A group of ultrabasic dykes occurring in south-west Skye is typified by often abundant and diverse ultrabasic xenoliths composed of essentially the same minerals as the dykes. The xenoliths, which vary considerably in shape and size, are in sharp contact with the host rocks and exhibit no evidence of remelting by, or reaction with, the dykes. Although extensive axial concentration of olivine occurred in the dykes during intrusion, the xenoliths appear to be randomly distributed throughout all but the extreme margins of the dykes and often exhibit a preferred orientation. The orientation and distribution of the xenoliths are attributed to the suppression of rotation and axial migration of the xenoliths during the emplacement of the dykes because of the relatively high viscosity of the suspending medium.

The ultrabasic xenoliths, unlike many of those occurring in basalts, kimberlites, etc., are considered unlikely to represent primary upper mantle material and it is suggested that they were probably derived by the disintegration of layered ultrabasic rocks genetically related to the dykes and hence are of cognate origin.

Sampleite from Jingemia Cave, Watheroo (30° 16′ S. 116° 00° E.), 190 km north of Perth, Western Australia is derived from the alteration of copper sulphides in contact with guano deposits. Associated minerals are atacamite, weddellite, and gypsum on goethite and manganese-oxide-coated friable quartz rock. Birnessite, halite, dolomite, taranakite, todorokite, apatite, and malachite are also present.

The sampleite occurs as platy spheroidal aggregates to 0·3 mm with D 3·20±0·01, α 1·625 ∥ [010], β and γ 1·674, all ±0·002, α Turquoise Green 41d to Light Blue-Green 39d, β and γ Benzol Green 41 to Venice Green 41b, absorption α < β = γ, 2Vα 5–10°. Chemical analyses are given.

Cu3(PO4)2·3H2O, a corrosion product reported on artifacts, is believed to be sampleite. A further occurrence of sampleite has been recorded from Brookton, 120 km ESE. of Perth. The structurally related mineral lavendulan has been reported from five Western Australian localities.

Major- and trace-element data are presented for basic dykes intruding the Eastern Red Hills district of the Tertiary igneous centre of Skye. In addition to a group of transitional basic intrusions, members of two other distinctive suites have been identified: (1) a series of basic alkaline intrusions (akin to the ‘Beinn Dearg Type’ of Harker, 1904), with characteristic high alkali contents, distinctive values of K2O/(K2O + Na2O) and rare-earth-element (REE) patterns similar to those of many of the Tertiary lavas of north Skye, and, (2) tholeiitic dykes, with low concentrations ofK2O, Ti/Zr values of c. 100, and flat REE patterns similar to those of the so-called Fairy Bridge magma type (Mattey et al., 1977). From these data and a consideration of the time relationships of the various components of the Skye Centre, agreement is found with Thompson et al.'s (1972, 1980) model of a mantle thermal anomaly which generates the magmatic sequence: transitional basic magmas, giving way to olivine-bearing tholeiitic magmas (at the culmination of the anomaly), and, finally, late-stage basic alkaline magmas at the end of the activity.

The crystal chemistry of tapiolite is more complicated than previously recognized. Perusal and synthesis of relatively recent publications reveals a ‘hidden’ story about tapiolite, one that: (1) permits quantification of the effects of Mn, Fe3+, Ti (and Sn) upon the unit-cell parameters of maximally ordered tapiolite; (2) shows that the effect of Nb = Ta substitution upon unit-cell parameters is insignificant; (3) casts doubt on the usefulness of heating experiments for accurately evaluating cation order in tapiolite; (4) suggests that rutile exsolves from tapiolite upon heating in air at lower temperatures than previously established; (5) shows that the maximum solubility of TiO2 in FeTa2O6 tapiolite during the later stages of crystallization of granitic pegmatites is ∼1 mol.%; (6) shows that the heating paths for at least some natural tapiolite samples are not necessarily linear, consisting of two sequential steps; (7) sheds doubt on the usefulness of unit-cell parameters as quantitative measures of long-range cation order, Q, in tapiolite; but (8) does show that the intensity ratio I011/I110 can provide an accurate and reasonably precise measure of cation order in tapiolite.

The crystalch emistry and crystal structure of naturalky anite crystals from the Eclogitic Micaschists Complex of the Sesia-Lanzo Zone, Western Italian Alps, have been investigated by means of optical microscopy, wavelength dispersive X-ray microanalysis, and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The association of kyanite + garnet + phengitic-mica + chloritoid suggests that the eclogite-facies stages occurred at P ≤ 2.1 GPa and T ≤ 650ºC. Kyanite grains are large (cm-sized) porphyroblasts grown dynamically during one of the deformational events related to the subduction of the Austroalpine continentalcr ust. Under the polarizing microscope, kyanite grains show almost homogeneous cores, whereas rims are sometimes symplectitic aggregates of quartz and kyanite, confirming at least two stages of growth most likely related to the multistage deformational history of these rocks. Chemical analysis shows that Fe3+ is the major substituting cation for Al3+, ranging between 0.038 and 0.067 a.p.f.u.

The single-crystal X-ray diffraction investigation of the kyanites shows severely textured patterns on the (h0l)*-plane. Such evidence is not observed in the unwarped diffraction patterns on (0kl)* and (hk0)*. The most significant difference between the structuralp arameters refined in this study, with respect to those of previously published unstrained gem-quality crystals, concerns the displacement parameters. The anisotropic displacement ellipsoids of all the atomic sites are significantly larger than those previously described, and systematically oriented with the largest elliptical section almost perpendicular to [010]. The larger ellipsoids in the kyanite crystal investigated here reflect the displacement of the centre of gravity of the electron distribution, rather than an anomalous atomic thermal motion. The magnitude and orientation of the displacement parameters and the textured/strained diffraction pattern may be the result of two combined effects: (1) that the kyanite crystals are actually composed of several blocks; (2) the crystals are affected by a pervasive residual strain, as a result of tectonometamorphic plastic deformations and re-crystallization.

The Bondoc Peninsula meteorite appears to be unstable and is disintegrating as the result of terrestrial corrosion. The meteorite is complex with occasional 1 to 3 cm dia. ‘Nodules’ of ‘iron-class’ material, fig. 1, within which are numerous non-metallic inclusions. These range in size from 0·5–1·5 mm and vary in shape from the extremes of angular to globular, shown in figs. 2 and 3. The metallic groundmass of fig. 1 is a polycrystalline array of kamacite grains that are equant in shape and about 3 to 4 mm dia. The boundaries between these kamacite grains are heavily invaded by corrosion product. The films of cracked schreibersite and strips of compositionally zoned taenite that are present at the kamacite boundaries each contribute about 2 % by volume and their average Ni contents are about 45 wt% and 40 wt% respectively. When these figures are combined with the average 6·2 wt% Ni, 0·75 wt% Co, and 0·02 wt% P of the kamacite the resulting bulk composition of the metal is ∼ 7·5 wt% Ni, ∼ 0·7 wt% Co, ∼ 0·3 wt% P. Nital etching reveals partially annealed Neumann bands in the kamacite, indicating a late stage reheating below about 500°C. However, the M profile method of Wood (1967) when applied to the zoned taenite yields a cooling rate of 0·1–0·5°C/Myr before this reheating event.

The angular inclusions are relatively coarsely crystalline and commonly have massive chromite and tridymite crystals, with pyroxene, anorthite, and whitlockite usually present. Most angular inclusions also contain small particles of metal (10–40 µm dia.) interstitial to the mineral phases in the depth of the inclusion. Small quantities of sulphide and phosphide are similarly located. The metal in the angular inclusions is not detectably zoned and both kamacite and taenite show a range of Ni contents that vary with particle size in the manner previously observed by Powell (1969) for a range of conventional mesosiderites. We have in addition measured the Co and P contents of this metal and find P < 0·1 wt% and the Ni and Co analyses are consistent with equilibration in the ternary Fe-Ni-Co equilibrium diagram at ∼ 450 °C.

A petrological and geochemical study has been made of the late Precambrian St. David's granophyre (SDG) and the Cwm Bach rhyolites (CBR). The SDG is trondhjemitic, peraluminous, and chemically zoned with lower Na/K ratios in its interior portions. Although the SDG contains only minor amounts of K, the Rb content is relatively high and ratios of immobile versus mobile elements indicate that K has been removed. The CBR are flow-banded and autobrecciated subaerial rhyolite flows which are more K-rich and less altered than the SDG, lying close to the ternary minimum composition of the system Q-Or-Ab-(H2O). K mobility is considered to result from the reaction K-feldspar→ K-mica which released excess K ions, imparting peraluminous compositions to the rocks. On the basis of this reaction the original K content of the rocks has been estimated, the values for which are more compatible with immobile element abundances and with normal igneous trends. Similar abundances of the relatively immobile elements Ti, Zr, Sr, Y and Nb, together with K-corrected K/Rb ratios, suggest that the SDG and CBR may be comagmatic volcanic-arc-collision-type granite and rhyolite.

Reaction textures including corona structures in granulites from the Proterozoic Long Range Inlier of western Newfoundland are spatially associated with a Silurian (0.34 Ga) mafic intrusion, the Taylor Brook Gabbro Complex. They comprise, in metabasites and tonalitic gneiss, coronal orthopyroxene and plagioclase on garnet and, in metapelites, cordierite and spinel formed at the expense of sillimanite, garnet and quartz. Although generally interpreted to indicate near-isothermal decompression (ITD) following regional metamorphism, which in the inlier occurred at ˜1.10–1.03 Ga, these features appear to be absent elsewhere. Therefore they are interpreted to be products of contact metamorphism (near-isobaric heating – IBH) within the thermal aureole of the gabbro. Thus, there is a ˜0.7 Ga difference (i.e. mid-Proterozoic vs. mid-Silurian) between the age of the regional metamorphic mineral assemblages and the contact aureole assemblages. The observation that classic ITD features occur in this aureole environment underscores the fact that P-sensitive reactions can progress during IBH as well as by pressure release.

This paper presents new data on the metasomatic development of zoned ultramafic balls from Fiskenaesset, West Greenland. Field and petrographic evidence indicate retrogression of original ultrabasic inclusions in acid country rock gneisses to serpentinemagnesite assemblages, followed by regional metamorphism and consequent development of the zonal structure upon metasomatic re-equilibration via a supercritical aqueous fluid phase confined to grain boundaries. The balls show varying degrees of deviation from an ideal sequence (antigorite-talc-tremolite-hornblende-chlorite-country rock) intimated by non-equilibrium thermo-dynamics, the currently accepted conceptual framework for the discussion of diffusion metasomatism.

Major and trace-element variations behave in a similar manner to those reported from other zoned ultramafic balls but fail to define the original country rock ultrabasic discontinuity unambiguously. It is tentatively suggested that application of the apparently systematic deviations from ideality may provide additional evidence.

The presence of a hornblende zone and absence of a continuous biotite zone are two significant differences from other zoned ultramafic bodies. The former may suggest increased mobility of the aluminium species at Fiskenaesset, the latter a lower temperature of formation or smaller K2O content of the gneissic hosts.

Intracellular crystals of aragonite have been identified by selected area electron diffraction (SAED) in the freshwater filamentous alga Spirogyra sp. which grows sporadically as carpets in the Thames river, Ontario, Canada. The crystals are 2 to 24 µm in length, and characterized by a unique cross-shaped morphology, in which needle-like, or prismatic outgrowths develop from a common axis. Crystals may be dispersed through filaments, but tend to cluster as aggregates towards the centre.

A rich vein of silver and silver-lead sulphosalt minerals was discovered in 1906 in the Meerschaum Mine, on the Sunnyside goldfield at Mt. Wills, in northeastern Victoria. Andorite, miargyrite, tetrahedrite (freibergite), owyheeite, and argentian gold are the main silver-bearing minerals present, and sphalerite, pyrite, arsenopyrite, and covelline also occur in the vein.

The vein was probably emplaced under epithermal conditions from ore fluids accompanying the intrusion of the Mt. Wills granite. The main silver-bearing minerals were probably deposited at temperatures ranging from about 350 ° to below 300 °C.

Semi-aquatic and native plants collected from a mining site in the Iberian Pyrite Belt were analysed. Semi-aquatic plants showed enrichment of Cu (1.2—11 times), Zn (1.3—6 times), Pb (5—8 times) and As (24—1300 times) relative to typical concentrations in plants of the same species growing at uncontaminated sites. Translocation factors indicate limited internal metal transportation from roots to shoots. Infrared spectroscopy identified aromatic and aliphatic C-H (CH2) groups, S-O complexes and kaolinite in semi-aquatic plants.

Andychristyite, PbCu2+Te6+O5(H2O), is a new tellurate mineral from Otto Mountain near Baker, California, USA. It occurs in vugs in quartz in association with timroseite. It is interpreted as having formed from the partial oxidation of primary sulfides and tellurides during or following brecciation of quartz veins. Andychristyite is triclinic, space group P1̄, with unit-cell dimensions a = 5.322(3), b= 7.098(4), c = 7.511 (4) Å, α = 83.486(7), β = 76.279(5), γ = 70.742(5)°, V = 260.0(2) Å3 and Z = 2. It forms as small tabular crystals up to ∼50 μm across, in sub-parallel aggregates. The colour is bluish green and the streak is very pale bluish green. Crystals are transparent with adamantine lustre. The Mohs hardness is estimated at between 2 and 3. Andychristyite is brittle with an irregular fracture and one perfect cleavage on {001}. The calculated density based on the empirical formula is 6.304 g/cm3. The mineral is optically biaxial, with large 2V, strong dispersion, and moderate very pale blue-green to medium blue-green pleochroism. The electron microprobe analyses (average of five) provided: PbO 43.21, CuO 15.38, TeO3 35.29, H2O 3.49 (structure), total 97.37 wt.%. The empirical formula (based on 6 O apfu) is: Pb0.98Cu2+0.98Te6+1.02O6H 1.96. The Raman spectrum exhibits prominent features consistent with the mineral being a tellurate, as well as an OH stretching feature confirming a hydrous component. The eight strongest powder X-ray diffraction lines are [dobs in Å(I)(hkl)]: 6.71(16)(010), 4.76(17)(110), 3.274(100)(120,102,012), 2.641(27)(102, 211, 112), 2.434(23)(multiple), 1.6736(17)(multiple), 1.5882(21)(multiple) and 1.5133(15)(multiple). The crystal structure of andychristyite (R1 = 0.0165 for 1511 reflections with Fo > 4σF) consists of stair-step-like hcp polyhedral layers of Te6+O6 and Cu2+O6 octahedra parallel to {001}, which are linked in the [001] direction by bonds to interlayer Pb atoms. The structures of eckhardite, bairdite, timroseite and paratimroseite also contain stair-step-like hcp polyhedral layers.

Sub-greenschist facies metamorphism has produced unusual subcalcic, Fe-rich actinolitic amphiboles in meta-dolerites from the Glenrock Station area, NSW. They show edenite, riebeckite, ferri-tschermakite and Ti-tschermakite coupled substitutions. Their high Fe content is attributed to high aFe2+ and aFe3+ in the fluid phase produced during the breakdown of clinopyroxene, hornblende, magnetite, and ilmenite. The high aFe2+ led to Fe led to Fe2- occupying the B site, resulting in the formation of subcalcic amphiboles. Variation in aFe2+, aFe3+, aMg, aSi, aAl, and aCa, in different domains resulted in the crystallization of chemically inhomogeneous amphiboles.

A sample of levyne-Na from Dunseverick, Antrim, Northern Ireland, UK, has been characterized from the crystal chemical and structural point of view. Its mean crystal chemical formula, calculated on the basis of 54(Si+Al), is Na7.72Ca4.62K1.31Sr0.08Mg0.02(Al19.55Si34.45O107.50)·50.5H2O. Levyne-Na is associated with erionite-Na whose chemical formula is Na6.08Ca0.8 5K2.55Mg0.16(Al10.41Si25.59O72.13)·30.6H2O, calculated on the basis of 36(Si+Al). Their compositions are consistent with those of levyne/erionite inter/overgrowth reported in the literature. The structural analysis, carried out by the Rietveld method on laboratory parallel-beam X-ray powder diffraction data, is in good agreement with the chemical composition representing a significant improvement with respect to the available data so far. Extra-Framework (EF) cations are allocated at four sites, Ca1, Na3, K4 and Na5 with partial occupancy. Water molecules are distributed among five sites. Possible coexistence schemes of cations, forced by the avoidance of short contacts are proposed and validated by bond valence analysis.

The occurrence of acmitic pyroxenes in the post-Cambrian intrusions of the north-west of Scotland was first noted by Teall (Home and Teall, 1892) who recorded aegirine in two dikes discovered by Gunn in the Coigach district of Ross-shire, and aegirine-augite in the borolanite of the Cnoc-na-Srbine mass. Since then, acmitic pyroxenes have been recorded by Teall (1900) from the Assynt felsites, Shand (1910) from dikes of the border zone of Cnoc-na-Srbine, and Phemister (1926) from the dikes and plutonic rocks of the Loch Ailsh laccolite.

Having undertaken a comprehensive examination, in the field and in the laboratory, of the post-Cambrian sills and dikes of the Assynt district, the writer determined some of the optical constants of the acmitic pyroxenes of these intrusions. Arising from this work the considerable data now available on the acmitic pyroxenes has been reviewed. A chemical analysis has also been carried out, and it is hoped that the information assembled and re-interpreted here may be of some general interest.