The crystal structure, H bonding and chemical composition of hydroxylherderite from the Bennett pegmatite, Buckfield, Oxford County, Maine, USA were investigated by single-crystal X-ray diffraction and neutron Laue diffraction, electron microprobe analysis in wavelength-dispersive mode, inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry and polarized Raman spectroscopy [Ca(Na0.01Ca1.01)∑1.02Be(Be0.98Li0.01)∑0.99P(Si0.03P0.98)∑1.01O4(OH0.67F0.33)∑1, Z = 4, a = 9.7856(5), b = 7.6607(5), c = 4.8025(3) Å, β = 90.02(3)°, V = 360.02(4) Å3, space group P21/a]. The neutron-structure refinement converged with fully anisotropic displacement parameters to give a final agreement index R1 = 0.0363 for 85 refined parameters and 1614 unique reflections with Fo >4σ(Fo). The structure refinement was used to determine the H position and geometry of H bonding in the structure. One H site was found on the O5 anion with an O–H interatomic distance, corrected for “riding motion”, of 0.996(2) Å. The H bond of hydroxylherderite is bifurcated with O2 and O4 acceptors forming H bonds with O5⋯O2 = 3.163(1) Å, H⋯O2 = 2.544(2) Åand O5–H⋯O2 = 121.8(1)°; O5⋯O4 = 3.081(1) Å, H⋯O4 = 2.428(2) Å and O5–H⋯O4 = 124.4(1)°. The highly non-linear O–H⋯O hydrogen bonds in hydroxylherderite and in the isotypic datolite [ideally CaBSiO4(OH)] are constrained by the tetrahedral network topology. Two main O–H stretching modes were observed in the Raman spectra at 3565 and 3620 cm–1, which are attributed to the bifurcated H bond. Two additional weak bands at 3575 and 3610 cm–1 are attributed to Si–P disorder in the tetrahedral sites. Results of this study will contribute to the correlation of H-bonding geometry and O–H stretching frequencies of highly non-linear H bonds.

Investigation of the mineralogy and paragenesis of the fluorspar flat at Masson Hill, Matlock, Derbyshire, shows the mineralization to be a combination of void infilling and metasomatic replacement. The main paragenesis is of the non-sulphides, fluorite, baryte, and calcite accompanied by a sequence of sulphides, bravoite, pyrite, marcasite, chalcopyrite, sphalerite, and galena. A wide range of secondary minerals occur in the oxidation zone.

Parisite-(La) (IMA2016-031), ideally CaLa2(CO3)3F2, occurs in a hydrothermal vein crosscutting a metarhyolite of the Rio dos Remédios Group, at the Mula mine, Tapera village, Novo Horizonte county, Bahia, Brazil, associated with hematite, rutile, almeidaite, fluocerite-(Ce), brockite, monazite-(La), rhabdophane-(La) and bastnäsite-(La). Parisite-(La) occurs as residual nuclei (up to 5 mm) in steep doubly-terminated pseudo-hexagonal pyramidal crystals (up to 8.2 cm). Parisite-(La) is transparent, yellow-green to white, with a white streak and displays a vitreous (when yellow-green) to dull (when white) lustre. Cleavage is distinct on pseudo-{001}; fracture is laminated, conchoidal, or uneven. The Mohs hardness is 4 to 5, and it is brittle. Calculated density is 4.273 g cm−3. Parisite-(La) is pseudo-uniaxial (+), ω = 1.670(2) and ε = 1.782(5) (589 nm). The empirical formula normalized on the basis of 11 (O + F) atoms per formula unit (apfu) is Ca0.98(La0.83Nd0.51Ce0.37Pr0.16Sm0.04Y0.03)Σ1.94C3.03O8.91F2.09. The IR spectrum confirms the absence of OH groups. Single-crystal X-ray studies gave the following results: monoclinic (pseudo-trigonal), space group: C2, Cm, or C2/m, a = 12.356(1) Å, b = 7.1368(7) Å, c = 28.299(3) Å, β = 98.342(4)°, V = 2469.1(4) Å3 and Z = 12. Parisite-(La) is the La-dominant analogue of parisite-(Ce).

Several K-Fe sulphide minerals have been described from natrocarbonatite lavas erupted from the Tanzanian volcano Oldoinyo Lengai but uncertainty remains about their exact identity. They do not appear to be any of the established K-Fe sulphides according to Dawson et al. (1995) and Mitchell (1997). Here, we describe yet another variant which is a Mn- and F-bearing variety of rasvumite. It appears to have formed by reaction of Fe alabandite grains with natrocarbonatite magma and occurs as minute rims on the alabandite. Its formula is: (K0.94Na0.06)(Fe1.91Mn0.13Ca0.01Sr0.01)(S2.06F0.24Cl0.04).

The lattice parameters of twenty calcium-bearing anorthoclases and potassium-bearing acid plagioclases have been determined by powder methods. The 201̄ spacing of the homogenized anorthoclases gives a good measure of the Or content irrespective of the amount of calcium present ; this spacing combined with α* (010): (001) may be used to determine the ternary composition of homogeneous feldspars more potassic than approximately Or15. The lattice parameters of feldspars less potassic than Or15 cannot be used for the determination of their ternary composition.

The Insch granite-diorite complex of Aberdeenshire consists of acid and intermediate igneous rocks that are quite distinct from, and younger than, the differentiates of the Insch basic mass.

The main components of the complex include two types of uniform granite (one pink, one grey), and a variety of inhomogeneous dioritic rocks (diorite xenoliths in grey granite matrix, granodiorite with residual mafic inclusions, and more uniform diorite). Full chemical analyses for major and trace elements are presented for sixteen rocks representative of all types, together with initial 87Sr/86Sr ratios and rare-earth-element distribution patterns for a selection of samples. The pink granite is not chemically related to the remaining members of the complex. Comparison with chemical data for a range of basic igneous rocks of the Insch and Boganclogh basic masses discredits the hypothesis that the diorite rocks were produced by assimilation of any of these in the grey granite magma. A primary diorite magma is recognized as essential to the petrogenesis of the complex.

Native nickel of composition Ni 96.3 %, Fe 1.77 %, and Co 0.69 % was found as tiny flakes up to 0.75 mm across in a heavy mineral concentrate from stream sediments in the Jerry River, South Westland, New Zealand. The locality is approximately 13 km downstream from the original locality for awaruite (Ni2Fe), and it is shown that the nickel content of detrital grains increases with distance from the source of the awaruite in serpentinites of the Red Hills Range. It is proposed that the native nickel has been derived from awaruite by leaching of iron.

The symmetry of diamond is still sometimes questioned. Most people agree that diamond belongs to the space group Fdm and therefore to point group . Some however, on account of the existence of a few natural tetrahedral diamonds, have assigned diamond to the point group 3m. We report here on an X-ray topographic investigation, using both conventional and synchrotron sources, of eleven natural tetrahedral diamonds. Two large specimens (from the Alpheus Williams' collection) were studied and found to consist of two portions, unequal in size, that were twinned on a (111) plane. Another diamond (from Professor R. A. Howie's collection) was found to contain two non-parallel (111) twin planes with the diamond filling the space between them, giving the crystal a tetrahedral morphology. Four tetrahedral diamonds (selected by Tolansky) were shown to be either twinned on a (111) plane, or cleavage fragments consisting of one component of a made or single crystals that had been plastically deformed. Similar results were found for some diamonds from the Argyle Mine. Our findings are consistent with diamond belonging to the holosymmetric class () rather than to the hemihedral class (3m).

The weathering of platinum-group element (PGE) deposits presents unusual problems, especially in the very active environment of lateritic weathering under tropical conditions. There is clear evidence of the destruction of platinum-group minerals (PGM) to form PGE oxides, or fine intergrowths between relict PGM and iron oxides or hydroxides, as an intermediate stage during weathering. The PGE released by weathering are transported in solution with the more soluble Pd species remaining in solution and travelling further than the less soluble Pt species. The presence of PGM in the laterite differing in mineralogy, mineral assemblage and size from those in the primary rock is difficult to explain, especially when they show secondary textures. Differing interpretations have created controversy. Are alluvial PGM derived unaltered from the primary rock where they are rare and, therefore, not encountered by standard petrographic examination? Is it possible that they could have developed in the laterite by some process that we do not yet fully understand? Some favourable genetic conditions have been outlined and debated. For more than 100 years authors have reported secondary ore textures and recently proposed a biogenic origin. Frank Reith and his co-workers provided evidence of a process involving metallophillic bacteria which, for the first time, demonstrates PGM growth in the laboratory under supergene conditions. Their work shows that a mechanism for supergene growth (‘neoformation’) can occur, which offers a new field of study of the appropriate Eh, pH, $f_{{\rm O}_ 2}$ conditions and organic and bacterial reactions that could permit supergene growth.

Chemical analyses, optical data, and cell parameters are given for olivine (Fo90·3 and Fo91·4), orthopyroxene (Ca1·5Mg89·0Fe9·5 and Ca9·8Mg88·6Fe10·6), clinopyroxene (Ca39·6Mg55·8Fe4·6), and chromian spinel from olivine nodules from the Carboniferous basalt of Calton Hill, Derbyshire. Chemical and modal analyses of the nodules and of their host rock are also presented. The distribution of Mg and Fe in the coexisting pyroxenes is fairly similar to that observed by Ross, Foster, and Myers (1954) but differs slightly in that the extension of the pyroxene tie-line intersects the Ca-Mg side of the Ca-Mg-Fe triangle. The clinopyroxene is a normal augite rather than the hydrous augite previously reported (Tomkeieff, 1928). The high chromium content of the spinel and clinopyroxene contrasts with the low value for this element in the host rock, suggesting that these minerals are not differentiates of the basaltic magma: the nodules are considered to represent fragments from a deep-seated peridotite.

A differential thermal analysis curve of thaumasite shows an endothermal peak at 206° C., correspinding to the loss of H2O and CO2, and a weak exothermal peak at 709° C., corresponding to recrystallization to a mixture of anhydrite and larnite, as is shown by X-ray powder photographs of material heated to 950° C. Improved powder data for thaumasite are given: the three strongest lines are at 9·66, 3·79, and 4·58 Å., and the cell-dimensions are a 10·992, c 10·311 Å.

The petrography and mineralogy of a series of gabbroic xenoliths, consisting essentially of varying proportions of olivine, clinopyroxene, orthopyroxene, and plagioclase, are described from Gough Island. These are compared with xenoliths from other oceanic localities. Four new analyses of xenoliths and six of pyroxenes are presented, together with some partial analyses of plagioclases. It is concluded that the xenoliths are derived from the mantle above the magma source area. The composition of the mantle in this region is thought to be that of an olivine-tholeiite.

Bideauxite is a new mineral found in specimens from the Mammoth-St. Anthony mine, Pinal County, Arizona. The composition is Pb2AgCl3(F,OH)2 with Pb, Ag, Cl, F by duplicate wet analyses. Z = 16, G. calc. 6·256, meas. 6·274 (at 24·2 °C). Crystals are isometric hexoctahedral with a 14·132 Å. Space group Fd3m. Crystals show a, o, d, m {113}, μ {114}, n {112}, φ {116}, and {029} in decreasing order of importance. Colourless, transparent with white streak. Isotropic with nD 2·192. le, almost sectile, withc onchoidal fracture. H = 3. Turns pale lavender in strong light. Low M.P. B.P. Decomposes in acids and warm NH4OH. Bideauxite is an oxide zone mineral found with leadhillite, matlockite, and anglesite. May alter to cerussite.

An electron-probe microanalysis of tetrahedrite occurring together with the latest-deposited pyrite-cinnabar association in the Chiprovtsi lead-silver deposit yielded more than 16 wt. % Ag and more than 18 wt. % Hg. X-ray powder examination established an extremely large unit-cell edge, a 10.64±0.01 Å. Vickers microhardness 223 to 237 kg/mm2. The chemical formula derived on the basis of the analyses made is quite near to Cu6+(Cu+, Ag+)4(Hg,Zn)2(Sb,As)4S13. There is not any antiparallelism between Ag and Hg in tetrahedrite. The name proposed for all stages of simultaneous isomorphic replacement along the Cu+-Ag+ and Cu2+-Hg2+(Zn2+,Fe2+) directions is argentian mercurian tetrahedrite. The upper limits of the Ag and Hg content are expected to be Cu6Ag4Hg2(Sb,As)4S13. It is the six copper atoms (Cu4+;Cu22+), sited in the Laves’ polyhedra, that are replaced by Ag+ and Hg2+ respectively.

This paper presents a microbeam (electron microprobe, Raman spectroscopic and X-ray microdiffraction) study of cancrinite-group minerals of relevance to alkaline igneous rocks. A solid solution is known to exist between cancrinite and vishnevite with the principal substitutions being CO32- by SO42- and Ca for Na. In the present study, several intermediate members of the cancrinite–vishnevite series from a syenitic intrusion at Cinder Lake (Manitoba, Canada), were used to examine how chemical variations in this series affect their spectroscopic and structural characteristics. The Cinder Lake samples deviate from the ideal cancrinite-vishnevite binary owing to the presence of cation vacancies. The only substituent elements detectable by electron microprobe are K, Sr and Fe (0.03-0.70, 0-0.85 and 0-0.45 wt.% respective oxides). The following Raman bands are present in the spectra of these minerals: ∼631 cm-1 and ∼984-986 cm-1 [SO42- vibration modes]; ∼720-774 cm -1 and ∼1045-1060 cm -1 [CO32- vibration modes]; and ∼3540 cm -1 and 3591 cm -1 [H2O vibration modes]. Our study shows a clear relationship between the chemical composition and Raman characteristics of intermediate members of the cancrinite-vishnevite series, especially with regard to stretching modes of the CO32- and SO42- anions. From cancrinite-poor (Ccn65) to cancrinite-dominant (Ccn913) compositions, the SO42- vibration modes disappear from the Raman spectrum, giving way to CO32- modes. X-ray microdiffraction results show a decrease in unit-cell parameters towards cancrinite-dominant compositions: a = 12.664 (1) Å, c = 5.173(1) Å for vishnevite (Ccn22); a = 12.613 (1) Å, c = 5.132(1) Å for cancrinite (Ccn71). Our results demonstrate that Raman spectroscopy and X-ray microdiffraction are effective for in situ identification of microscopic grains of cancrinite-vishnevite where other methods (e.g. infrared spectroscopy) are inapplicable. The petrogenetic implications of cancrinite-vishnevite relations for tracing early- to late-stage evolution of alkaline magmas are discussed.

Tidal mudflats are locally enriched in heavy metals at the head of Strangford Lough in Northern Ireland, where drainage from the hinterland enters the sea lough via a tidal canal in an urban area. To characterize the metallic contaminants and investigate their provenance, heavy particles separated from stream, canal and estuarine sediments were analysed by electron microprobe and laser Raman microspectroscopic methods. Potential metal sources are mineralization in the catchment area and industrial or domestic pollution. Anthropogenic particles include metallic grains, alloys and compounds of Pb, Zn, Cu, Fe, Cr and Sn. Alteration of metallic particles includes de-zincification of brass in freshwater sediment and replacement of Cu wire by covellite in brackish to marine sediment. Mobility of Cu, Fe and S in canal and estuarine sediments is indicated by the authigenic growth of framboidal Fe sulphide on oxide substrates and of chalcopyrite rims on covellite. Intricate colloform and platy crystalline textures suggest a cyclical deposition of covellite and chalcopyrite under conditions of varying redox and salinity. Lead and Cr mobility in the contaminated estuarine sediment is shown by the authigenic formation on Pb-rich substrates of heterogeneous Pb- and Cr-rich sulphate-phosphate compounds and Pb-oxychlorides.

Iraqite, a new mineral of the ekanite group from northern Iraq, has the composition (Ln1·33 Th0·66x0·15) (K1·07y0·93) (Ca3·49 Ln0·35 Na0·16) (Si15·69 Al0·27) (O39·93 F0·07) where x = U, Pb, Zr, Fe, Mg, and Cu, and y is presumed to be vacant sites. It occurs in granite in contact with dolomitic marble. The colour is pale greenish yellow; H 4½ Dcalc 3·28 and Dmeas 3·27 (Berman balance), both corrected for minor impurity and non-structural water. Optically it is uniaxially negative with ω 1·590 and ε 1·585 though some sections show anomalous extinction up to 7°. Space group is P4/mcc with a 7·61±0·01 and c 14·72±0·02 Å. Strongest lines of the indexed powder pattern are 5·28(100), 3·31(100), 2·64(100), 7·36(80), 3·38(80), 3·40(60), 2·7(40), 7·62(30). Thermal data are given.

The crystal structure of perhamite, (Ca,Sr)3Al7.7Si3P4O23.5(OH)14.1 8H2O, from the Emmons mine, Maine, USA, has been determined using single crystal X-ray data. The average structure has trigonal symmetry, Pml, with cell parameters a=7.021(1) Å and c = 20.218(1) Å. It was refined to R1 = 0.044 for 618 observed reflections. The structure comprises ordered blocks of crandallite-type structure, centred at z = 0, intergrown parallel to (001) with disordered aluminosilicate structure blocks centred at z = 1/2 to form a microporous structure containing large channels along [100]. These channels are bounded by 8-member rings of 6 tetrahedra (2 SiO4, 2 A1O4 and 2 PO4) and 2 A1O6 octahedra. Calcium atoms and water molecules are distributed in the [100] channels. A model was developed for the local ordering of silicon into the fractionally occupied sites in the (001) layer at z = 1/2 and this model was refined in space group P321 to R1 = 0.041 for 933 observed reflections. The dominant contributors to the local order are Si3O9 rings of corner-shared tetrahedra, together with Si2O7 pairs of tetrahedra. These units corner-link to (Al,Si)O4 tetrahedra above and below the plane at z = 1/2 to form 4-member rings, which in turn corner-share to PO4 tetrahedra in the crandallite blocks to give the 8-member rings. The analysis suggests that 5-coordinated Si may also be present in the (001) plane at z = 1/2.