Until quite recently, in spite of its characteristic features, andalusite had not been met with in the younger detrital rocks of Britain ; a few years ago, however, I remarked on its relative abundance in the older Pliocene sands of St. Erth and St. Agnes in the west of Cornwall. Its presence in these deposits, in which it is associated with pink garnet and cyanite, is easily explained by the close proximity of the areas of deposition to the metamorphic aureoles of the west of England granitemasses, in which andalusite of identical character is exceedingly common. It also occurs in fair quantity in the Pliocene sands of Lenham in Kent accompanied by cyanite, and together with cyanite and garnet in the Red and Norwich Crags and the Chillesford Beds in the east of England.

A new hydrated aluminium phosphate mineral, kingite, from phosphate workings near Robertstown, South Australia, has an idealized formula Al2O3.Al(OH)3.P2O5.9H2O, with some replacement of OH by F. The specific gravity is 2·2 to 2·3, refractive index 1·514, and percentage chemical composition Al2O3 31·92, P2O5 28·63, H2O 37·93. The three strongest lines on the X-ray diffraction pattern are 9·1, 3·45, and 3·48 Å. Kingite changes to a less hydrated phase between 154° C. and 163° C., which is also considered to be a new aluminium phosphate (meta-kingite) with idealized formula Al2O3.Al(OH)3.P2O5.4H2O. The strongest lines of its X-ray diffraction pattern are at 7·4, 5·02, and 37·19 Å.

Nickel can cause allergic reactions so it is often considered to be a toxic metal. In some areas of Denmark and northern Europe, where drinking water comes predominantly from chalk aquifers, Ni concentrations in groundwater are higher than safety limits. The contamination is natural in the sense that it comes from oxidation of small grains of pyrite in the chalk that contain Ni as a trace element (Larsen and Postma, 1997). Because of Danish water-treatment practice, the most politically acceptable water-supply protocol is not to use secondary water treatment, so in order to minimize allergy risks for consumers, high-Ni water is either mixed with low-Ni water to bring concentrations below the Danish limit, or new, uncontaminated wells are drilled. Some recent efforts focused on finding a method to minimize nickel concentration while the water is still in the ground, before it is pumped to the primary treatment facility and distributed.

Unfortunately, only a few experimental studies of the interactions between Ni and calcite have been published (Lakshtanov and Stipp, 2007; Zachara et al., 1991; Hoffmann and Stipp, 2001) and we found no previous work on Ni uptake by chalk. Experiments with calcite show that Ni forms surface complexes and it is incorporated into the solid as solid solution. Chalk aquifers often contain as much as 99% calcite, so the same processes ought to control Ni uptake, but some very preliminary experiments suggested that chalk behaviour might not be what one would expect by analogy with calcite (Stipp et al., 2005). The aim of this study was to examine the Ni-uptake capacity of chalk and compare it with that of synthetic, pure calcite.

The new mineral yarzhemskiite, K[B5O7(OH)2]⋅H2O, was found in a halite–sylvite evaporite rock at the Chelkar salt dome, Western Kazakhstan Region, Kazakhstan. It is also associated with carnallite, polyhalite, gypsum, strontioginorite, satimolite and quartz. Yarzhemskiite occurs as separate thick tabular, short prismatic or equant crystals up to 0.5 mm × 0.7 mm × 1 mm and grains having irregular outlines up to 1 mm × 1.5 mm × 2 mm. The mineral is transparent, colourless, with vitreous lustre. It is brittle, the Mohs’ hardness is ca 2½. Cleavage is perfect on {100}. Dmeas is 2.13(1) and Dcalc is 2.112 g cm–3. Yarzhemskiite is optically biaxial (+), α = 1.484(2), β = 1.508(2), γ = 1.546(2), 2Vmeas = 75(10)° and 2Vcalc = 80°. Chemical composition (wt.%, electron microprobe, H2O was calculated by stoichiometry) is: Na2O 0.01, K2O 17.84, CaO 0.07, B2O3 67.21, H2Ocalc 13.91, total 99.04. The empirical formula based on 10 O atoms per formula unit is K0.98B5.005O7(OH)2⋅H2O. Yarzhemskiite is monoclinic, P21/c, a = 9.47340(18), b = 7.52030(16), c = 11.4205(2) Å, β = 97.3002(17)°, V = 807.03(3) Å3 and Z = 4. The strongest reflections of the powder XRD pattern [d,Å(I,%)(hkl)] are: 9.39(86)(100), 4.696(41)(200), 3.296(18)($\bar{1}$13), 3.130(19)(022, 300), 2.935(42)(220), 2.898(100)($\bar{3}$02, $\bar{2}$21, 310), 2.832(56)(004) and 1.867(18)($\bar{2}$25). The crystal structure was solved based on single-crystal X-ray diffraction data, R1 = 3.36%. The structure contains infinite chains built by boron-centred polyhedra. The basic structural unit of the chain is a double ring B5O7(OH)2 consisting of one BO4 tetrahedron and four BO3 triangles. K+ cations centre ten-fold polyhedra which form, together with the borate chains [B5O7(OH)2]–∝, layers linked with each other only via H bonds. The mineral is named in honour of the Russian geologist, petrologist and mineralogist Yakov Yakovlevich Yarzhemskii (1901–?), a specialist in petrology of evaporite rocks and mineralogy and genesis of boron deposits related to evaporites.

The first occurrence of mpororoite and anthoinite outside the African Continent has been found in an altered skarn from the Kara mine, Tasmania, forming a white powdery mixture of the two minerals pseudomorphing scheelite. The wet chemical analysis of the mixture shows WO3, Al2O3, and H2O to be the essential constituents, proving the non-essential nature of Fe2O3 in mpororoite; the original mpororoite contained high Fe2O3 substituting for Al2O3. The thermal treatment of the mixture at 100°C for 6 hours in air brings about the conversion of mpororoite into anthoinite, which re-hydrates into mpororoite, although the associated anthoinite does not. The source of Al is ascribed to the decomposition of aluminian andradite in the skarn.

Lyndochite from Tura dukas, 35 miles north of Nanyuki, Kenya, agrees closely with the type material from Canada in its chemical analysis, in the distribution of the rare earths, and in X-ray diffraction data for powder after heat treatment. The mineral is compared and contrasted with aeschynite. Uranium-poor euxenite is intimately associated with lyndochite at the type locality.

Since its discovery over thirty-five years ago, lyndochite has remained unrecorded outside its type locality of Lyndoch Township in Ontario, Canada. Its distinctive chemical composition sets it apart from almost all other Ti-rich metamiet niobates and, despite the many analyses that have been made on rare-earth niobate-tantalates, specimens that could have been regarded as similar to or approximating to lyndochite have rarely been mentioned. Its unusual characteristics include high ThO2 (about 10%) and appreciable rare-earth oxides (about 20%) with a lanthanon assemblage showing a peak concentration of Nd (and Ce), rather than any of the heavy lanthanons. The proportions of TiO2 (about 20%) and (Nb,Ta)2O5 (about 40%) are comparable to those in numerous niobate-tantalates, but are only associated with the percentages of ThO2 and Re2O3 mentioned above in some members of the aesehynite-priorite series. The lyndochite now described is chemically very close indeed to the Canadian lyndochite, and both specimens give closely similar X-ray diffraction patterns (after suitable heat treatment) which are distinct from those of any other metamict mineral.

A small specimen (McGregor Museum, no. 4465) labelled ' Bismuth ore' was sent to me in 1932 by Miss M. Wilman, Curator of the McGregor Museum, Kimberley, for identification. It had been presented to the Museum by Mr. M. Caplan, a store-keeper of Steinkopf. The majority of bismuth-bearing minerals from Namaqualand come from a number of spots in the neighbourhood of the water-hole known as Jackals Water, which is situated 18 miles NNE. of the village of Steinkopf. Reference has already been made to this locality in a previous paper. The exact locality of this specimen is a pegmatite outcrop in granite-gneiss about a mile and a half south of the Noumaas trigonometrical beacon which is situated some 13 miles north-west of Jackals Water to the west of the Viool's Drift road. The specimen was picked up on the surface, being obviously of eluvial origin.

It was with considerable reluctance that I felt myself compelled to discard the system of coloration adopted in the Geological Survey Maps; and rids I did only after the strongly expressed opinion of several geologists.

It was not that I have any very intense desire to colour rocks after their natural tints, but I have an aversion to adopting a colour suite which departs markedly therefrom; or one which is in discordance instead of harmony therewith. One friend, a man of great scientific discretion, and himself an artist, writes me that when he looks at a recently published geological Map of Scotland, with its grey Torridon and its red Laurentian, he does not know whether he is standing on his head or his heels.

Pyrophanite was recorded by one of us in a recent paper as one of the minerals occurring at the Benallt manganese mine in the vein from which material for the chemical analyses of the new manganese-rich chlorite, pennantite, was separated. As this was only the third record of pyrophanite in the world it seems necessary to give, very briefly, the evidence for its identification.

During the investigation of a migmatite complex near Strathy, north Sutherland, cummingtonite and gedrite were found to be common constituents of certain schists and granulites. Calcium-poor amphiboles have not hitherto been recorded from rocks of the Moine Series, and it is the purpose of this paper to give the results of the optical and chemical study of three examples of this group. The methods of separation and purification employed are described in some detail as it is considered that many of the previous analyses of these minerals are vitiated by faulty procedure. To avoid errors in separating two amphibole species, the investigated samples were taken from rocks containing a single amphibole phase. The paper concludes with a discussion of the correlation of optical properties and chemical composition of cummingtonites and gedrites.

The andesine-dolerite of Squilver Hill, situated nearly 3 miles due north of Bishops Castle, has been described in another place. This somewhat coarse-textured rock, with a distinctive greenish-blue colour, contains up to 20 per cent. of a fresh monoclinic pyroxene as crystals of irregular shape, many of which are about a millimetre in length. The rest of the rock consists of saussuritized plagioclase, some interstitial chlorite and prehnite, and accessory apatite, sphene, magnetite, and ilmenite; the unaltered nature of the pyroxene is noteworthy.

Lepidomelane, an iron-rich biotite, was heated in air or in vacuum, or by electron bombardment, and the processes of dehydration and transformation were studied by means of X-ray diffractometry, optical microscopy, and electron microscopy. By heat treatment, vacancies are at first formed by the evaporation of water molecules and alkali ions, and they move and condense to form holes, which act as preferential nucleation sites for new phases. Other preferential sites are edges of exposed silicate sheets along microcracks, and these are decorated by a newly formed maghemite- like mineral whose a is 10.20 Å (on a hexagonal cell), so that the sites can be clearly seen even under the reflection microscope. By heating at higher temperatures or prolonged heating, various phases, olivine, hematite, magnetite, and leucite are formed, depending upon the conditions of dehydration.

We have characterized the crystal structure of natural kutinaite, a rare mineral from the ores of Černý Důl, Czech Republic, by single-crystal X-ray diffraction and chemical analysis. We found that the structure of natural kutinaite is not identical to that of synthetic Cu14Ag6As7, previously reported to be cubic, space group Pm3m. Although topologically similar, the structure of natural kutinaite is indeed tetragonal, space group P4/mmm, with cell parameters: a = 11.789(2), c = 11.766(2) Å, V = 1635.5(4) Å3 and Z = 4. Electron microprobe analyses pointed to the (K,Tl)0.25Cu14Ag6As6.75 stoichiometry (Z = 4), or (K, Tl)Cu56Ag24As27 with Z = 16. The crystal structure of an untwinned crystal has been refined to R1 = 2.61%. It consists of clusters of eight edge-sharing tetrahedra of Cu, which alternate in a 3D chess-board manner with octahedral clusters of six Ag atoms. The latter are surrounded by triangularly coordinated copper in eight faces of a cuboctahedron. The last structure components are large cavities containing partly occupied (K,Tl) sites, coordinated by 18 Ag and As ligands. The structure is full of direct metal-metal contacts although As plays the role of anion, associating especially with copper.

This instrument is a microscope stage-micrometer for the quantitative estimation of one to six different kinds of constituents in a substance, by the Delesse-Rosiwal method. It is intended, primarily, for linear micrometrie analysis in petrography, but has similar uses in mineralogy, chemistry, and metallography. Economic applications include the volumetric evaluation of components in building stones, road-metals, sSlid fuels, refractories, and slags.

The object of this new design is to combine speed and accuracy in operation with a particularly compact construction, mechanical simplicity, and strength. Special consideration has been given to the wear and cleansing of bearings, the definition of scale-divisions and zero-marks, and the rigidity of all supports for moving parts.

New occurrences of derbylite, Fex2+Fe3+4–2xTi4+3+xSb3+O13(OH), and graeserite, Fex2+Fe3+4–2xTi4+3+xAs3+O13(OH), have been identified in the Monte Arsiccio mine, Apuan Alps, Tuscany, Italy. Derbylite occurs as prismatic to acicular black crystals in carbonate veins. Iron and Ti are replaced by V (up to 0.29 atoms per formula unit, apfu) and minor Cr (up to 0.04 apfu). Mössbauer spectroscopy confirmed the occurrence of Fe2+ (up to 0.73 apfu), along with Fe3+. The Sb/(As+Sb) atomic ratio ranges between 0.73 and 0.82. Minor Ba and Pb (up to 0.04 apfu) substitute. Derbylite is monoclinic, space group P21/m, with unit-cell parameters a = 7.1690(3), b = 14.3515(7), c = 4.9867(2) Å, β = 104.820(3)° and V = 495.99(4) Å3. The crystal structure was refined to R1 = 0.0352 for 1955 reflections with Fo > 4σ(Fo). Graeserite occurs as prismatic to tabular black crystals, usually twinned, in carbonate veins or as porphyroblasts in schist. Graeserite in the first kind of assemblage is V rich (up to 0.66 apfu), and V poor in the second kind (0.03 apfu). Along with minor Cr (up to 0.06 apfu), this element replaces Fe and Ti. The occurrence of Fe2+ (up to 0.68 apfu) is confirmed by Mössbauer spectroscopy. Arsenic is dominant over Sb and detectable amounts of Ba and Pb have been measured (up to 0.27 apfu). Graeserite is monoclinic, space group C2/m, with unit-cell parameters for two samples: a = 5.0225(7), b = 14.3114(18), c = 7.1743(9) Å, β = 104.878(3)°, V = 498.39(11) Å3; and a = 5.0275(4), b = 14.2668(11), c = 7.1663(5) Å, β = 105.123(4)° and V = 496.21(7) Å3. The crystal structures were refined to R1 = 0.0399 and 0.0237 for 428 and 1081 reflections with Fo > 4σ(Fo), respectively. Derbylite and graeserite are homeotypic. They share the same tunnel structure, characterised by an octahedral framework and cuboctahedral cavities, hosting (As/Sb)O3 groups and (Ba/Pb) atoms.

Kozłowskiite, ideally Ca4(Fe2+Sn3)(Si2O7)2(Si2O6OH)2, is a new mineral isostructural with kristiansenite and silesiaite, found as a band in the core of a zoned silesiaite–kristiansenite crystal from the granitic pegmatite at Szklarska Poręba, Lower Silesia, Poland. In tiny pieces kozłowskiite is pale brownish, with a calculated density of 3.775 g⋅cm–3 and a mean refractive index ~1.727. The triclinic crystal structure was determined with space-group symmetry C1: a = 10.0183(2), b = 8.3861(1), c = 13.3395(2) Å, α = 89.956(1), β = 109.039(2), γ = 89.979(1)° and V = 1059.40(3) Å3, although, similarly to kristiansenite, it is metrically monoclinic (Laue group 2/m) with α and γ angles equal to 90° and a = 10.0170(3), b = 8.3860(2), c = 13.3421(4) Å, β = 109.050(3)° and V = 1059.40(5) Å3. The seven strongest reflections in the calculated powder X-ray diffraction pattern are [d in Å (I) hkl]: 5.190 (73.2) 111, 1$\bar{1}$1; 4.569 (30.0) $\bar{2}$02; 3.153 (64.7) 004; 3.094 (28.1) $\bar{3}$11, $\bar{3}\bar{1}$1; 3.089 (100) $\bar{2}\bar{2}$2, $\bar{2}$22; 2.595 (27.2) 2$\bar{2}$2, 222; and 2.141 (30.6) $\bar{3}$31, $\bar{3}\bar{3}$1. Electron microprobe analysis gave (in wt.%) SiO2 39.46, ZrO2 0.35, SnO2 31.13, Al2O3 0.35, Sc2O3 2.65, total Fe as Fe2O3 5.06 (= Fe2O3calc. 2.26; FeOcalc. 2.52), MnO 0.71, CaO 18.42 and H2Ocalc. 1.48, sum 99.33. The empirical formula on the basis of 26O + 2(OH) and 16 cations (Z = 2) is Ca4.00(Sn2.52Sc0.47Fe2+0.43Fe3+0.34Mn2+0.12Al0.08Zr0.03)Σ4.00(Si2.00O7)2(Si2.00O6OH)2. The crystal structure of kozłowskiite was refined to an R1 = 2.12% for 4887 reflections with Io>2σI. The Ca and Si sites are occupied solely by Ca and Si, respectively, and three of four M sites: M2, M3 and M4, are dominated by Sn. Four hydrogen atoms present in the kozłowskiite unit cell are shared among the O17–O27 and O47–O37 oxygen atoms where O17 and O47 are OH groups forming relatively strong hydrogen bonds.

A gonnardite-thomsonite-chabazite-calcite assemblage forms a cement in the Foveaux Formation, a fossiliferous gabbroic boulder bed that accumulated at the base of a sea cliff cut in a Permian igneous complex during late Oligocene±early Miocene time. Gonnardite was the earliest zeolite to form, locally following minor calcite. It was followed epitaxially by thomsonite, co-precipitating with chabazite. Crystal habits indicate a low-temperature origin. The maximum temperature to which the deposit may have been subjected is estimated as not more than ∽30°C. The chabazites are Ca-poor chabazite-K and chabazite-Na. Representative electron microprobe analyses are as follows, all + nH2O:

• thomsonite: Na3.77Ca7.73(Al19.39Si20.65)O80 and Na3.78K0.04Ca7.25Mg0.05(Al19.13Si21.05)O80;

• gonnardite: Na6.95K0.03Ca4.73(Al16.99Si23.15)O80 and Na8.56K0.03Ca4.05(Al17.32Si22.84)O80;

• chabazite-K: Na1.18K1.72Ca0.08Mg0.23(Al3.51Si8.49)O24 and Na1.67K1.92Ca0.18Mg0.17(Al4.11Si7.85)O24;

• chabazite-Na: Na2.51K1.13Ca0.17Mg0.02(Al4.08Si7.93)O24.

Such a Si-poor zeolite assemblage is unusual for marine sediments and is attributed to precipitation from marine water impoverished in silica in the gabbroic boulder bed and interacting with shell material and calcic plagioclase. In contrast, a dioritic clast in the boulder bed provides an example of less silica-poor zeolites originally formed in the parent igneous complex. Veinlets in the clast contain scolecite averaging Na1.19Ca7.36(Al15.84Si24.14)O80.nH2O, and mesolite averaging Na5.13K0.03Ca5.24 (Al15.93Si24.13)O80.nH2O, in part as sub-microscopic intergrowths. The composition of scolecite closely corresponds to the most Na-rich scolecite reported hitherto.

The new mineral currierite (IMA2016-030), Na4Ca3MgAl4(AsO3OH)12·9H2O, was found at the Torrecillas mine, Iquique Province, Chile, where it occurs as a secondary alteration phase in association with anhydrite, canutite, chudobaite, halite, lavendulan, magnesiokoritnigite, quartz, scorodite and torrecillasite. Currierite occurs as hexagonal prisms, needles and hair-like fibres up to ∼200 μm long, in sprays. The crystal forms are ﹛100﹜ and ﹛001﹜. Crystals are transparent, with vitreous to silky lustre and white streak. The Mohs hardness is ∼2, tenacity is brittle, but elastic in very thin fibres, and the fracture is irregular. Crystals exhibit at least one good cleavage parallel [001]. The measured density is 3.08(2) g cm -3 and the calculated density is 3.005 g cm -3. Optically, currierite is uniaxial (–) with ω= 1.614(1) and ε= 1.613(1) (measured in white light). The mineral is slowly soluble in dilute HCl at room temperature. The empirical formula, determined from electron-microprobe analyses, is (Na3.95A12.96Ca2.74Mg1.28Fe0.633+Cu0.13K0.08Co0.03Σ11.80 (AS11.685+Sb0.325+Σ12(O56.96Cl0.04)Σ57H30.81. Currierite is hexagonal, P622, with a = 12.2057(9), c = 9.2052(7) Å, V= 1187.7(2) Å3 and Z = 1. The eight strongest powder X-ray diffraction lines are [dobs Å(I)(hkl)]: 10.63(100)(100), 6.12(20)(110), 5.30(15)(200), 4.61(24)(002), 4.002(35)(210), 3.474(29)(202), 3.021(96)(212) and 1.5227(29)(440,334,612). The structure of currierite (R1 = 2.27% for 658 Fo > 4σF reflections) is based upon a heteropolyhedral chain along c in which AlO6 octahedra are triple-linked by sharing corners with AsO3OH tetrahedra. Chains are linked to one another by bonds to 8(4 + 4)-coordinated Na and 8-coordinated Ca forming a three-dimensional framework with large cavities that contain rotationally disordered Mg(H2O)6 octahedra. The chain in the structure of currierite is identical to that in kaatialaite and a geometrical isomer of that in ferrinatrite. The mineral is named in honour of Mr. Rock Henry Currier (1940–2015), American mineral dealer, collector, author and lecturer.