A multi-analytical study of the crystal structure of unusual Ti–Zr–Cr-rich Andradite from the Maronia skarn, Rhodope massif, western Thrace, Greece

Unusual Ti–Cr–Zr-rich garnet crystals from high-temperature melilitic skarn of the Maronia area, western Thrace, Greece, were investigated by electron-microprobe analysis, powder and single-crystal X-ray diffraction, IR, Raman and Mössbauer spectroscopy. Chemical data showed that the garnets contain up to 8 wt.% TiO₂, 8 wt.% Cr₂O₃ and 4 wt.% ZrO₂, representing a solid solution of andradite (Ca₃Fe³⁺ ₂Si₃O₁₂ ≈46 mol%), uvarovite (Ca₃Cr₂Si₃O₁₂ ≈23 mol%), grossular (Ca₃Al₂Si₃O₁₂ ≈10 mol%), schorlomite (Ca₃Ti₂[Si,(Fe³⁺,Al³⁺)₂]O₁₂ ≈15 mol%), and kimzeyite (Ca₃Zr₂[Si,Al₂]₃O₁₂ ≈6 mol%). The Mössbauer analysis showed that the total Fe is ferric, preferentially located at the octahedral site and to a smaller extent at the tetrahedral site. Single-crystal XRD analysis, Raman and IR spectroscopy verified substitution of Si mainly by Al³⁺, Fe³⁺ and Ti⁴⁺. Cr³⁺ and Zr⁴⁺ are found at the octahedral site along with Fe³⁺, Al³⁺ and Ti⁴⁺. The measured H₂O content is 0.20 wt.%. The analytical data suggest that the structural formula of the Maronia garnet can be given as: (Ca_2.99Mg_0.03)_Σ=3.02(Fe³⁺ _0.67Cr_0.54Al_0.33Ti_0.29Zr_0.15)_Σ=1.98(Si_2.42Ti_0.24Fe_0.18Al_0.14)_Σ=2.98O₁₂OH_0.11. Ti-rich garnets are not common and their crystal chemistry is still under investigation. The present work presents new evidence that will enable the elucidation of the structural chemistry of Ti- and Cr-rich garnets.     

Order–disorder–reorder process in thermally treated dolomite samples: a combined powder and single-crystal X-ray diffraction study

A combined powder and single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis of dolomite [CaMg(CO₃)₂] heated to 1,200°C at 3 GPa was made to study the order–disorder–reorder process. The order/disorder transition is inferred to start below 1,100°C, and complete disorder is attained at approximately 1,200°C. Twinned crystals characterized by high internal order were found in samples annealed over 1,100°C, and their fraction was found to increase with temperature. Evidences of twinning domains combined with probable remaining disordered portions of the structure imply that reordering processes occur during the quench. Twin domains are hereby proposed as a witness to thermally induced intra-layer-type cation disordering.     

Crystal chemistry, structure analyses and phase transition experiment on an omphacite from eclogitic metagabbro from Syros island, Greece

Summary Pyroxene samples, from the Greek island of Syros, taken from a blueschist-eclogite facies Mg-rich metagabbro, were investigated by chemical and XRD analyses and M?ssbauer spectroscopy. Single-crystal XRD and microprobe analysis showed that the natural sample is a typical omphacite of intermediate composition in the Ca–Na pyroxene solid solutions. The space group P2/n was confirmed and the cations Mg, Al and Ca, Na were found to be ordered in the M1 and M2 positions, respectively. M?ssbauer spectroscopy showed that there is both ferrous and ferric iron in the structure, with the ratio 1.38:1. The M2 sites are fully occupied by Ca and Na, thus the iron (Fe²⁺ and Fe³⁺) can substitute only for Mg and Al in the M1 sites. Partial disorder was attained by annealing the sample at 850 °C, 20 kbar for 7 days, as confirmed by decrease of intensity of reflections affected by the C-type extinction.