounds

Parallel electron energy-loss spectroscopy (PEELS) in a scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM) was used to record the Mn L_2,3-edges from a range of natural and synthetic manganese containing materials, covering valences 0, II, III, IV and VII, with an energy resolution of ca. 0.5 eV. The Mn L_2,3 electron-loss near-edge structure (ELNES) of these edges provided a sensitive fingerprint of its valence. The Mn²⁺ L_2,3-edges show little sensitivity to the local site symmetry of the ligands surrounding the manganese. This is illustrated by comparing the Mn L_2,3-edges from 4-, 6- and 8-fold coordinated Mn²⁺. In contrast, the Mn L₃-edges from Mn³⁺ and Mn⁴⁺ containing minerals exhibited ELNES that are interpreted in terms of a crystal-field splitting of the 3d electrons, governed by the symmetry of the surrounding ligands. The Mn L₃-edges for octahedrally coordinated Mn²⁺, Mn³⁺ and Mn⁴⁺ showed variations in their ELNES that were sensitive to the crystal-field strength. The crystal-field strength (10Dq) was measured from these edges and compared very well with published optically determined values. The magnitude of 10Dq measured from the Mn L₃-edges and their O K-edge prepeaks of the manganese oxides were almost identical. This further confirms that the value of 10Dq measured at the Mn L₃-edge is correct. Selected spectra are compared with theoretical 2p atomic multiplet spectra and the differences and similarities are explained in terms of the covalency and site symmetry of the manganese. The Mn L₃-edges allow the valence of the manganese to be ascertained, even in multivalent state materials, and can also be used to determine 10Dq.     

Aluminum X-ray absorption near-edge spectra of some oxide minerals: Calculation versus experimental data

Al X-ray absorption K-edge spectra were calculated for atom clusters which simulate Al surrounded by oxygens in tetrahedral and octahedral environments in five minerals, and are compared with experimental Al K-edge spectra from the same minerals. The experimental data show simple edges, for Al tetrahedra, that are shifted to lower energy by 2 eV compared with more complicated edges for Al octahedra. The calculated edge itself is due to a strong 1s to 3p resonance in the μ₀ for Al. The shifting of the calculated edges is due to different molecular potentials used and different types of atomic scattering. The calculated edge features for tetrahedral Al are all similar, and are due primarily to single scattering from the tetrahedral oxygens. Calculated edge features for octahedral Al are more complicated and are dominated by multiple scattering. The calculated edge features resemble the experimental data, but are much larger in amplitude than their experimental counterparts.     

Temperature dependence of the polarized electronic absorption spectra of olivines. Part I – fayalite

 Polarized electronic absorption spectra of orthorhombic fayalite, Fe₂SiO₄, [E || a(|| Z),E || b(|| X), E || c(|| Y)], space group Pbnm, have been studied in the temperature range 293 ≤T/K ≤ 1273. The spectra were analysed into component bands originating from spin-allowed dd transitions of iron(II) at the different sites, M1 and M2, in the structure. The assignments of bands, made on the basis of the polarization dependence of the spectra and considerations of transition energies, were confirmed by the analysis of the temperature-dependent spectra. The temperature dependencies of integral intensities, half band widths and energy positions of absorptions bands caused by Fe²⁺ on the different octahedral sites, M1 and M2, were evaluated for the individual transitions. Independent of the site symmetry, absorption bands shift to lower energies and half band widths increase on rising temperature. The temperature dependence of band intensities depends on site symmetry. The integral intensities are found to increase with temperature for the transition metal ion on a centrosymmetric site, or remain constant when the site is missing an inversion centre. This is consistent with the general conclusion of Taran et al. (1994). Received: 11 October 2001 / Accepted: 17 January 2002     

Vibrational spectroscopy of aluminate spinels at 1 atm and of MgAl2O4 to over 200 kbar

Single-crystal Raman and infrared reflectivity data including high pressure results to over 200 kbar on a natural, probably fully ordered MgAl₂O₄ spinel reveal that many of the reported frequencies from spectra of synthetic spinels are affected by disorder at the cation sites. The spectra are interpreted in terms of factor group analysis and show that the high energy modes are due to the octahedral internal modes, in contrast to the behavior of silicate spinels, but in agreement with previous data based on isotopic and chemical cation substitutions and with new Raman data on gahnite (～ ZnAl₂O₄) and new IR reflectivity data on both gahnite and hercynite (～Fe_0.58Mg_0.42Al₂O₄). Therefore, aluminate spinels are inappropriate as elastic or thermodynamic analogs for silicate spinels. Fluorescence sideband spectra yield complementary information on the vibrational modes and provide valuable information on the acoustic modes at high pressure. The transverse acoustic modes are nearly pressure independent, which is similar to the behavior of the shear modes previously measured by ultrasonic techniques. The pressure derivative of all acoustic modes become negative above 110 kbar, indicating a lattice instability, in agreement with previous predictions. This lattice instability lies at approximately the same pressure as the disproportionation of spinel to MgO and Al₂O₃ reported in high temperature, high pressure work.     

Spectroscopic studies of synthetic and natural ringwoodite, γ-(Mg,Fe)<Subscript>2</Subscript>SiO<Subscript>4</Subscript>

Synthetic ringwoodite γ-(Mg_1?x Fe _x )₂SiO₄ of 0.4 ≤ x ≤ 1.0 compositions and variously colored micro-grains of natural ringwoodite in shock metamorphism veins of thin sections of two S6-type chondrites were studied by means of microprobe analysis, TEM and optical absorption spectroscopy. Three synthetic samples were studied in addition with Mössbauer spectroscopy. The Mössbauer spectra consist of two doublets caused by ^VIFe²⁺ and ^VIFe³⁺, with IS and QS parameters close to those established elsewhere (e.g., O’Neill et al. in Am Mineral 78:456–460, 1993). The Fe³⁺/Fe_total ratio evaluated by curve resolution of the spectra, ranges from 0.04 to 0.1. Optical absorption spectra of all synthetic samples studied are qualitatively very similar as they are directly related to the iron content. They differ mostly in the intensity of the observed absorption features. The spectra consist of a very strong high-energy absorption edge and a series of absorption bands of different width and intensity. The three strongest and broadest absorptions of them are attributed to splitting of electronic spin-allowed ⁵ T _2g → ⁵ E _g transitions of ^VIFe²⁺ and intervalence charge-transfer (IVCT) transition between ferrous and ferric ions in adjacent octahedral sites of the ringwoodite structure. The spin-allowed bands at ca. 8,000 and 11,500 cm^?1 weakly depend on temperature, whilst the Fe²⁺/Fe³⁺ IVCT band at ~16,400 cm^?1 displays very strong temperature dependence: i.e., with increasing temperature it decreases and practically disappears at about 497 K, a behavior typical for bands of this type. With increasing pressure the absorption edge shifts to lower energies while the spin-allowed bands shift to higher energy and strongly decreases in intensity. The IVCT band also strongly weakens and vanishes at about 9 GPa. We assigned this effect to pressure-induced reduction of Fe³⁺ in ringwoodite. By analogy with synthetic samples three broad bands in spectra of natural (meteoritic) blue ringwoodite are assigned to electronic spin-allowed transitions of ^VIFe²⁺ (the bands at ~8,600 and ~12,700 cm^?1) and Fe²⁺/Fe³⁺ IVCT transition (~18,100 cm^?1), respectively. Spectra of colorless ringwoodite of the same composition consist of a single broad band at ca. 12,000 cm^?1. It is assumed that such ringwoodite grains are inverse (Fe, Mg)₂SiO₄-spinels and that the single band is caused by the split spin-allowed ⁵ E → ⁵ T ₂ transition of ^IVFe²⁺. Ringwoodite of intermediate color variations between dark-blue and colorless are assumed to be partly inversed ringwoodite. No glassy material between the grain boundaries in the natural colored ringwoodite aggregates was found in our samples and disprove the cause of the coloration to be due to light scattering effect (Lingemann and Stöffler in Lunar Planet Sci 29(1308), 1998).     

Polarized electronic absorption spectra of 3d3-configurated tetravalent manganese in octahedral fields of Mn(SeO3)2

Polarized optical absorption spectra of Mn(IV) in octahedral crystal fields of Mn(SeO₃)₂ have been studied by means of microscope-spectrometry in the range 40000-4000 cm^?1 and at temperatures between 113 K and 293 K. Intense charge-transfer absorptions (linear absorption coefficient α ? 30000 cm^?1) completely mask the d-d transitions in the UV and VIS region above ≈23000 cm^?1. The optical electronegativity χ _opt of Mn(IV) in Mn(SeO₃)₂ is estimated to be 2.7. In accordance with the d ₃ configuration of tetravalent manganese three d-d bands observed at ambient temperatures at 13250, 14137 (α≈50 cm^?1) and ≈18500 cm^?1 (α≈500–800 cm^?1) are assigned to the spin forbidden ⁴ A _2g →² E _g and ⁴ A _2g →² T _1g transitions as well as to the first spin allowed ⁴ A _2g →⁴ T ^2g transition, respectively. These assignments allow the calculation of the following ligand field parameters: Dq ≈ 1850 cm^?1, B ₅₅ = 869 cm^?1 (β ₅₅ = 0.82), and C = 2346 cm^?1 (293 K).     

Systematics of the spinel structure type

Systematic trends in the geometry of 149 oxide and 80 sulfide binary and ternary spinels have been examined from the standpoint of ionic radius and electronegativity. The mean ionic radii of the octahedral and tetrahedral cations, taken together, account for 96.9 and 90.5% of the variation in the unit cell parameter, a, of the oxides and sulfides, respectively, with the octahedral cation exerting by far the dominant influence in sulfides. The mean electronegativity of the octahedral cation exerts an additional, but small, influence on the cell edge of the sulfides. The equation a=(8/3√d)d _tet+(8/3)d _oct, where d _tet and d _oct are the tetrahedral and octahedral bond lengths obained from the sum of the ionic radii, accounts for 96.7 and 83.2% of the variation in a in the oxides and sulfides, respectively, again testifying to the applicability of the hard-sphere ionic model in the case of the spinel structure. Comparison of observed and calculated u values for 94 spinels indicates that up to 40% of the experimentally measured anion coordinates may be significantly in error. In addition to these compounds, u values are given for 52 spinels for which no data have previously been determined. Diagrams are presented for the rapid interpretation of the internal consistency of published data and the prediction of the structural parameters of hypothetical or partially studied spinels.     

Optical spectroscopy study of natural Fe, Ti-bearing calcic amphiboles

Over thirty samples of natural Ti-bearing amphiboles with Ti- and Fe-contents ranging from 0.111 to 0.729 atom per formula unit (a.p.f.u.) and from 0.479 to 2.045 a.p.f.u., respectively, were studied by means of optical absorption spectroscopy and microprobe analysis. Thirteen samples were also studied by Mössbauer spectroscopy. A strong pleochroic absorption edge, causing the dark brown colours of Ti-bearing amphiboles, is attributed to ligand-metal and metal-metal charge transfer transitions involving both iron and titanium ions (O^2?→ Fe³⁺, Fe²⁺, O^2?→ Ti⁴⁺ and Fe²⁺ + Ti⁴⁺→ Fe³⁺ + Ti³⁺). A broad intense Y-polarized band ～22?000?cm^?1 (ν_1/2?≈?3700?cm^?1) in spectra of two low iron amphiboles with a relatively low Fe³⁺/Fe_total ratio, both from eclogite-like rocks in kimberlite xenoliths, was attributed to electronic Fe²⁺(M3) + Ti⁴⁺(M2)→Fe³⁺(M3)+Ti³⁺(M2) IVCT transitions. The IVCT bands of other possible ion pairs, involving Ti⁴⁺ and Fe²⁺ in M2 and M1, M4 sites, respectively, are presumed to be at higher energies, being obscured by the absorption edge.     

Single crystal absorption spectra of synthetic Ti,Fe-substituted pyropes

Synthetic pyrope crystals up to 0.5 mm in diameter, substituted by titanium or by titanium plus iron, were grown under defined conditions of P, T, $f_{O_2 }$ in the presence of water using a piston-cylinder device. The crystals were characterized by X-ray and microprobe techniques. Their single-crystal optical absorption spectra were measured by means of a microscope-spectrometer. Two absorption bands at 16100 and 22300 cm{cm-1} in the spectra of pale-blue Fe-free Ti-bearing pyropes, grown under reduced conditions, were identified as originating from spin-allowed transitions, derived from ² T _2g → ² E _g of octahedral Ti³⁺ ions. The splitting value of the excited ²E _g state, 6200 cm^-1, and the crystal field parameter of Ti³⁺ in pyrope Δ ₀ = 19 200 cm^-1 are both in agreement with literature data. In spectra of brown Fe, Ti-bearing garnets, a broad band at 23000 cm^-1 was interpreted as a Fe^2+[8] → Ti^4+[6] charge-transfer band. The spectral position and width of this band agree with those observed for a FeTi charge transfer band in natural garnets. Fe, Ti-containing garnets synthesized at relatively high oxygen fugacity (10^-11,0 atm), which permits a fraction of Fe³⁺ to enter the garnet, show an additional Fe^2+[8] → Fe^3+[6] charge transfer band at 19800 cm^-1.     

Origin of the color in cobalt-doped quartz

Synthetic Co-doped quartz was grown hydrothermally in steel autoclaves at the Technological Center of Minas Gerais (CETEC), Brazil. The quartz samples, originally yellow in the as-grown state acquired blue coloration after prolonged heat treatment times at 500°C near the alpha–beta transition temperature. UV–VIS–NIR absorption spectroscopy shows the characteristic spectra of Co³⁺ before heat treatment. After heat treatment, the optical absorption spectrum is dominated by two split-triplet bands the first in the near infrared region centered at about 6,700 cm⁻¹ (1,490 nm) and the second in the visible spectral range at about 16,900 cm⁻¹ (590 nm). Both split-triplet bands are typical for Co²⁺ ions in tetrahedral coordination environments. From the absence of electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectra, we conclude that the Co²⁺ found in the optical absorption spectra of the blue quartz is not due to an isolated structural site in the quartz lattice. Instead, the blue color is associated with electronic transitions of Co²⁺ in small inclusions in which the Co site has tetrahedral symmetry. The non-observation of polarization-depend optical absorption spectra is also in agreement with this model. The results for Co²⁺ in quartz are different from Co-bearing spinel and staurolite and other silicates like orthopyroxene, olivine, and beryls. The formation process of the color center is discussed.     

Crystal chemistry of ferric iron in (Mg,Fe)(Si,Al)O<Subscript>3</Subscript> majorite with implications for the transition zone

Fifteen samples of (Mg,Fe)SiO₃ majorite with varying Fe/Mg composition and one sample of (Mg,Fe)(Si,Al)O₃ majorite were synthesized at high pressure and temperature under different conditions of oxygen fugacity using a multianvil press, and examined ex situ using X-ray diffraction and Mössbauer and optical absorption spectroscopy. The relative concentration of Fe³⁺ increases both with total iron content and increasing oxygen fugacity, but not with Al concentration. Optical absorption spectra indicate the presence of Fe²⁺–Fe³⁺ charge transfer, where band intensity increases with increasing Fe³⁺ concentration. Mössbauer data were used in conjunction with electron microprobe analyses to determine the site distribution of all cations. Both Al and Fe³⁺ substitute on the octahedral site, and charge balance occurs through the removal of Si. The degree of Mg/Si ordering on the octahedral sites in (Mg,Fe)SiO₃ majorite, which affects both the c/a ratio and the unit cell volume, is influenced by the thermal history of the sample. The Fe³⁺ concentration of (Mg,Fe)(Si,Al)O₃ majorite in the mantle will reflect prevailing redox conditions, which are believed to be relatively reducing in the transition zone. Exchange of material across the transition boundary to (Mg,Fe) (Si,Al)O₃ perovskite would then require a mechanism to oxidize sufficient iron to satisfy crystal-chemical requirements of the lower-mantle perovskite phase.