Search Results (11)

Discreditation of the monoclinic tourmaline mineral species luinaite-(OH), ideally (Na,▯)(Fe²⁺,Mg)₃Al₆(BO₃)₃Si₆O₁₈(OH)₄ was approved by the IMA-CNMNC (proposal 21-L) and is described. We analyzed two luinaite-(OH) samples: one from the type locality Cleveland tin mine, Luina, Waratah, Tasmania, Australia, and the other from Blue Mountain Saddle (Bald Hornet Claim), North Bend, King County, Washington, DC, USA. Biaxial (−) crystals representative of the studied samples were spectroscopically (Mössbauer, polarized Fourier transform infrared, optical absorption spectroscopy), chemically (nuclear microprobe analysis and electron microprobe analysis), and structurally characterized (single-crystal X-ray diffraction). Results show the occurrence of a triclinic structure for the studied luinaite-(OH) samples, which differs only in terms of a slight structural distortion from typical trigonal tourmaline structure (the topology of the structure is retained). As a result, following the IMA-CNMNC and tourmaline nomenclature rules, the triclinic luinaite-(OH) from the type locality (Australia) can be considered as the triclinic dimorph of schorl, as its chemical composition corresponds to schorl, and thus it should be referred as schorl-1A. Similarly, the triclinic sample from the USA can be considered as the triclinic dimorph of oxy-dravite, as its chemical composition corresponds to oxy-dravite, and then is referred to as oxy-dravite-1A. Full article

The new mineral species rüdlingerite, ideally Mn²⁺₂V⁵⁺As⁵⁺O₇·2H₂O, occurs in the Fianel mine, in Val Ferrera, Grisons, Switzerland, a small Alpine metamorphic Mn deposit. It is associated with ansermetite and Fe oxyhydroxide in thin fractures in Triassic dolomitic marbles. Rüdlingerite was also found in specimens recovered from the dump of the Valletta mine, Canosio, Cuneo, Piedmont, Italy, where it occurs together with massive braccoite and several other As- and V-rich phases in richly mineralized veins crossing the quartz-hematite ore. The new mineral displays at both localities yellow to orange, flattened elongated prismatic, euhedral crystals measuring up to 300 μm in length. Electron-microprobe analysis of rüdlingerite from Fianel gave (in wt%): MnO 36.84, FeO 0.06, As₂O₅, 25.32, V₂O₅ 28.05, SiO₂ 0.13, H₂O_calc 9.51, total 99.91. On the basis of 9 O anions per formula unit, the chemical formula of rüdlingerite is Mn_1.97(V⁵⁺_1.17 As_0.83Si_0.01)_Σ2.01O₇·2H₂O. The main diffraction lines are [d_obs in Å (I_obs) hkl]: 3.048 (100) 022, 5.34 (80) 120, 2.730 (60) 231, 2.206 (60) 16-1, 7.28 (50) 020, 2.344 (50) 250, 6.88 (40) 110, and 2.452 (40) 320. Study of the crystal structure showcases a monoclinic unit cell, space group P2₁/n, with a = 7.8289(2) Å, b = 14.5673(4) Å, c = 6.7011(2) Å, β = 93.773(2)°, V = 762.58(4) ų, Z = 4. The crystal structure has been solved and refined to R₁ = 0.041 on the basis of 3784 reflections with F_o > 4σ(F). It shows Mn²⁺ hosted in chains of octahedra that are subparallel to [-101] and bound together by pairs of tetrahedra hosted by V⁵⁺ and As⁵⁺, building up a framework. Additional linkage is provided by hydrogen-bonding through H₂O coordinating Mn²⁺ at the octahedra. One tetrahedrally coordinated site is dominated by V⁵⁺, ^T(1)(V_0.88As_0.12), corresponding to an observed site scattering of 24.20 electrons per site (eps), whereas the second site is strongly dominated by As⁵⁺,^T(2)(As_0.74V_0.26), with, accordingly, a higher observed site scattering of 30.40 eps. The new mineral has been approved by the IMA-CNMNC and named for Gottfried Rüdlinger (born 1919), a pioneer in the 1960–1980s, in the search and study of the small minerals from the Alpine manganese mineral deposits of Grisons. Full article

Tilkerodeite, ideally Pd₂HgSe₃, is a new platinum-group selenide from the Eskaborner Stollen (Adit Eskaborn) at Tilkerode, Harz Mountains, Germany. Tilkerodeite crystals occur as euhedral inclusions in tiemannite or as extremely fine-grained lamellar aggregates (grain-size up to 3 μm) in a dolomite–ankerite matrix, together with clausthalite, tiemannite, jacutingaite, stibiopalladinite, and native gold. Neighbouring Se-bearing minerals include tischendorfite and chrisstanleyite. Tilkerodeite is opaque with a metallic luster, and is flexible in blade-like crystals, with perfect basal cleavage $\left\{001\right\}$. In plane-polarized light, tilkerodeite is brownish-grey. It is weakly bireflectant, and weakly pleochroic in shades of light-brown and grey. The anisotropy is weak, with rotation tints in weak shades of greenish-brown and grey-brown. The range of reflectance is estimated in comparison to clausthalite with 45–50%. Electron-microprobe analyses yield the mean composition (wt. %) Se 32.68, Hg 26.33, Pt 20.62, Pd 15.89, Pb 2.72, Cu 0.66, S 0.27, total 99.17 wt. %. The empirical formula (based on six atoms pfu) is (Pd_1.08Pt_0.76Pb_0.09Cu_0.07)_Σ2.00Hg_0.95(Se_2.98S_0.07)_Σ3.05. The ideal formula is Pd₂HgSe₃. Tilkerodeite is trigonal, with Pt₄Tl₂Te₆-type structure, space group P$\bar{3}$m1, a = 7.325(9) Å, c = 5.288(6) Å, V = 245.7(9) ų, and Z = 2. It is the Pd-analogue of jacutingaite. Tilkerodeite formed hydrothermally, possibly involving the alteration of tiemannite by low-temperature oxidizing fluids. The new species has been approved by the IMA-CNMNC (2019-111) and is named after the locality. Tilkerode is the most important selenide-bearing occurrence in Germany and type locality of naumannite, eskebornite, and tischendorfite. Full article

A new pumpellyite-group mineral shuiskite-(Cr), ideally Ca₂CrCr₂[SiO₄][Si₂O₆(OH)](OH)₂O, was found at the Rudnaya mine, Glavnoe Saranovskoe deposit, Middle Urals, Russia. It occurs on the walls of 0.5 to 1 cm thick fractures in chromitite, filled with calcite, Cr-bearing clinochlore, and uvarovite. Shuiskite-(Cr) forms long prismatic to acicular crystals up to 0.1 × 0.5 × 7 mm elongated along [010] and slightly flattened on [100]. The crystals are commonly combined into radial, sheaf-like aggregates. Most observed crystals are simple twins with a (001) composition plane. Shuiskite-(Cr) is greenish-black under daylight or purplish-black under incandescent light. It is optically biaxial (–), α = 1.757(5), β = 1.788(6), γ = 1.794(6), 2V (meas.) = 45(10)°, 2V (calc.) = 46° (589 nm). The D_calc is 3.432 g/cm³. The IR spectrum is reported. The chemical composition (wt.%) is CaO 21.33, MgO 3.17, Al₂O₃ 5.41, Cr₂O₃ 28.50, TiO₂ 0.18, SiO₂ 33.86, H₂O 5.82, total 98.27. The empirical formula calculated based on the sum of eight metal cations and Si atoms per formula unit is Ca_2.02Mg_0.42Cr³⁺_1.99Al_0.56Ti_0.01Si_3.00O_10.57(OH)_3.43. The simplified formula is Ca₂(Cr,Mg)(Cr,Al)₂[SiO₄][Si₂O₆(OH,O)](OH,O)(OH)₂. Shuiskite-(Cr) is monoclinic, C2/m, a = 19.2436(6), b = 5.9999(2), c = 8.8316(3) Å, β = 97.833(3)°, V = 1010.17(6) ų, and Z = 4. The crystal structure, solved from single-crystal X-ray diffraction data (R = 0.0469), is based on a pair of chains of edge-sharing Cr-centred octahedra running along the b axis, linked together via the [SiO₄] and [Si₂O₆(OH)] groups and Ca-centred polyhedra. The mineral species shuiskite, ideally Ca₂MgCr₂[SiO₄][Si₂O₆(OH)](OH)₃, was renamed to shuiskite-(Mg) by the decision of the IMA CNMNC. The shuiskite solid solution series with the general formula Ca₂XCr₂[SiO₄][Si₂O₆(OH,O)](OH)₂(OH,O), which includes shuiskite-(Mg) and shuiskite-(Cr) with X = Mg and Cr³⁺, respectively, appeared in the pumpellyite group. Full article

To univocally identify mineral species on the basis of their formula, the IMA-CNMNC recommends the use of the dominant-valency rule and/or the site-total-charge approach, which can be considered two procedures complementary to each other for mineral identification. In this regard, several worked examples are provided in this study along with some simple suggestions for a more consistent terminology and a straightforward use of mineral formulae. IMA-CNMNC guidelines subordinate the mineral structure to the mineral chemistry in the hierarchical scheme adopted for classification. Indeed, a contradiction appears when we first classify mineral species to form classes (based on their chemistry) and subsequently we group together them to form supergroups (based on their structure topology): To date, more than half of recognized mineral supergroups include species with different anions or anionic complexes. This observation is in contrast to the current use of chemical composition as the distinguishing factor at the highest level of mineral classification. Full article

Cerromojonite, ideally CuPbBiSe₃, represents a new selenide from the El Dragόn mine, Department of Potosí, Bolivia. It either occurs as minute grains (up to 30 µm in size) in interstices of hansblockite/quijarroite intergrowths, forming an angular network-like intersertal texture, or as elongated, thin-tabular crystals (up to 200 μm long and 40 μm wide) within lath-shaped or acicular mineral aggregates (interpreted as pseudomorphs) up to 2 mm in length and 200 μm in width. It is non-fluorescent, black, and opaque, with a metallic luster and black streak. It is brittle, with an irregular fracture, and no obvious cleavage and parting. In plane-polarized incident light, cerromojonite is grey to cream-white, and weakly pleochroic, showing no internal reflections. Between crossed polarizers, cerromojonite is weakly anisotropic, with rotation tints in shades of brown and grey. Lamellar twinning on {110} is common. The reflectance values in air for the COM standard wavelengths (R₁ and R₂) are: 48.8 and 50.3 (470 nm), 48.2 and 51.8 (546 nm), 47.8 and 52.0 (589 nm), and 47.2 and 52.0 (650 nm). Electron-microprobe analyses yielded a mean composition of: Cu 7.91, Ag 2.35, Hg 7.42, Pb 16.39, Fe 0.04, Ni 0.02, Bi 32.61, Se 33.37, total 100.14 wt %. The empirical formula (based on 6 atoms pfu) is (Cu_0.89Hg_0.11)_{Σ = 1.00}(Pb_0.56Ag_0.16Hg_0.15 Bi_0.11Fe_0.01)_{Σ = 0.99}Bi_1.00Se_3.01. The ideal formula is CuPbBiSe₃. Cerromojonite is orthorhombic (space group Pn2₁m), with a = 8.202(1) Å, b = 8.741(1) Å, c = 8.029(1) Å, V = 575.7(1) ų, Z = 4. Calculated density is 7.035 g·cm⁻³. The five strongest measured X-ray powder diffraction lines (d in Å (I/I₀) (hkl)) are: 3.86 (25) (120), 2.783 (100) (122), 2.727 (55) (212), 2.608 (40) (310), and 1.999 (25) (004). Cerromojonite is a new member of the bournonite group, representing the Se-analogue of součekite, CuPbBi(S,Se)₃. It is deposited from strongly oxidizing low-T hydrothermal fluids at a f_Se2/f_S2 ratio >1, both as primary and secondary phase. The new species has been approved by the IMA-CNMNC (2018-040) and is named for Cerro Mojon, the highest mountain peak closest to the El Dragón mine. Full article

Aurihydrargyrumite, a natural Au₆Hg₅ phase, was found in Iyoki, Uchiko, Ehime Prefecture, Shikoku Island, Japan. Aurihydrargyrumite with a metallic silver luster occurs as a submicron- to 2 μm-thick layer on the outermost surface of the placer gold. A prismatic face may be formed by {001} and {100} or {110}. The streak is also silver white and its Mohs hardness value is ca. 2.5. Its tenacity is ductile and malleable, and its density, as calculated based on the empirical formula and powder unit-cell data, is 16.86 g·cm⁻³. The empirical formula of aurihydrargyrumite, on the basis of 11 Au + Hg, is Au_5.95Hg_5.05. Aurihydrargyrumite is hexagonal, P6₃/mcm, with the lattice parameters a = 6.9960(10) Å, c = 10.154(2) Å and V = 430.40(15) ų, which is identical with the synthetic Au₆Hg₅ phase. The seven strongest lines in the powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern [d in Å(I/I₀)(hkl)] were 2.877(29)(112), 2.434(42)(113), 2.337(100)(104), 2.234(87)(211), 1.401(39)(314), 1.301(41)(404), and 1.225(65)(217). Aurihydrargyrumite forms through the weathering of mercury-bearing placer gold by involvement of self-electrorefining. This new mineral has been approved by the IMA-CNMNC (2017-003) and it is named for its composition, being a natural amalgam of gold (Latin: aurum) and mercury (Latin: hydrargyrum). Full article

Tsygankoite, ideally Mn₈Tl₈Hg₂(Sb₂₁Pb₂Tl)_Σ24S₄₈, is a new sulfosalt discovered at the Vorontsovskoe gold deposit, Northern Urals, Russia. It occurs as lath-like elongated crystals up to 0.2 mm embedded in calcite–dolomite–clinochlore matrix. The associated minerals also include aktashite, alabandite, arsenopyrite, barite, cinnabar, fluorapatite, orpiment, pyrite, realgar, routhierite, sphalerite, tilasite, and titanite. The new mineral is non-fluorescent, black, and opaque with a metallic lustre and black streak. It is brittle with an uneven fracture and no obvious parting and cleavage. Its Vickers hardness (VHN₁₀) is 144 kg/mm² (range 131–167 kg/mm²) and its calculated density is 5.450 g cm. In reflected light, tsygankoite is white; between crossed polars it is dark grey to black. It is strongly anisotropic: rotation tints vary from light grey to dark grey to black. Pleochroism and internal reflections are not observed. The chemical composition of tsygankoite (wt %, electron-microprobe data) is: Mn 6.29, Hg 5.42, Tl 26.05, Pb 5.84, As 3.39, Sb 30.89, S 21.87, total 99.75. The empirical formula, calculated on the basis of 90 atoms pfu, is: Mn_8.06Tl_8.00Hg_1.90(Sb_17.87As_3.19Pb_1.99Tl_0.97)_Σ24.02S_48.03. Tsygankoite is monoclinic, space group C2/m, a = 21.362(4) Å, b = 3.8579(10) Å, c = 27.135(4) Å, β = 106.944(14)°, V = 2139.19(17) ų and Z = 1. The five strongest diffraction peaks from X-ray powder pattern (listed as (d,Å(I)(hkl)) are: 3.587(100)(112), 3.353(70)(−114), 3.204(88)(405), 2.841(72)(−513), and 2.786(99)(−514). The crystal structure of tsygankoite was refined from single-crystal X-ray diffraction data to R = 0.0607 and consists of an alternation of two thick layer-like arrays, one based on PbS-archetype and the second on SnS-archetype. Tsygankoite has been approved by the IMA-CNMNC under the number 2017-088. It is named for Mikhail V. Tsyganko, a mineral collector from Severouralsk, Northern Urals, Russia, who collected the samples where the new mineral was discovered. Full article

Two new mineral species, vorontsovite, ideally (Hg₅Cu)TlAs₄S₁₂, and ferrovorontsovite, ideally (Fe₅Cu)TlAs₄S₁₂, the Tl- and Tl–Fe-analogues of galkhaite, respectively, have been discovered at the Vorontsovskoe gold deposit, Northern Urals, Russia. They occur as anhedral grains up to 0.5 mm (vorontsovite) and 0.2 mm (ferrovorontsovite) embedded in a calcite-dolomite matrix. The chemical composition of vorontsovite (wt %) is: Hg 35.70, Fe 5.36, Zn 1.26, Cu 3.42, Ag 0.64, Tl 11.53, Cs 0.35, Pb 0.04, As 15.98, Sb 2.35, Te 0.41, S 22.70, Se 0.02, total 99.76. The empirical formula, calculated on the basis of 23 atoms pfu, is: [(Hg_3.02Fe_1.63Zn_0.33)_Σ4.98(Cu_0.91Ag_0.10)_Σ1.01](Tl_0.96Cs_0.04)_Σ1.00(As_3.62Sb_0.33Te_0.05)_Σ4.00S_12.01. The composition of ferrovorontsovite (wt %) is: Hg 25.13, Fe 9.89, Zn 1.16, Cu 3.95, Ag 0.45, Tl 12.93, Cs 0.44, Pb 0.04, As 17.83, Sb 2.15, Te 0.40, S 24.91, total 99.28. The empirical formula, calculated on the basis of 23 atoms pfu, is: [(Fe_2.74Hg_1.94Zn_0.27)_Σ4.95(Cu_0.96Ag_0.06)_Σ1.02](Tl_0.98Cs_0.05)_Σ1.03(As_3.68Sb_0.27Te_0.05)_Σ4.00S_12.00. Both minerals are cubic, space group I-43m, with a = 10.2956(6) Å, V = 1091.3(1) ų, Z = 2 (vorontsovite); and a = 10.2390(7) Å, V = 1073.43(22) ų, Z = 2 (ferrovorontsovite). The crystal structures of both minerals were refined to R = 0.0376 (vorontsovite) and R = 0.0576 (ferrovorontsovite). Vorontsovite and ferrovorontsovite have been approved by the IMA-CNMNC under the numbers 2016-076 and 2017-007, respectively. The first one is named after the type locality, but also honors the mining engineer Vladimir Vasilyevich Vorontsov. The second is named for its chemical composition, as the Fe-analogue of the first. Both species are isostructural with galkhaite, being its Tl- and Tl–Fe analogues, respectively, and forming altogether the galkhaite group. Full article

Quijarroite, ideally Cu₆HgPb₂Bi₄Se₁₂, is a new selenide species from the El Dragόn mine, Department of Potosí, Bolivia. It most frequently occurs as lath-shaped thin plates (up to 150 µm in length and 20 µm in width) intimately (subparallel) intergrown with hansblockite, forming an angular network-like intersertal texture. Quijarroite is occasionally also present as sub- to anhedral grains up to 200 µm in length and 50 µm in width. It is non-fluorescent, black and opaque with a metallic luster and black streak. It is brittle, with an irregular fracture and no obvious cleavage and parting. In plane-polarized incident light, quijarroite is weakly pleochroic from cream to very slightly more brownish-cream, displaying no internal reflections. Between crossed polars, quijarroite is moderately anisotropic with pale orange-brown to blue rotation tints. Lamellar twinning on {110} is common; parquet twinning occurs rarely. The reflectance values in the air for the COM (Commission on Ore Mineralogy) standard wavelengths (R₁ and R₂) are: 46.7, 46.8 (470 nm), 47.4, 48.2 (546 nm), 47.1, 48.5 (589 nm), and 46.6, 48.7 (650 nm). Electron-microprobe analyses yielded a mean composition of Cu 13.34, Ag 1.02, Hg 7.67, Pb 16.87, Co 0.03, Ni 0.15, Bi 27.65, Se 33.52, total 100.24 wt %. The mean empirical formula, normalized to 25 apfu (atoms per formula unit), is (Cu_5.84Ag_0.26)_{Σ = 6.10}(Hg_1.06Ni_0.07Co_0.01)_{Σ = 1.14}Pb_2.27Bi_3.68Se_11.81 (n = 24). The simplified formula is Cu₆HgPb₂Bi₄Se₁₂. Quijarroite is orthorhombic, space group Pmn2₁, with a = 9.2413(8), b = 9.0206(7), c = 9.6219(8) Å, V = 802.1(1) ų, Z = 1. The calculated density is 5.771 g·cm⁻³. The five strongest X-ray powder-diffraction lines (d in Å (I/I₀) (hkl)) are: 5.36 (55) (111), 3.785 (60) (211), 3.291 (90) (022), 3.125 (100) (212), and 2.312 (50) (400). The crystal structure of quijarroite can be considered a galena derivative and could be derived from that of bournonite. It is a primary mineral, deposited from an oxidizing low-T hydrothermal fluid at a $f_{{Se}_2}$ / $f_{S_2}$ ratio greater than unity. The new species has been approved by the IMA-CNMNC (2016-052) and is named for the Quijarro Province in Bolivia, in which the El Dragón mine is located. Full article

Merelaniite is a new mineral from the tanzanite gem mines near Merelani, Lelatema Mountains, Simanjiro District, Manyara Region, Tanzania. It occurs sporadically as metallic dark gray cylindrical whiskers that are typically tens of micrometers in diameter and up to a millimeter long, although a few whiskers up to 12 mm long have been observed. The most commonly associated minerals include zoisite (variety tanzanite), prehnite, stilbite, chabazite, tremolite, diopside, quartz, calcite, graphite, alabandite, and wurtzite. In reflected polarized light, polished sections of merelaniite are gray to white in color, show strong bireflectance and strong anisotropism with pale blue and orange-brown rotation tints. Electron microprobe analysis (n = 13), based on 15 anions per formula unit, gives the formula Mo_4.33Pb_4.00As_0.10V_0.86Sb_0.43Bi_0.33Mn_0.05 W_0.05Cu_0.03(S_14.70Se_0.30)_Σ15, ideally Mo₄Pb₄VSbS₁₅. An arsenic-rich variety has also been documented. X-ray diffraction, electron diffraction, and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy show that merelaniite is a member of the cylindrite group, with alternating centered pseudo-tetragonal (Q) and pseudo-hexagonal (H) layers with respective PbS and MoS₂ structure types. The Q and H layers are both triclinic with space group C1 or C $\overline{1}$ . The unit cell parameters for the Q layer are: a = 5.929(8) Å; b = 5.961(5) Å; c = 12.03(1) Å; α = 91.33(9); β = 90.88(5); γ = 91.79(4); V = 425(2) ų; and Z = 4. For the H layer, a = 5.547(9) Å; b = 3.156(4) Å; c = 11.91(1) Å; α = 89.52(9); β = 92.13(5); γ = 90.18(4); V = 208(2) ų; and Z = 2. Among naturally occurring minerals of the cylindrite homologous series, merelaniite represents the first Mo-essential member and the first case of triangular-prismatic coordination in the H layers. The strongest X-ray powder diffraction lines [d in Å (I/I₀)] are 6.14 (30); 5.94 (60); 2.968 (25); 2.965 (100); 2.272 (40); 1.829 (30). The new mineral has been approved by the IMA CNMNC (2016-042) and is named after the locality of its discovery in honor of the local miners. Full article