Putnisite, SrCa4Cr83+ (CO7)8SO4(OH)16·25H2O, is a new mineral from the Polar Bear peninsula, Southern Lake Cowan, Western Australia, Australia. The mineral forms isolated pseudocubic crystals up to 0.5 mm in size in a matrix composed of quartz and a near amorphous Cr silicate. Putnisite is translucent, with a pink streak and vitreous lustre. It is brittle and shows one excellent and two good cleavages parallel to {100}, {010} and {001}. The fracture is uneven and the Mohs hardness 1½−2. The measured density is 2.20(3) g/cm3 and the calculated density based on the empirical formula is 2.23 g/cm3. Optically, putnisite is biaxial negative, with α = 1.552(3), β = 1.583(3) and γ = 1.599(3) (measured in white light). The optical orientation is uncertain and pleochroism is distinct: X pale bluish grey, Y pale purple, Z pale purple. Putnisite is orthorhombic, space group Pnma, with a = 15.351(3), b = 20.421(4) Å, c = 18.270(4) Å, V = 5727(2) Å3 (single-crystal data), and Z = 4. The strongest five lines in the X-ray powder diffraction pattern are [d(Å)(I)(hkl)]: 13.577 (100) (011), 7.659 (80) (200), 6.667 (43) (211), 5.084 (19) (222, 230), 3.689 (16) (411). Electron microprobe analysis (EMPA) gave (wt.%): Na2O 0.17, MgO 0.08, CaO 10.81, SrO 5.72, BaO 0.12, CuO 0.29, Cr2O3 31.13, SO3 3.95, SiO2 0.08, Cl− 0.28, CO2calc 17.94, H2Ocalc 30.30, O=Cl−0.06, total 100.81. The empirical formula, based on O + Cl = 69, is: Cr8.023+Ca3.78Sr1.08Na0.11Cu0.072+Mg0.04Ba0.02[(SO4)0.96(SiO4)0.03]0.99 (CO3)7.98(OH)16.19Cl0.15·24.84H2O. The crystal structure was determined from single-crystal X-ray diffraction data (MoKα, CCD area detector and refined to R1 = 5.84% for 3181 reflections with F0 > 4σF. Cr(OH)4O2 octahedra link by edge-sharing to form an eight-membered ring. A 10-coordinated Sr2+ cation lies at the centre of each ring. The rings are decorated by CO3 triangles, each of which links by corner-sharing to two Cr(OH)4O2 octahedra. Rings are linked by Ca(H2O)4O4 polyhedra to form a sheet parallel to (100). Adjacent sheets are joined along [100] by corner-sharing SO4 tetrahedra. H2O molecules occupy channels that run along [100] and interstices between slabs. Moderate to weak hydrogen bonding provides additional linkage between slabs.

Kagomé nets of corner-connected triangles of atoms occur in diverse minerals, from the {111} anion arrays in perovskite-group minerals to natural metallic alloys like auricupride, AuCu3, to the cation layers in atacamite-group minerals. We review here two- and three-dimensional kagomé networks in minerals where the kagomé node atoms are octahedrally coordinated in hexagonal tungsten bronze (HTB) arrays. Octahedral tilting, coupled with capping of the apical anions of the triangular groupings of octahedra in the HTB layers, gives rise to several important mineral groups, including pyrochlores, alunite-supergroup minerals, zirconolite and weberite polytypes and spinel-group minerals, as a function of the magnitude and type of the octahedral tilting.

A platina sample brought to Spain in the last quarter of the 18th century is nowadays exhibited at the National Museum of Natural Sciences in Madrid. It originated from the ancient Mineralogical Museum of the School of Applied Chemistry at El Turco Street in Madrid and most probably corresponds to the material used by François Chabaneau for his experiments to purify platinum metal in the late 18th century. The sample is a heavy-mineral concentrate consisting of Pt–Fe alloys and gold nuggets associated with ilmenite–hematite, chromian spinel, goethite and minor quartz, sphene, rutile, magnetite, hornblende, garnet, calcite, pyrite, native bismuth and bismite. The Pt–Fe alloys exhibit a characteristic composition (81.97–90.75 wt.% Pt and 5.08–10.81 wt.% Fe with minor amounts of Cu, Os, Ir, Ru, Rh and Pd) and mineralogy of solid inclusions (abundant inclusions of Ir alloy as well as Os alloy, laurite–erlichmanite, bowieite, tulameenite and undetermined Pt–Pd–Ir–Rh antimonides and tellurides) that are very similar to those Pt–Fe alloys currently mined in western Colombia (the Chocó Department). These features allow us to discuss the provenance of the sample (probably from the proximal or medial reaches of any of the Chocó rivers) and evaluate the suitability of the Chabaneau's method for purifying platina. Our results show that the method became effective only with platina samples depleted or lacking iridium.

This work is the first in situ U–Pb geochronological study of perovskite and calcic garnet (andradite) from the Guli complex in the Maimecha–Kotuy alkaline province (Polar Siberia, Russia). The U–Pb isotopic compositions of perovskite from contact zones of the two carbonatite stocks (Southern and Northern) and from jacupirangite separating the stocks were determined by laser-ablation inductively-coupled-plasma mass-spectrometry (LA-ICPMS) and isotope-dilution thermal-ionisation mass-spectrometry (ID-TIMS). The LA-ICPMS and ID-TIMS data for perovskite from the Northern carbonatite stock are in good agreement, yielding 206Pb/238U ages of 250.4 ± 1.1 Ma and 249 ± 2 Ma, respectively. These ages are also within the analytical uncertainty from the ID-TIMS results for perovskite from jacupirangites (250 ± 1 Ma). The LA-ICPMS results for perovskite from the Southern carbonatite stock indicate its somewhat older age (255.3 ± 2.4 Ma), implying the possibility of small-volume mantle magmatism predating the eruption of the Siberian flood basalts at ca. 252–251 Ma. This interpretation is supported by reports of pre-flood magmatism elsewhere in eastern Siberia. Andradite crystals from the contact between the Southern stock and metasomatised melilitolite were analysed by ID-TIMS. These measurements are inconclusive (247 ± 6 Ma) and could not be used to constrain further the timing of carbonatitic magmatism in the southern part of the complex. The present contribution also presents a refined methodology for LA-ICPMS geochronological studies of perovskite with elevated levels of common lead, and addresses some of the problems with previously proposed calibration standards.

Among a number of specimens which the senior author (J. l)rugman) obtained some years ago from the widow of a mine manager, Mr. Legrand, of Belgian nationality, was one of massive blendc from the Flor de Peña mine, Lampazos, Nuevo Leon, Mexico, which carried a small quantity of a bright yellow, transparent substance that could not be identified with any known mineral. Goniometric and optical examination showed it to be monoclinic, but the material was mainly massive radiating-prismatic, and the few freely developed crystals gave only very approximate measurements (see table II). A chemical analysis by the iunior author showed it to be indeed a new mineral, a basic zinc arsenate, and the name ‘legrandite’ is proposed for it in recognition of the collector. The larger part of what remains after investigation of the small specimen has been presented to the British Museum for preservation in the mineral collection.

An elongated boss of alkali dolerite is described having a NW. trend and measuring 800 m. by 250 m. Two main rock-types occur, an ophitic feldsparrich analeime-olivine-dolerite or leucodolerite and a tesehenite with subhedral pyroxene. The second type is intrusive into the first but the two are associated in vertical veins. Both show local banding and analcime-nepheline-syenite forms a differentiate of both. Finer grained olivine-rich dolerite resembling the crinanites of Jura occurs at the NW. extremity of the boss and probably represents the original magma. All four types have been analysed and are thought to be the products of normal crystal fractionation with slight absolute iron enrichment. The boss was apparently headed not far above the existing exposures and is considered to be of Tertiary age. The pyroxene and olivine of the leucodolerite have been separated and analysed.

Previous X-ray observations by J. Lima-de-Faria and P. Gay on the transformation goethite-hematite indicate that in the process of state change at low temperatures, maxima of scattered X-ray intensity occur as satellites to strong and diffuse Bragg maxima due to hematite. These maxima define a repeat distance of about 32 Å. Corresponding satellite maxima have been observed using electron diffraction technique and satellite maxima flanking the direct beam (000) have been used to obtain a direct electron optical image of the disordered state at high magnification. Such photographs show a mainly regular fringe system with spacing of approximately 30 Å. Dislocation patterns were also observed.

The mineral tilleyite was first discovered by Larsen and Dunham in thermally metamorphosed limestones from the contact zone at Crestmore, California. It is associated there with merwinite, wollastonite, spurrite, and gehlenite, and the rock is traversed by streaks of idocrase with grossular. The amount of tilleyite in these rocks was apparently small, but in certain thermally metamorphosed limestones from Carlingford it is abundant and some specimens are practically pure tilleyite-rocks, it has been possible, therefore, to make a more detailed optical and chemical examination of this mineral. The tilleyite occurs as subidioblastic crystals when abundant, or as rounded grains in calcite-rich rocks, or as irregular plates.

The new mineral hrabákite (IMA2020-034) was found in siderite–sphalerite gangue with minor dolomite–ankerite at the dump of shaft No. 9, one of the mines in the abandoned Příbram uranium and base-metal district, central Bohemia, Czech Republic. Hrabákite is associated with Pb-rich tučekite, Hg-rich silver, stephanite, nickeline, millerite, gersdorffite, sphalerite and galena. The new mineral occurs as rare prismatic crystals up to 120 μm in size and allotriomorphic grains. Hrabákite is grey with a brownish tint. Mohs hardness is ca. 5–6; the calculated density is 6.37 g.cm–3. In reflected light, hrabákite is grey with a brown hue. Bireflectance is weak and pleochroism was not observed. Anisotropy under crossed polars is very weak (brownish tints) to absent. Internal reflections were not observed. Reflectance values of hrabákite in air (Rmin–Rmax, %) are: 39.6–42.5 at 470 nm, 45.0–47.5 at 546 nm, 46.9–49.2 at 589 nm and 48.9–51.2 at 650 nm). The empirical formula for hrabákite, based on electron-microprobe analyses (n = 11), is (Ni8.91Co0.09Fe0.03)9.03(Pb0.94Hg0.04)0.98(Sb0.91As0.08)0.99S7.99. The ideal formula is Ni9PbSbS8, which requires Ni 47.44, Pb 18.60, Sb 10.93 and S 23.03, total of 100.00 wt.%. Hrabákite is tetragonal, P4/mmm, a = 7.3085(4), c = 5.3969(3) Å, with V = 288.27(3) Å3 and Z = 1. The strongest reflections of the calculated powder X-ray diffraction pattern [d, Å (I)(hkl)] are: 3.6543(57)(200); 3.2685(68)(210); 2.7957(100)(211); 2.3920(87)(112); 2.3112(78)(310); 1.8663(74)(222); and 1.8083(71)(302). According to the single-crystal X-ray diffraction data (Rint = 0.0218), the unit cell of hrabákite is undoubtedly similar to the cell reported for tučekite. The structure contains four metal cation sites, two Sb (Sb1 dominated by Pb2+) and two Ni (with minor Co2+ content) sites. The close similarity in metrics between hrabákite and tučekite is due to similar bond lengths of Pb–S and Sb–S pairs. Hrabákite is named after Josef Hrabák, the former professor of the Příbram Mining College.

The material on which the following description is based was presented by Dr. A. L. Hall to the Department of Mineralogy at Cambridge, and I am greatly indebted to him and to Prof. A. Hutchinson for affording me the opportunity of describing it. The first account of the occurrence was given by Dr. Hall, recording from Aarkop, Magoloring, 'a beautiful delicately rose-coloured mica … in compact dark bluish-grey ore as thick, short, colmnnar aggregates not unlike little books of mica with pseudo-hexagonal outlines and showing the characteristic perfect basal cleavage … the mate: rial was found on the higher slopes defining the west side of Martha's Kloof'. This description was amplified somewhat in a later publication, with the addition of an analysis (see below). As noted therein the mineral also resembles that described by Chudoba as a manganophyllite allied to the phlogopite group, but the fuller description given below reveals important differences.

Les chlorites peuvent être définis d'après G. Tschermak (I), puis t A. Lacroix (2), comme des silicates hydratés d' Al, de Mg, et de Fe, de couleur généralement verte, possédant un elivage facile suivant (001), les lames de clivages étant flexibles, sans être élastiques, comme celles du mica. Dans un travail antérieur, l'un de nous (3) avait tenté d'établir une classification de ces minéraux, en se basant directement sat les données de l'analyse chimique, sans faire intervenir d'idée théorique sur leur constitution, comme l'avait fait G. Tschermak et d'autres auteurs aprés lui. Peu de temps après, un certain nombre de recherches, effectuées à l'aide de rayons X, ont permis d'élucider les caractéres essentiels de la structure de ces phyllites. On peut done raisonnablement en tenter une nouvelle classification chimique tenant compte du schéma structural établi actuellement. C'cst ce que nous nous proposons de faire dans ce mémoire, aprés avoir exposé quelques remarques sur des travaux récents.

Reflectivities of a series of oriented polished sections through a single crystal of pyrrhotine (Fe1−αS) from Trepča, Yugoslavia, were measured by means of a spectral photometer attached to a microscope. This pyrrhotine consists of two phases, namely intermediate pyrrhotine (∼ Fe9S10) and monoclinic pyrrhotine (∼ Fe7S8), which were probably formed by exsolution. The phase relations of pyrrhotine at low temperatures are discussed. Optical data are given for the intermediate pyrrhotine from 440 to 660 mµ. From the reflectivities measured in air and oil against a carborundum standard, values of n, k, and κ were calculated for ω and ε and represented in dispersion curves. Also, sections through the various ‘indicating surfaces’ at 546 mµ are shown. The accuracy of the values, which should be approximately the same for other pyrrhotine phases, is discussed.

From the extinction curve of a biaxial crystal mounted on a spindle stage (or one-axis stage goniometer), the related n0 curve can be derived and drawn on the stereogram. The n0 curve is the equivibration curve—or constant-refractive-index curve—that goes through the projection P0 of the spindle-stage axis. After the principal diameters (maximum 2η and minimum 2ζ) of the no curve have been measured, the angle 2V may be calculated by means of the formula cos V = sin ζ/sin η. This method can also be used for determining—or refining—the directions of the principal axes α, β, γ.

This work presents a detailed study of platinum-group mineral (PGM) assemblages from the Malaya Kamenushka River placer, whose formation is associated with the weathering of the Kamenushensky Uralian–Alaskan type massif, Middle Urals, Russian Federation. The deposit is characterised by the dominance of isoferroplatinum, together with significant numbers of inclusions of Os–Ir–Ru alloys and platinum-group element (PGE) sulfides. A study of the Os–Ir–Ru alloys permitted recognition of two types of iridium with different morphology and composition. The similarity of the PGM assemblages from the Malaya Kamenushka River placer and the lode mineralisation of the Kamenushensky massif is demonstrated. A comparison of PGM assemblages from the Malaya Kamenushka River placer with other placers and massifs of the Ural platinum belt demonstrates significant differences in the number of Os–Ir–Ru inclusions. Such differences for minerals of refractory elements cannot be explained by the vertical zoning of the lode mineralisation. Most probably this is associated with the enrichment of the primary substrate with Os, Ir and Ru and/or the degree of melting, depending on the chosen model of formation of the Uralian–Alaskan type massifs.

Several gold deposits hosted mainly by Variscan granites and Precambrian to Palaeozoic metasediments occur in the northwestern part of Portugal. Most of these deposits were mined by the Romans (in the period I BC to II AD) as open pits and surface galleries. The Castromil-Serra da Quinta gold deposit is an important example of such a mined site; it occurs in the Dúrico-Beirã Au province located in the Central Iberian Zone (CIZ) in the western branch of European Variscan belt, mainly on the eastern flank of the Valongo anticline. Open pits and underground galleries at Castromil-Serra da Quinta exploited the gossan formed from the weathering of primary mineralization. The gossan is composed essentially of goethite, scorodite and clay minerals. A recent drilling campaign at Castromil-Serra da Quinta has provided samples of the primary mineralization below the oxidation level. Different modes of gold occurrence are defined based on metallographic studies of both the gossan and drill cores. Gold I occurs encapsulated in primary sulfide minerals, mainly arsenopyrite and pyrite; Gold II is also associated with the main primary sulfides, but occurs along grain boundaries and in microfractures of the sulfides or in associated quartz veins; and Gold III occurs as free gold particles in iron oxides within the gossan. In the gossan samples, it is difficult to distinguish whether the gold particles hosted in oxides correspond to Gold I, Gold II, or both, so these particles are described as Gold I–II and they are commonly surrounded by very much smaller particles of Gold III. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) and electron probe microanalysis (EPMA) data for the different gold particles reveal that Gold I is poorer in Ag (~15.5–39.76%) than Gold II (37.46–51.45%), whereas Gold III corresponds to native gold (<16.11% Ag). Gold III is thought to reflect gold enrichment in the upper level of the deposit, resulting from weathering processes that affected the primary Au (Bi) mineralization.

The Caledonian fold belt of East Greenland contains calc-alkaline granite (sensu lato) intrusions with ages ranging from c.2000 Ma to c.350 Ma. The Proterozoic granites have low U contents and the pre-Devonian Caledonian granites contents of U corresponding to the clarke value for U in granites. Some aspects of the geochemistry of U are discussed using U-K/Rb, U-Sr, U-Zr, and U-Th diagrams. Secondary enrichment and mineralization occurs in fractured and hydrothermally altered granites and rhyolites situated in or near a major NNE fault zone. The U is associated with iron oxides or hydrocarbons. It is suggested that the source of the mineralization was Devonian acid magma, which also acted as a heat source for circulating hydrothermal fluids.

Junitoite, CaZn2Si2O7·H2O, is orthorhombic, space group Area2, with a = 12.510, b = 6.318, c = 8.561 Å, Z = 4. The structure, determined on the basis of three-dimensional Mo-Kα intensity data for 745 reflections refined to R = 0.10. The structure consists of ZnO4 tetrahedral chains along b joined by Si2O4 groups along a and c to form a three-dimensional network. Ca occurs in distorted CaO5(H2O) octahedra. The structure shows similarities to hemimorphite and Ca-Zn silicates but represents a unique tetrahedral framework.

Proposal 16-C was accepted by the Commission on New Minerals and Mineral Names of the International Mineralogical Association, and parabariomicrolite is discredited as identical to hydrokenomicrolite-3R. There are now two type localities: Alto do Giz pegmatite, Equador Co., Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil and Volta Grande pegmatite, Nazareno, Minas Gerais, Brazil.