The model for the amphibole and pyroxene structures based on close-packed oxygen layers introduced by Thompson is investigated systematically. It is shown that different features of it can best be understood in terms of three different symbolisms: the O and S rotations of tetrahedra; the A,B, C stacking notation for close-packed layers; and the c, h notation for the relationship of close-packed layers to their neighbours. The possible stacking arrangements and their space-groups are derived systematically. Relationships between the close-packed, fully rotated, model and the extended chain model are discussed, and some important drawbacks in the former model are pointed out, especially in connection with real amphibole structures.

A spinel-phlogopite schist from the Mount Painter Province of South Australia forms part of a highly magnesium- and aluminium-rich unit and contains the minerals högbomite and taaffeite. Taaffeite nucleated in spinel during upper amphibolite facies metamorphism. During a subsequent upper amphibolite facies metamorphic event both spinel and taaffeite were partially replaced by högbomite. Chemical analyses of högbomite, taaffeite, and spinel are presented.

When diamond is synthesized at conditions of comparatively high temperature and pressure, the nucleation rate is high, as is the growth rate of the nuclei. Consequently the product is usually an aggregate of crystals with dendritic or skeletal structure. In this study the presence of gold or silver as an additive mixed with a catalyst was found to have the effect of suppressing nucleation. When a homogeneous mixture of graphite, catalyst, and additive was treated at conditions where skeletons and dendrites were produced in the absence of additive, euhedral crystals of octahedra were formed. When a special cell assemblage for high pressure experiments, in which the graphite was placed inside a cylinder of catalyst coated with additive, was used, prismatic and tabular crystals were synthesized.

Two different parageneses for cebollite, a rare hydrated calcium aluminium silicate, are described, both differing from all previously reported occurrences.

Cebollite forms concomitantly with natrolite from plagioclase in xenoliths of crustal material incorporated in kimberlite. The mineral also occurs as a late stage primary mineral in a phlogopite-rich kimberlite.

Tentative models for the genesis of the mineral in the environments described are proposed. It is suggested that the final stages in the crystallization of diatreme-facies kimberlite are dominated by fluids rich in lime and having a low partial pressure of CO2.

Aphanitic and fragmental alnöitic rocks from Malaita contain ultrabasic xenoliths and discrete nodules (megacrysts) of pyroxenes and garnets. Primary minerals in the alnöites are olivine (Fo85), clinopyroxene (diopside-sahlite), natro-melilite (1/3 melilite-2/3 åkermanite), phlogopite (1–9% TiO2), perovskite, spinel (ulvö spinel-magnetite series) and accessory nepheline, melanite, and apatite. Alnöite olivines and clinopyroxenes are compositionally different from those phases in the xenoliths and megacrysts. Rare earth element distribution patterns are linear and indicate strong enrichment in the light rare earths (La/Yb = 42−49). The alnöites are possible primary melts of a pyrolite-type mantle formed by approximately 4% partial melting at depths greater than 120 km, under high carbon dioxide pressures. Despite containing a mantle xenolith assemblage similar to that found in kimberlites, the host Malaita rocks are minera-logically and geochemically different from kimberlite.

An olivine-titanomagnetite-apatite-clinopyroxene-mica-nepheline-feldspar assemblage occurs in late-stage vesicles in a small outcrop of olivine leucitite at Cosgrove, Victoria. The vesicles were formed by exsolution of volatiles at an early stage in the cooling history of the lava. Subsequently, a volatile-rich residual liquid filled cavities and fractures, giving rise to a coarse-grained pegmatoid rock type similar in over-all mineralogy to the vesicles. The volatiles facilitating crystallization in both the vesicles and the pegmatoid were probably enriched in F, CO2, and P. A number of geothermometers applied to the vesicle assemblage failed to agree on likely crystallization temperatures.

Zussmanite has been found at only one locality: the Laytonville Quarry, Mendocino County, California. There are, however, present at this locality, two separate, but apparently inter-related minerals that from the evidence of chemistry, and limited diffraction information, appear to be zussmanite-type species. Their relative structural similarities are demonstrated within two rocks from the quarry in which a manganese concentration gradient has allowed ferrous-iron-rich zussmanites to develop partly contiguous overgrowths of one or other of these two minerals, one of which is a new form that has a provisionally determined ideal formula of KAlMn3−5-8Si17O42(OH)14 and that is separated from ideal zussmanite compositions (of the form Si17O42(OH)14) by an immiscibility gap. The other ‘zussmanite-type’ mineral has a composition that closely resembles a manganese-rich form of minne-sotaite.

The first zussmanite-type species (ZU2) has been separated and not unambiguous diffraction information obtained of its cell dimensions and powder lines, which are similar to those of zussmanite but appear to have an 8 % smaller cell-base and only a two-layer repeat (as in some of the zussmanite polytypes, and as in the talc structure). It is therefore considered possible that ZU2 has an altered compatibility between the tetrahedral and octa-hedral sheet overlap, perhaps from 13 (as in zussmanite) to 12. Whilst zussmanite appears to be a blueschist-eclogite mineral, ZU2 occurs under conditions at the low-pressure side of the blueschist facies.

An intermediate between zussmanite and the manganoan ‘minnesotaite’ is found in one rock in which the rims of zussmanite have been leached of potassium. As minnesotaite is more of a range of compositions than a structure (there is mounting evidence that it is not a simple talc-analogue) a consideration of the Laytonville manganoan minnesotaite as a zussmanite mineral is not unreasonable.

The composition of scarbroite, written in the form Al5(OH)13CO3·5H2O, suggests close crystal-chemical relations to gibbsite and to hydrotalcite and kindred minerals. Parametral relations a(S) ≃ 2b(G) and 3b(S) ≃ 5a(G), S = scarbroite, G = gibbsite, are obtained and are consistent with a hydroxy Al layer structure and interlayer carbonate anions and water molecules. Thermal transformations show two discrete hydrated phases with layer spacings near 8.5 and 7.65 Å and a third phase with initial spacing 6.65 Å which decreases progressively to 5.5 Å over the temperature range 100°–250 °C as decomposition proceeds. No clear break is observed between dehydroxylation and decarbonation.

A new synthesis of Mg-Al double hydroxides is described, that gives products relatively low (0.8–1.0%) in CO2. The general formula [Mg1−xAlx (OH)2][(OH)x(H2O)0.81−x] with 0.23 ≤ x ≤ 0.33 is proposed. Cell parameters and thermal data are given. The c-axial length decreases with Al-content; this is attributed to increased electrostatic attraction between layers.

A detailed electron probe study of irontitanium oxide intergrowths from slowly cooled granitic rocks from the granulite grade, Archaean Scourian complex of north-west Scotland has yielded a wealth of information about magmatic and metamorphic temperatures, subsolidus cooling, and the behaviour of the fluid phase during cooling. Five stages are documented in the cooling history of granites and trondhjemites which include: (i) magmatic-subsolidus cooling (1035 °C–890 °C); (ii) granulite facies metamorphism and the accompanied expulsion of a hydrous fluid phase (890 °C–830 °C); (iii) subsolidus cooling following the peak of the granulite facies metamorphism (830 °C–660 °C); (iv) the localized reintroduction of water into the rocks during retrogression (660 °C–530 °C) and (v) subsolidus cooling and re-equilibration in the presence of a finite amount of H2O (530 °C–320 °C).

Spectral ellipsometry in the range 240 nm to 540 nm has been used to investigate the influence of surface damage induced by mechanical polishing and surface films of CuO on the optical properties of pure synthetic cuprite. Comparison is made between bulk CuO and thin film CuO produced by low-temperature oxidation of cuprite. The effects of strain and disorder are discussed in relation to the suppression of excitonic transitions. Recently developed techniques have been used to simplify the analysis and take full advantage of the spectral data.

Both new species are retrograde or mesogene minerals that occur in tactites at the Christmas mine, Gila County, Arizona (USA). Gilalite is green, H = 2, D = 2.82. Biaxial (—), 2V small, α = 1.560, β = γ = 1.635. No single crystals found; strongest lines at 13.49 Å, (10); 10.97 (5); 7.786 (5). Analysis gave CuO 36.2%, MgO 2.3, CaO 3.8, MnO 0.5, SiO2 41.5, H2O 14.6, close to Cu5Si6O17·7H2O.

Apachite is blue, H = 2, D = 2.80. Biaxial (—), 2V small, α = 1.610, β = γ = 1.650. No single crystals found. Strongest lines are 12.90 Å (10); 3.168 (7); 7.663 (5). Analysis gave CuO 43.6%, FeO 0.3, MgO 1.7, CaO 1.8, SiO2 40.8, H2O 13.8, close to Cu9Si10O29·11H2O.

A hygroscopic, soft, pink mineral was discovered in Sinjar town, west of Mosul city. Wet chemical and X-ray diffraction analyses proved that the mineral has a composition of calcium chloride dihydrate CaCl2·2H2O, which has not been known in nature before. It is therefore a new mineral, and is named sinjarite after its locality.

Awaruite is not known from Awarua River or Awarua Bay, Westland, New Zealand, but was first described from alluvial sands of the Gorge River and soon thereafter, in situ in serpentinite from the same valley. The name is a misnomer.

Grandidierite has been identified in two aluminous metasedimentary xenoliths from quartz-latitic volcanic rocks from Mt. Amiata and Mt. Cimino, central Italy. Physical and electron microprobe data for the grandidierites and petrological data for the grandidierite-bearing xenoliths are presented. The grandidierites formed by a reaction involving pre-existing aluminium rich minerals, possibly at temperatures of at least 800 °C and at low pressures. The grandidierite from Mt. Amiata replaces sillimanite. Several common characteristics can be demonstrated for magmatic and metamorphic grandidierite-bearing rocks. It is suggested that metamorphic rocks in which grandidierite occurs have often undergone partial melting.

IT was not until 1966 that pseudorutile was first defined. Earlier, its X-ray diffraction spectrum had been confused with that of futile and, to a lesser degree, with those of hematite and ilmenite. Subsequent work has shown that pseudorutile has a world-wide distribution in detrital ilmenite-bearing heavy mineral deposits. The present work has confirmed its magnetic susceptibility and density. In addition pseudorutile is shown to be a magnetic spin glass with a peak susceptibility at 23 °K.

Altered ilmenites, in which pseudorutile occurs as a secondary alteration product, display a range of chemical composition and magnetic susceptibility. The most highly magnetic fractions are not necessarily those containing the least-altered ilmenite, and in material from Capel, Western Australia, the most highly magnetic fractions were those containing grains of ferrimagnetic ferrian ilmenite.

Quantitative X-ray diffraction has shown that West Australian altered ilmenite contains significant amounts of amorphous ilmenite, pseudorutile, and rutile. The magnetic susceptibility of paramagnetic fractions of altered ilmenite from Capel, Western Australia, can be calculated from normative compositions based on chemical analyses.

Free energies of formation of liebigite, Ca2UO2 (Co3)3·10H2O, swartzite, CaMgUO2(Co3)3·12H2O, bayleyite, Mg2UO2(CO3)3·18H2O, and andersonite, Na2CaUO2(CO3)3·6H2O have been determined from solution studies at various temperatures. ΔGf(298.2K)° values for the above minerals are −6226±12, −6607±8, −7924±8 and −5651±24 KJ mol−1 respectively. ΔH0f(298.2K) values respectively are −7037±24, −7535±20, −9192±20, and −5916±36 kJ mol−1. These results have been used to construct the stability diagram for the four minerals shown in fig. I. Andersonite can only form when the activity of the sodium ion, aNa+, is relatively high and aCa2+ and aMg2+ are small. The interconversions of the sodium-free species are defined. When aMg2+/aCa2+ < 0.32 liebigite is the stable phase. If aMg2+/aCa2+ > 7.94, bayleyite forms preferentially. One might therefore expect the bayleyite-andersonite association to be more common than liebigite-andersonite, but this is entirely dependent upon the relative concentrations of Mg2+(aq) and Ca2+(aq) in the solutions from which the minerals form.

Two compounds are described which are structurally related to the three salts, metavoltine, α-Maus' salt, and an unnamed compound here termed ‘salt X’: The last three salts have structures based on two sheets of composition [K Fe33+O(SO4)6(H2O)3]4− which are essentially intercon-nected via Na atoms in metavoltine, K-atoms in α-Maus' salt and Na, K, H3O in salt X.

Cell parameters and space groups of the new compounds have been determined: as in metavoltine, α-Maus' salt, and salt X they have a = b ≃ 9.6 Å, but the c parameters are ≃ 36 Å and ≃ 52 Å, i.e. about double and triple that of the other three salts (≃ 18 Å).

The salt with c ≃ 36 Å was obtained using Van Tassel' recipe at about the same conditions which gave rise to salt X, i.e. from a solution containing Na2SO4·10H2O, K2SO4, Fe2(SO4)3·nH2O (n ≃ 7H2O) in the ratio 3.40:0.60:4.30. The salt with c ≃ 52 Å was formed spontaneously through a topotactic reaction of salt X.

It is possible to deduce for these two new salts:

• (1) The presence of clusters of composition [Fe33+O(SO4)6(H2O)3]5− interconnected via K atoms to build sheets like those found in meta-voltine, α-Maus' salt, and salt X.

• Some sheet sequences which may include the correct sequence.

• The position of Fe3+ atoms belonging to clusters, which are connected by K atoms to form sheets.

The similar a and b lattice parameters, as well as the presence of the threefold axis in all the compounds mentioned, suggest strongly that in the two new compounds there are sheets of composition [K Fe33+O(SO4)6(H2O)3]4− which are characterized by a = b ≃ 9.6 Å and threefold symmetry. As for the c parameters, examination of possible stacking sequences of the sheets shows which sequences are consistent with the known c parameters and symmetry. The two salts have a parameter and symmetry more similar to metavoltine and salt X than to α-Maus' salt; moreover, metavoltine and salt X, like the new salts, are more stable than α-Maus' salt. That is why probably in the two new salts there are two sheets interconnected by Na atoms as in metavoltine and salt X to form a sandwich sheet of composition [Na2K2Fe63+O2(SO4)12(H2O)6]6−. Then, taking into account the c parameters and space groups, possible sequences of these sandwich sheets are considered in order to establish the likely sequence in the new salts.

Metavoltine and salt X contain clusters [Fe33+O(SO4)6(H2O)3]5− which are differently oriented: the Fe3+ cation lies at x = 0.17, y = 0.22 or x = 0.22, y = 0.17. These two Fe3+ positions involve an angle rotation for the cluster of about 25°. Owing to the similarity in a, b parameters of metavoltine and the salt with c ≃ 52 Å on one hand, and of salt X and the salt with c ≃ 36 Å on the other, it seems quite probable that the xy coordinates of the Fe3+ cations belonging to the first pair of salts are similar, and similarly for the second pair.

(Na, K) α-Maus' salt effloresces in air, the products being ferrinatrite and goldichite. The transformation (Na, K) α-Maus' salt → ferrinatrite was clarified when the structure of ferrinatrite was solved. The transition (Na, K) α-Maus' salt →, goldichite is considered in order to understand how [Fe33+O(SO4)6(H2O)3]5− clusters may be modified to build new structural units such as the corrugated sheets present in goldichite.