The dolomite-ferroan-dolomite-ankerite series of carbonate minerals has been investigated in flowing carbon dioxide using high-temperature DSC. Decomposition products were analysed by X-ray diffraction. The minerals studied included dolomite containing no iron, and members substituted by iron in the molar ratio range of 0.082 to 0.49. Complete resolution of the three main endothermic features was observed and enthalpy values ΔH, determined from each. The individual and total enthalpy values showed a linear dependence upon the Fe and Mg content of the members across the series. A decrease in the enthalpy of decomposition occurs with increasing Fe content. The effect of Fe substitution was readily observed and the estimated limit of detection is less than 1% FeO. Accuracy of the measurements was limited by the purity of the minerals themselves.

The Alderley Edge deposit, Cheshire, England has been mined principally for Cu and Pb. Here, veins and disseminations occur in coarse-grained clastic sediments of Triassic age and are classified as belonging to the red-bed type of mineralization.

Examination of material in polished and thin section has shown the mineralization to be multiphase. The earliest opaque phases are associated with the diagenesis of the sandstones and include authigenic anatase, plus bravoite, pyrite, and chalcopyrite within authigenic quartz overgrowths. This stage of mineralization was followed by the formation of intergrown bravoite, pyrite, chalcopyrite, sphalerite, and galena accompanied by minor amounts of Ni-Co-Fe sulpharsenides, marcasite, and tetrahedrite cementing the clastic grains. This primary assemblage has undergone extensive alteration resulting in the formation of djurleite, covelline, and blaubleibender covelline accompanied by Pb and Zn carbonates and sulphates. Later, extensive shattering of the cemented clastic grains has been infilled by supergene Cu, Pb, and Zn carbonates and sulphates, limonite, and other secondary minerals.

Electron probe microanalysis of the sulphides shows the pyrite to contain significant Ni and Cu but lesser amounts of Co; the sphalerite to be an Fe-poor variety but to contain Cd, and the chalcopyrite to contain Sb. Ag is present in appreciable amounts in tetrahedrite and occurs in trace amounts in both sphalerite and chalcopyrite but not in galena. The concentration of Ag increases with the alteration of the primary sulphides to secondary sulphides. This is most clearly demonstrated by the alteration of chalcopyrite to an idaite-like phase and finally to djurleite when the Ag content increases from 0.10 to 2.35 wt. %.

Uranium has been detected in fluid inclusion decrepitates from quartz of several granites of the British Isles and from vein quartz associated with the Hcrcynian granites of SW England using ICP. Material, ejected from the inclusions during decrepitation on heating the sample, is transferred into the plasma for qualitative analysis via a stream of argon. Several other elements have been detected in the decrepitate, of which carbon is of particular interest. It shows a strong positive correlation with U and indicates the importance of C (presumably as carbonate complexes) in the transport of U in hydrothermal systems. Approximate order of magnitude estimates of the average U contents of fluid inclusions from the SW England samples, based on the assumption that U in the decrepitates is principally derived from the fluid inclusions, range from less than one to over a thousand ppm. Fluid inclusions may therefore be important in contributing to the levels of U reported in quartz (0.1 to 10 ppm).

By constructing ball-and-spoke models an attempt has been made to arrive at the atomic arrangements on the twin boundaries of four twins of calcite and one of aragonite. The Miller indices of the twins of calcite are (111), (110), (100) and (11). The twin plane in aragonite is (110). Each of the models of calcite twins has the same plane for twin plane and composition plane, and in each case it is a true mirror plane. Aragonite has a pseudo glide plane parallel to (110) gliding in the [001] direction. By making this pseudo symmetry element into a true glide plane a good model of the twin is obtained. In the (111), (110) and (100) twins of calcite all the CO3 groups in the composition plane are parallel to it. In the (11) twin the composition plane contains only CO3 groups and these are perpendicular to it.

Omongwaite, Na2Ca5(SO4)6.3H2O, is a new mineral, found as inclusions in gypsum crystals in recent salt lake deposits at Omongwa pan, Namibia. It is monoclinic, with space group C2, a = 12.08(3) A, b = 6.96(1) Å, c = 6.39(2) Å, B = 90.2(3)°, V= 537(2) Å3, and Z = 1. The six strongest lines in the X-ray powder diffraction pattern [dobs. (Å), (I/I° meas), (hkl)] are: 6.028, (40), (110); 3.484, (29), (310); 3.019, (51), (400); 3.014, (100), (220); 2.824, (34), (1̄12); and 2.820, (65), (112). Electron microprobe analysis, recalculated on the basis of 3H2O per formula unit (p.f.u.), gave 56.16 wt.% SO3, 30.82 wt.% CaO, 5.25 wt.% Na2O, 3.21 wt.% K2O, 6.25 wt.% H2O, totalling 101.69 wt.%. The empirical formula, based on 24 anhydrous oxygens p.f.u., is (Na1.47K0.59)Σ;=2.06Ca4.76S6.07O24.3H2O, yielding Na2Ca5(-SO4)6.3H2O as the end-member formula. Na/K ratios are variable, with an average of ∼2.5. The crystals are elongated, with pseudohexagonal transversal cross-sections and with sphenoidal terminations that are commonly developed at one end. The crystal structure of omongwaite is similar to that of bassanite, CaSO4.0.5H2O. Published studies of the synthetic phase show that it can be described as a bassanite structure in which one out of six Ca2+ ions are replaced by Na+ and a second Na+ ion occupies a position near those sites. The crystals are parallel to the [001] axis of the gypsum crystals in which they occur as inclusions. The mineral formed by topotactic replacement during interaction of gypsum with concentrated solutions. It is preserved where the affected surface became covered by gypsum by rapid growth shortly after the formation of omongwaite. The mineral is named after the locality where it was found.

The assemblage aluminous pyroxenes+ spinel forms reaction zones between olivine-rich and plagioclase-rich layers in the Jotunheimen complex. These zones have probably formed by cooling from high T at moderate P, passing through the ol + plag → pyroxenes + spinel reaction. The absence of garnet, which would be expected to form upon further cooling, is attributed to interruption of the cooling history by rapid uplift. This uplift is demonstrated by symplectitic breakdown of aluminous pyroxenes, with expulsion of Ts and Acm, to yield low-Al pyroxenes, spinel, and plagioclase. The uplift must be Precambrian, and suggests that the Jotun rocks were involved in rapid vertical movements long before the Caledonian thrusting took place.

Optical, d.t.a., X-ray, and chemical analysis investigations were carried out on serpenttinites from various Egyptian localities and on their associated talc-carbonates. The serpentinites were proved to consist of pure antigorite, lizardite, or clinochrysotile, or of mixtures of any pair of these serpentine minerals. Lizardite, which is reported for the first time in Egypt, is found to be of common occurrence. Talc, tremolite, carbonates, chlorite, olivine, biotite, chromite, magnetite, goethite, and stevensite are the main admixtures. The talc-carbonates consist mainly of talc and magnesite, or magnesite, dolomite, and talc together with minor amounts of antigorite, magnetite, goethite, and occasionally a little chlorite or calcite. Spectrographic analyses of some of the magnetically separated serpentines have been carried out and the origin of the Egyptian serpentinites and talc-carbonates is briefly discussed.

Calcite carbonatite (søvite), associated apatite cumulates and contact metasomatic phlogopite-rocks in the Fen complex (S. Norway) contain coexisting apatite and phlogopite. Two distinct compositional groups are recognized: fluorapatite (XF = 0.5–0.8) coexists with hydroxy-phlogopite with XF = 0.11–0.26, whereas hydroxyapatite (XF = 0.34–0.44) coexists with low-F hydroxy-phlogopite (XF ≈ 0.03). Apatite-biotite geothermometry suggests that the minerals equilibrated at igneous temperatures (less than 1200 to ca. 625 °C), and were not significantly disturbed by late low-temperature re-equilibration. This, combined with HF-barometry based on apatite-fluid and phlogopite-fluid F-OH exchange equilibria, makes it possible to recognize two crystallization trends at different levels of hydrogen fluoride fugacity. The existence of such trends reflects internal buffering of the HF fugacity by apatite and/or phlogopite. The recorded differences in HF fugacity suggest that two or more independent or semi-independent lines of magmatic descent gave rise to calcite carbonatite magma in the Fen complex. Combined apatite-phlogopite geothermometry and hydrogen fluoride barometry is a useful tool enabling us to see through post-magmatic alteration of carbonatites, and to establish primary magmatic controls even in cases where carbonate and iron-titanium oxide minerals have re-equilibrated at much lower temperatures.

The Helmholtz dispersion equations have been rewritten in a form that enables the optical constants of both transparent and opaque media to be calculated from their spectra. Both Helmholtz equations are used to describe the optical properties of opaque media, and to obtain values of reflectance, refractive index, and absorption coefficient. The Sellmeier dispersion equation is a special case of the dispersive Helmholtz equation applicable to weakly absorbing media (including the great majority of minerals studied in thin section): it is used to derive the wavelength-, composition-, direction-, and volume-dependence of the principal indices in mixed crystals of monoclinic or higher symmetry. The treatment can be extended to triclinic crystals.

The birefringence of transparent phases is the expression in the visible region of the pleochroism of absorption bands in the ultra-violet. The bireflectance of opaque phases depends also upon the pleochroism of bands in the visible and near infra-red, resulting in extreme sensitivity of the optics of opaque materials to changes in wavelength, composition, and structure. The optical anisotropy of both transparent and opaque phases may be calculated if the dependence of the spectra on structure can be established by measurement or by calculation from structure data. The quantitative application of Bragg's method is restricted to phases of very simple chemistry and structure (e.g. calcite and rutile), but it may be applied qualitatively to rationalize the optic orientations of phases containing only closed-shell ions of neon or argon configuration, including many pyroxenes, amphiboles, micas, and chain aluminosilicates. When open-shell (transition metal) ions enter the structure, the general rule is that the anisotropy becomes more closely related to the distortion of the coordination polyhedron about the metal ion, and for ions of formal charge ≥ 3, this source of anisotropy is usually dominant.

Damaraite, ideally 3PbO.PbCl2, is a new mineral which occurs with jacobsite, hausmannite, hematophanite, native copper, an unnamed Pb-Mo oxychloride, calcite, and baryte, in specimens from the Asis West section of the Kombat mine, Namibia (South West Africa). Damaraite is colourless and transparent with a white streak, and adamantine lustre. It is brittle with an irregular to subconchoidal fracture and a cleavage on (010). The mineral has a low reflectance, a weak bireflectance, barely discernible reflectance pleochroism, from grey to slightly bluish grey in some sections, and is weakly anisotropic. Reflectance data in air and in oil are tabulated. Colour values relative to the CIE illuminant C for the most strongly bireflectant grain are, for R1 and R2 respectively:

It has a VHN50 of 148 (range 145–154) with a calculated Mohs hardness of 3. X-ray powder diffraction studies give the following parameters refined from the powder data: orthorhombic; space group Pma2, Pmam or P21am; a 15.104(1), b 6.891(1), c 5.806 (1)Å; V is 604.3 (4)Å3 and Z = 3. Dcalc 7.84 g/cm3. The strongest six lines of the powder pattern are [d in Å (I) (hkl)]: 2.902 (10) (121,002); 2.766 (10) (510,221); 2.877 (9) (411); 3.164 (6) (401); 3.135 (6) (220); 1.747 (b) (313,721,531). The name is for the Damara sequence which hosts the Kombat deposit.

Crystal-chemical analyses of the serpentine polymorphs, sampled from macroscopic veins in the serpentinite rocks from Sasso della Mantesca and Sasso di S. Zanobi, are reported. The samples were examined by X-ray diffraction, thermal analysis (TG and DTG), scanning and transmission electron microscopy, IR absorption spectroscopy, microprobe, and chemical tests.

The results show: chrysotile 2Orc1 in tubular fibrils placed perpendicularly to walls of iso-oriented ‘lenticular veins’; and polygonal serpentine formed by flat layers of lizardite 2H and/or 1T, arranged as an outer shell of a central core of chrysotile 2Mc1 fibres; this type of serpentine with high crystallinity and unusual morphological development is included in ‘green veins’, which show variable Al, Fe, and Mg contents.

A genetic mechanism correlating the petrographic observations with the mineralogical results is discussed.

Chloritoid with significant Mg-Fe zoning occurs as lath-shaped porphyroblasts and as clusters of subradiating crystals in the Triassic Verrucano metapsammite (quartz + muscovite + chlorite + chloritoid ± kyanite) of the Massa Unit, Alpi Apuane. Two main types of chloritoid zoning profiles were found. The first type is characterised by gradual increase in Mg from core to rim of the porphyroblasts. In the second type the Mg content is constant from the core to the inner rim, but sharply decreases in the outer rim. Both types of zoning have been interpreted as the result of prograde growth during the Alpine metamorphism. The temperature, estimated using the chlorite-chloritoid thermometer, ranges from 467 to 560°C.

The sodic amphiboles possess two independent chemical substitution series (Fe3+-Al and Fe2+-Mg) that combine to provide a ‘plane’ of compositions. Yet at no single T and P are compositions covering the whole plane stable: (i) pure riebeckite exists under low-P conditions but breaks down in normal blueschists to give deerite; (ii) ferro-glaucophane is in competition at all except the lowest blueschist temperatures with almandine garnet; (iii) magnesio-riebeckite is stable at high-T and low-P but within the blueschist facies is replaced by the alternative higher density aegirine-talc assemblage; and (iv) glaucophane is stable only at high-P.

At higher T and P than those of the blueschists, competition from NaCa pyroxenes, garnets, and deerite first erodes, and then removes, nearly all sodic amphibole compositions. At low-P the normal sodic amphibole-forming reactions from stilpnomelane and chlorite (in the presence of iron oxides, albite, etc.) produce an initial ‘rie-beckitic’ amphibole that subsequently becomes more glaucophanitic with increasing P. Under certain conditions, perhaps connected with hydrous fluid overpressures, these reactions become transposed such that crossitic compositions become replaced whilst ferroglaucophane to glancophane compositions remain stable.

The crystal structure of rabejacite from Jáchymov, ideally Ca2[(UO2)4O4(SO4)2](H2O)8, was solved by charge flipping from single-crystal data and refined to R1 = 11.94% for 1422 unique observed reflections [I > 3σ(I)]. According to single-crystal X-ray data, rabejacite is triclinic, space group P, with a = 8.7434(11), b = 8.309(3), c = 8.8693(10) Å , a = 77.86(2), b = 104.635(11), g = 82.935(18)°, V = 598.8(3) A˚ 3 and Z = 1, with Dcalc = 4.325 g cm–3. The structure refinement proved that rabejacite is related to the zippeite group of minerals, as it is based upon the structural sheets of the zippeite topology of composition [(UO2)4O4(SO4)2]4–. Located in the interlayer between the sheets, which are stacked perpendicular to [010], are Ca2+ cations and H2O groups. Ca2+ ions are [7]-coordinated, by three uranyl O atoms from adjacent sheets and four H2O groups. An additional H2O group, which is not bonded directly to any cation, is located in the interlayer. Along with rabejacite, its Cu-rich variety was found in the specimens examined and characterized structurally. Its crystal structure (R1 = 10.15% for 1049 reflections with I > 3s(I)) is practically the same as that of rabejacite, but there is an additional Cu2+ site located in between pairs of Ca polyhedra. The structural formula is (Ca1.56Cu0.40)Σ1.90[(UO2)4O4(SO4)2](H2O)8, Z = 1. Its existence suggests a greater diversity in zippeite crystal chemistry than was thought previously and also the possibility of a new Cu2+-dominant zippeite mineral besides pseudojohannite.

The historic Waterberg platinum deposit, ~15 km WNW of Mookgophong (formerly Naboomspruit), Limpopo Province, South Africa, is a rare fault-bound hydrothermal vein-type quartz-hematite-platinum-group mineralization. As a continuation of the geochemistry and ore mineralogy studies (Part I, Oberthür et al., 2018), this paper concentrates on the ore-bearing quartz and on the age constraints of ore formation. The state-of-the-art methods used include cathodoluminescence microscopy, electron probe microanalysis (EPMA) and laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) of trace elements, stable isotope (δ18O) analysis and fluid-inclusion studies. U-Pb and (U-Th)/He radiometric age determination gave ages of 900–1075 Ma suggesting platinum-group element (PGE) mineralization as a result of upwelling fluids with connection to the Bushveld complex during Kibaran tectonic movements along the Thabazimbi–Murchison Lineament. Felsic fragments containing Qtz-1 were cemented by different quartz generations (Qtz-2 to Qtz-4) and enable the characterization of the changing physicochemical parameters during multistage mineralization and cooling. The PGE minerals are associated with the earliest hydrothermal stage represented by botryoidal radial-fibrous quartz aggregates (Qtz-2a) which formed on brecciated felsite. The other quartz types are essentially barren. Cathodoluminescence studies of quartz indicate very high Al, Fe and K concentrations as confirmed by EPMA and LA-ICP-MS, whereas Ti is always very low. The varying Al concentrations in the quartz mainly indicate pH fluctuations, the high Fe3+ points at high oxygen fugacity. Micro-inclusions of iron oxide are associated with Pt ore (Fe, Pt, Pd, Au, W, Sb, As), rutile, kaolinite and muscovite. The hydrothermal activity must have been characterized by low saline (<10 wt%) H2O–NaCl solutions. These fluids mixed with original high-saline NaCl ± CaCl2 ± CO2 brines in the brecciated felsite (Qtz-1). According to the quartz-hematite geothermometer the ore depositional temperatures were ~370–330°C (Qtz-2a), whereas the successive quartz veins formed during cooling towards ~295°C. The transport of PGE must have been facilitated by strongly oxidizing chloride complexes of relatively low salinity and moderate acidity.

The cathodoluminescence (CL) characteristics of plagioclase phenocrysts in water-quenched lavas from the 1983 eruption of Etna have been investigated to examine the application of plagioclase CL to the study of magmatic processes. The phenocrysts have a green luminescent inner zone that is sharply bounded by a blue luminescent outer zone, with the boundary often coinciding with a concentric zone of glass inclusions.

Strong compositional differences between the green (An70–An75) and blue (An50–An60) luminescent areas are interpreted as the result of two phases of growth under differing conditions. The green luminescent cores are considered to be anorthite-rich cumulate crystals from a basic magma which have been disrupted by the injection of a more evolved melt, resulting in heterogeneous nucleation and crystallization of the outer blue luminescent zone. The relationship between the CL and the trace element contents of the plagioclase crystals is discussed.

Pyrite is an ubiquitous constituent of the Proterozoic massive sulphide deposit at Deri, in the South Delhi Fold Belt of southern Rajasthan. Preserved pyrite microfabrics in the Zn-Pb-Cu sulphide ores of Deri reveal a polyphase growth history of the iron sulphide and enable the tectono-thermal evolution of the deposit to be reconstructed.

Primary sedimentary features in Deri pyrites are preserved as compositional banding. Regional metamorphism from mid-greenschist to low amphibolite facies is recorded by various microtextures of pyrite. Trails of fine grained pyrite inclusions within hornblende porphyroblasts define S1-schistosity. Pyrite boudins aligned parallel to S1 mark the brittle–ductile transformation of pyrite during the earliest deformation in the region. Isoclinal to tight folds (F1 and F2) in pyrite layers relate to a ductile deformation stage during progressive regional metamorphism. Peak metamorphic conditions around 550°C, an estimation supported by garnet–biotite thermometry, resulted in annealing of pyrite grains, while porphyroblastic growth of pyrite (up to 900 µm) took place along the retrogressive path. Brittle deformation of pyrite and growth of irregular pyritic mass around such fractured porphyroblasts characterize the waning phase of regional metamorphism. A subsequent phase of stress-free, thermal metamorphism is recorded in the decussate and rosette textures of arsenopyrite prisms replacing irregular pyritic mass. Annealing of such patchy pyrite provides information regarding the temperature conditions during this episode of thermal metamorphism which is consistent with the hornblendehornfels facies metamorphism interpreted from magnetite–ilmenite geothermometry (550°C) and sphalerite geobarometry (3.5 kbar). A mild cataclastic deformation during the penultimate phase produced microfaults in twinned arsenopyrite prisms.

Lattice parameters have been determined for two coexisting siderite phases in concretions of Westphalian age. Chemical evidence indicates that, for one concretion at least, the phase of smaller cell dimensions is a magnesian siderite with around 25 mole % MgCO3. Both abundances and compositions of the two phases vary between concretions whilst a single phase only is present in disseminated siderite. It is thought unlikely that the two phases represent an equilibrium assemblage and a mechanism is suggested by which magnesian siderite could have formed later.

The Quaternary carbonatite–nephelinite Kerimasi volcano is located within the Gregory rift in northern Tanzania. It is composed of nephelinitic and carbonatitic pyroclastic rocks, tuffs, tuff breccias and pyroclastic breccias, which contain blocks of different plutonic (predominantly ijolite) and volcanic (predominantly nephelinite) rocks including carbonatites. The plutonic and volcanic carbonatites both contain calcite as the major mineral with variable amounts of magnetite or magnesioferrite, apatite and forsterite. Carbonatites also contain accessory baddeleyite, kerimasite, pyrochlore and calzirtite. Zr and Nb minerals are rarely observed in rock samples, though they are abundant in eluvial deposits of carbonatite tuff/pyroclastic breccias in the Loluni and Kisete craters. Pyrochlore, ideally (CaNa)Nb2O6F, occurs as octahedral and cubo-octahedral crystals up to 300 μm in size. Compositionally, pyrochlore from Loluni and Kisete differs. The former is enriched in U (up to 19.4 wt.% UO2), light rare earth elements (up to 8.3 wt.% LREE2O3) and Zr (up to 14.4 wt.% ZrO2), and the latter contains elevated Ti (up to 7.3 wt.% TiO2). All the crystals investigated were crystalline, including those with high U content (a = 10.4152(1) Å for Loluni and a = 10.3763(1) Å for Kisete crystals). They have little or no subsolidus alteration nor low-temperature cation exchange (A-site vacancy up to 1.5% of the site), and are suitable for single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis (R1 = 0.0206 and 0.0290; for all independent reflections for Loluni and Kisete crystals, respectively). Observed variations in the pyrochlore composition, particularly Zr content, from the Loluni and Kisete craters suggest crystallisation from compositionally different carbonatitic melts. The majority of pyrochlore crystals studied exhibit exceptionally well-preserved oscillatory- and sometimes sector-type zoning. The preferential incorporation of smaller and higher charged elements into more geometrically constrained sites on the growing surfaces explains the formation of the sector zoning. The oscillatory zoning can be rationalised by considering convectional instabilities of carbonatite magmas during their emplacement.

The paper investigates trace elements and crystal-rich fluid inclusions in spodumene from rare-metal pegmatites of the Kolmozero lithium deposit in the Kola region, Russia. The main lithium mineral in the pegmatites is spodumene, which occurs in three generations, designated as Spd-I, Spd-II and Spd-III. Iron, Na and Mn are the most typical element impurities in spodumene. The Fe/Mn ratio is 7.1 in Spd-I, 12.3 in Spd-II and 13.2 in Spd-III. Spd-II contains fluid and crystal-rich fluid inclusions. The crystal-rich fluid inclusions in Spd-II originally trapped CO2-bearing aqueous fluids with dissolved alkali carbonates. The crystal-rich fluid inclusions contain zabuyelite (Li2CO3) and cristobalite (SiO2) as solid phases, which have not been reported previously from the Kolmozero rare-metal pegmatites. These minerals are assumed to have resulted from a reaction between a CO2-bearing aqueous fluid and host Spd-II and are not related to the mineral-forming system of pegmatites.