Basal cleavage faces of apophyllite crystals were etched in the base etchant (dil HF) containing different concentrations of ammonium fluoride as a poisoning salt. At low concentrations, square pyramidal pits formed with their sides parallel to the <100> direction. At higher concentrations, pits with their sides parallel to the <100> direction were formed. The lateral growth of a pit is dependent on pH value of the etching solution. Activation energy for dissolution at a pit (active site) was found to decrease with increasing concentration of poison in the base etchant. The change in orientation of the pit is attributed to adsorption of aqueous complexes having different chemical constitutions which have different directional adsorption sites in apophyllite.

The first occurrence of thaumasite resulting from seawater-basalt interaction has been discovered in a drill hole on Mururoa atoll (French Polynesia, South Pacific). This sulphate-carbonate-silicate is associated with zeolites (phillipsite, chabazite, gmelinite), apophyllite, analcime, and gyrolite. In this environment thaumasite can be considered as the last mineral of an alteration sequence. It crystallized from a Ca-SO3-CO2-rich and Al-Na-K-poor fluid. The temperature of this solution is unknown, but was probably not greater than 100°C.

Most of 325 K-feldspars from the Hida metamorphic belt are characterized by diffuse 131 and 11 reflections. These K-feldspars are classified into eight obliquity types on the basis of the width of the 131 peak or the ratio of mean height of two outer peaks (131 and 11) to that of the middle composite peak. From the distribution of obliquity types and the microscopic characteristics of K-feldspars, this area is divisible into six zones.

The feature of each zone is shown by the frequency distribution of eight obliquity types in each zone, which reflects the strength of later retrogressive effects. The frequency distribution of Δ values in each of the types IV-VIII provides further information on later events.

The result of the K-feldspar study possibly indicates that the inversion of monoclinic to triclinic K-feldspar, characterized by the development of perthitic texture or crosshatched twinning, is sensitive to the degree of later retrogressive events. Some data on 2θ values of 04, 060 and 01 reflections in each types are presented.

We report an unusual occurrence of margarite, corundum, gahnite and zincohögbomite from the Raleigh terrane in the Piedmont Province of Virginia. The assemblage occurs in a chlorite-rich blackwall associated with a small metamorphosed ultramafic rock body. The blackwall is dominated by chlorite, but also contains distinctive clusters (1–4 mm across) that typically consist of ragged Zn-rich spinel grains surrounded by masses of randomly oriented margarite. Also spatially associated with spinel are smaller grains of corundum and högbomite. In most cases, spinel and högbomite are sufficiently enriched in Zn to be called gahnite and zincohögbomite, respectively. Some högbomite grains are distinctly banded in back-scattered electron images, primarily reflecting variations in Zn-content. Textures suggest that högbomite formed at the expense of spinel (although locally the reverse relationship holds), and högbomite compositions mimic those of spinel. Margarite appears to be a later phase, and textures imply formation via reactions with spinel, corundum and, possibly, chlorite. This occurrence of Zn-rich spinel and högbomite is clearly related to the bulk composition of the blackwall rock, which contains >2500 ppm Zn. The origin of this Zn-rich composition is unclear, but could be due to a small amount of sphalerite or zincian-staurolite in the protolith.

The first results of isotopic investigations as a part of the hydrogeological study of northern Switzerland are presented. This study is part of the global geological research project of the NAGRA (National Co-operative for the Storage of Radioactive Waste) which is intended to provide the scientific knowledge required for the assessment of the feasibility of safe disposal of highly radioactive waste in the geological formations of the area. The aim of the hydrogeological research programme is to assess the natural conditions in the sedimentary sequence and the underlying granite basement, by regional investigation of hydraulic parameters, isotopic composition, and hydrogeochemistry at all existing wells (boreholes and natural thermal springs) and in 11 to 12 deep-drilled boreholes (to final depth of 1500–2500 m).

Since W. Lindgren first detected the presence of microphenocrysts of analcime in basalt, many observers have recorded this mineral as a constituent of igneous rocks, but there is some difficulty in distinguishing between analcime and glass and between analcime and leucite in thin rock-sections. For instance, H. Rosenbusch identified the interstitial colourless isotropic material in monchiquites as glass, whereas L. V. Pirsson showed it to be analcime. H.S. Washington showed that basalts from Sardinia, previously thought to be leueitic, contain phenocrysts of analcime. A. Lacroix also found, in his study of north African basaltic lavas, that in many cases so-called leucite-lavas actually contain analcime and not leucite.

My attention was first directed to this rock by Mr. Cruickshank, clerk of works at Beaufort Castle, in July of last year, when, from the description he gave of it, I ventured to pronounce it barytes. Specimens were soon after this put into my hands by Mr. Cruickshank, when I found that my conjecture was a correct one. There was another mineral associated with the barytes, of which we will speak afterwards. The specimens received were so very fine, that I resolved to visit the locality to be able to describe its surroundings and procure specimens for myself. This I did in May last in company with two of my colleagues and Mr. John Ross, one of Lord Lovat's gamekeepers, and who I believe was the first to call attention to this new locality.

An attempt was made to determine the true symmetry of the cleavage flakes of aramayoite by means of the Laue photographic method. Since X-ray diffraction takes place within the crystal, the lack of welldeveloped faces other than main cleavage faces was no disadvantage. One feature, however, which did prove a difficulty, was the pliability of thin clevage flakes referred to by Dr. Spencer. It was essential that the whole of the main cleavage face upon which the X-ray beam was incident should be strictly perpendicular to that beam. In order to ensure this, only those flakes were used which gave a single optical reflection, and two distinct methods of setting were resorted to. In the first case the slit (circular aperture) was used vertically ; the flat end of the slit system was ground truly perpendicular to the slit itself and was thus horizontal.

This paper describes a harmotome from the Korsnäs mine in Finland, which occurs in the same open cavity as the yellow apophyllite previously reported in this journal. The harmotome is always twinned according to the morvenite and Marburg laws. Chemical composition, optical properties, X-ray powder pattern, and single crystal data are given.

The theory of a new method for the determination of reflectivity at truly normal incidence is described. A parallel light beam falls on the specimen after passing through a glass cube with semi-silvered diagonal mounted at the centre of an optical goniometer. The various reflected beams are measured by a photomultiplier fixed to the telescope of the goniometer. Experiment has proved the validity of the method and the spectral reflectivity of pyrite in air and in oil has been investigated.

In the absence of published experimental data on phase equilibria in the ternary system Fe-Sb-S and on the stability relations of gudmundite (FeSbS) and berthierite (FeSb2S4) , some preliminary investigations on the upper stability limit of natural gudmundite are briefly described. On heating in vacuo, As-free gudmundite broke down between 269° and 288°C, an approximate upper stability limit of 280±10°C conforming to the stability relations of the associated phases.

Augelite was one of several aluminium phosphates from the iron mine of Westanå, Skåne, Sweden, described by C. W. Blomstrancl in 1868 (Öfv. Ak. Förh. Stockh. XXV. 1868, p. 199). He states it to be a massive mineral with distinct cleavages in three directions, and names it augelite (avγη lustre) on account of the strong pearly lustre on the cleavage ṡurfaces. He determines its specific gravity as 2.77, and, as the result of his analyses, represents its chemical composition by the formula, 2Al2O3. P2O5. 3H2O. Since this paper of Blomstrand, as far as we are aware, no further reference to augelite has been made, and, since hitherto distinct crystals of the mineral have not bhen found, its position as a definite species seems to have been regarded as somewhat doubtful, for we find that Dana, in the last edition of the System of Mineralogy, includes it in a rather unsatisfactory group of more or less doubtful species appended to evansite.

A simple photoelectric-cell attachment for use with an ordinary oremicroscope is described. Stabilization of the light source and accurate calibration of the photometer enable reflectivity values to be determined within an accuracy of 1% of the measured value. The choice of a universally acceptable standard is discussed. The photometer can be used with white light or with light of different wave-lengths. Bireflection, dispersion, and dispersion of the bireflection can readily be measured.

Deformed jadeite grains in the UHP jadeite-quartzites from the Dabie Mountains, eastern China show evidence (by transmission electron microscopy, TEM) of plastic deformation: free dislocations, dislocation loops, dislocation networks, dislocation arrays and regularly spaced subgrain boundaries by dislocation walls. Electron energy-loss spectroscopy and TEM studies reveal the existence of water-rich bubbles within dislocations and imply a relationship with water-defect dislocation by water weakening in the jadeites. These observations suggest that the water-rich bubbles are a major weakening effect facilitating plastic deformation of jadeite by dislocation creep.

The Ergheo meteorite was inspected both by transmitted and reflected light in order to look for evidence of shock metamorphism by petrological observations. The stone is a well-recrystallized olivine-hypersthene chondrite that shows features of severe fracturing, prominent veining, and diffused cracking. The presence of several shock-transformed components is described in some detail. Ergheo is a meteorite that suffered particularly by shock in full agreement with Heymann's (1967) and Turner's (1968) statements.

A Visual Basic program (TOURCOMP) has been written to recast the tourmaline composition into end-member components from electron microprobe data or more complete tourmaline analyses. TOURCOMP is a program based on a linear algebraic model that directly calculates the end-member proportions of tourmalines from their structural formulae. The program is developed for IBM-compatible personal computers running under the Windows™ operating system. The source code has been also translated and compiled in order to run on an Apple computer. Analytical problems, uncertainties concerning site occupancies, and the normalization procedure to determine the structural formula are the main error sources. However, the method of recalculating tourmaline end-members presented in this paper is considered to provide reasonably good results, bearing in mind the chemical complexity of tourmaline.