The sodium-magnesium hydrated double salt konyaite, Na2Mg(SO4)2·5H2O, has been studied by single-crystal X-ray diffraction and thermogravimetry on synthetic samples and by quantitative X-ray diffraction utilizing the Rietveld method on natural samples from the Mount Keith mine, Western Australia. Konyaite crystallizes in space group P21/c, with the cell parameters: a = 5.7594(10), b = 23.914(4), c = 8.0250(13) Å, β = 95.288(9)°, V = 1100.6(3) Å3 and Z = 4. The crystal structure has been refined to R1 = 3.41% for 2155 reflections [Fo>4σ(Fo)] and 6.44% for all 3061 reflections, with all atoms located.

Quantitative phase analysis utilizing the Rietveld method was undertaken on five samples of konyaite-bearing mine tailings from the Mount Keith Nickel Mine, Western Australia. Konyaite was found to decompose over time and after 22 months had transformed to other sulphate and amorphous phases. Blödite did not increase in any ofthe samples indicating that konyaite may not always transform to blödite. Over the same time frame, synthetic konyaite completely decomposed to a mixture of thenardite (Na2SO4), hexahydrite (MgSO4·6H2O), blödite (Na2Mg(SO4)2·4H2O) and löweite (Na12Mg7(SO4)13). Detection of konyaite and other Mg-rich sulphates is important in terms of CO2 fixation. Magnesium bound to sulphate mineral phases reduces the overall potential of tailings piles to lock up atmospheric carbon in Mg carbonates, such as hydromagnesite. Amorphous sulphates are also highly reactive and may contribute to acid mine drainage ifpresent in large quantities, and may dissolve carbonate phases which have already sequestered carbon.

Strontium-rich (up to 16 wt% SrO) melilite occurs as microphenocrysts in a nosean-leucite-nephelinite lava from Etinde, Cameroon. Electron microprobe analyses show that the melilite is very strongly zoned with Sr, Fe, and Na enrichment towards the crystal rims. Sodium melilite and sodium ferrimelilite are the dominant end-member molecules and together account for up to 76 mole%. The crystals are optically negative and strongly birefringent with birefringence ranging from 0.014 in the cores to 0.032 at the crystal rims. Refractive indices measured at the rim of one crystal gave ω = 1.656, ɛ = 1.628. The cell dimensions of strontian melilite are a = 7.765Å, c = 5.054Å.

Allanite is present in most samples of the tonalitic Bell Island Pluton, with an average mode near 0.05 wt.%. Allanite occurs as cores in igneous epidote-clinozoisite and exhibits characteristic and consistent zoning patterns. REE-rich cores (All40-70) grade out towards epidote-clinozoisite with REE below electron microprobe detection limits. La, Ce and Pr contents are highest in the REE-rich cores of zoned crystals. Nd and Sm contents both initially increase as total REE decreases and are highest in intermediate zones. Y contents are generally low throughout, but tend to be highest in analyses with A115-20. The zoning behaviour exhibited by the allanite, specifically the rimward increases in Nd, Sm, and Y, cannot be accounted for by simple fractionation and are best explained by increases in allanite/ melt partition coefficients (Kd values) for these elements during crystallization. We propose that the variation in Kd values reflects modification of the allanite structure with changing REE content. These modifications are manifested by changes in colour, extinction, and pleochroism within the zoned crystals and include changes in unit-cell volume and dimensions. The changes in Kd values are large enough to result in crossing REE patterns within single allanite crystals. Fractional crystallization of zoned allanite can have noticeable effects on LREE contents and La/Sm (and almost certainly La/Lu) in magmas. In the Bell Island pluton, 80% of La, but <3% of Y is contained in allanite. Although some of the variation in the LREE chemistry of the pluton is attributable to statistical sampling error, much of it appears to reflect petrogenetic processes that controlled LREE abundance and, ultimately, allanite mode. One sample of Bell Island tonalite is depleted in LREE and has low La/Lu and La/Sm. These chemical features can be modelled by fractionation of zoned allanite.

The new mineral melanarsite, K3Cu7Fe3+O4(AsO4)4, was found in the sublimates of the Arsenatnaya fumarole at the Second scoria cone of the Northern Breakthrough of the Great Tolbachik Fissure Eruption, Tolbachik volcano, Kamchatka Peninsula, Russia. It is associated with dmisokolovite, shchurovskyite, bradaczekite, hematite, tenorite, aphthitalite, johillerite, arsmirandite, As-bearing orthoclase, hatertite, pharmazincite, etc. Melanarsite occurs as tabular to prismatic crystals up to 0.4 mm, separate or combined in clusters up to 1 mm across or in interrupted crusts up to 0.02 cm × 1 cm × 1 cm covering basalt scoria. The mineral is opaque, black, with a vitreous lustre. Melanarsite is brittle. Mohs' hardness is ∼4 and the mean VHN = 203 kg mm–2. Cleavage was not observed and the fracture is uneven. D calc is 4.39 g cm–3. In reflected light, melanarsite is dark grey. Bireflectance is weak, anisotropism is very weak. Reflectance values [R1–R2, % (λ, nm)] are 10.5–9.4 (470), 10.0–8.9 (546), 9.7–8.7 (589), 9.5–8.6 (650). The Raman spectrum is reported. Chemical composition (wt.%, electron microprobe) is K2O 10.70, CaO 0.03, CuO 45.11, ZnO 0.24, Al2O3 0.32, Fe2O3 6.11, TiO2 0.12, P2O5 0.07, As2O5 36.86, total 99.56. The empirical formula, based on 20 O apfu, is (K2.81Ca0.01)∑2.82(Cu7.02Fe3+ 0.95Al0.08Zn0.04Ti0.02)∑8.11(As3.97P0.01)∑3.98O20. Melanarsite is monoclinic, C2/c, a = 11.4763(9), b = 16.620(2), c = 10.1322(8) Å, β = 105.078(9)°, V = 1866.0(3) Å3 and Z = 4. The strongest reflections of the powder X-ray diffraction pattern [d,Å(I)(hkl)] are 9.22(100)(110), 7.59(35)(1₃11), 6.084(17) (111), 4.595(26)(1₃31, 220, 2₃21), 3.124(22)(3₃31, 1₃51), 2.763(20)(400, 1₃52), 2.570(23)(043) and 2.473(16) (260, 2₃61, 350). Melanarsite has a novel structure type. Its crystal structure, solved from single-crystal X-ray diffraction data (R = 0.091), is based upon a heteropolyhedral pseudo-framework built by distorted Cu(1–3)O6 and (Fe,Cu)O6 octahedra and As(1–3)O4 tetrahedra. Two crystallographically independent K+ cations are located in the tunnels and voids of the pseudo-framework centring eight- and seven-fold polyhedra. The name reflects the mineral being an arsenate and its black colour (from the Greek μέλαν, black).

Post-magmatic alteration of certain magmatic Ni sulfide ores in Western Australia, the Miitel deposit and the Sarah's Find prospect, produced Ni–As–PGE haloes around massive sulfides. A study of the composition of arsenide grains from these hydrothermal haloes, along with arsenides from various magmatic and hydrothermal mineralized environments in other localities, was conducted in order to compare their composition, and assess their potential use as indicator minerals for exploration vectoring, as well as to gain knowledge on their crystallization history. Concentrations in trace elements such as platinum-group elements (PGEs), Au and other metals was obtained by laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy analyses. Results show that variations in PGEs and Au compositions can be related to the magmatic vs. hydrothermal origin of the grains; and to their provenance from deposits enriched in either Ni, Au or both. Magmatic NiCoFe sulfarsenides have strongly correlated, high IPGE (Os, Ir, Ru, Rh) contents up to 100 ppm Ir, compared with maximum values in hydrothermal sulfarsenides of ~1 ppm. Gold in hydrothermal sulfarsenides from Au-mineralized ultramafic rocks extends up to 500 ppm, with typical values of 3–30 ppm; similar values are also found in nickeline (also called niccolite). These results suggest that nickel arsenides could potentially be used as indicator minerals for nickel and gold exploration. Trace-element contents of arsenide grains in shear zones could be used to deduce the presence of Ni or Au mineralization upstream in the fluid pathway.

A new member of the gadolinite supergroup, gadolinite-(Nd), IMA2016-013, ideally Nd2FeBe2Si2O10, was found in the Malmkärra mine, ~3.5 km WSW of Norberg, south-central Sweden, where it occurs in association with fluorbritholite-(Ce), västmanlandite-(Ce), dollaseite-(Ce), bastnäsite-(Ce) and tremolite. Gadolinite-(Nd) forms anhedral grains up to 150 µm in size, commonly occurring as aggregates of olive green colour. The crystals are transparent with vitreous to adamantine lustre. Gadolinite-(Nd) is brittle with conchoidal fracture, no cleavage or parting was observed. It has a white streak, the Mohs hardness is 6.5–7 and the calculated density is 4.86 g cm–3. Optically, the mineral is weakly pleochroic in shades of olive green, biaxial (–), nα = 1.78(1), nβ(calc.) = 1.80, nγ = 1.81(1) measured in white light, 2V(meas.) = 62(3)°. Electron-microprobe and laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry analysis [in wt.%] provided SiO2 21.77, Y2O3 5.49, La2O3 2.78, Ce2 O3 14.04, Pr2O3 3.28, Nd2O3 19.27, Sm2O3 5.30, Eu2O3 0.24, Gd2O3 4.10, Tb2O3 0.36, Dy2O3 1.32, Ho2O3 0.18, Er2O3 0.38, MgO 0.51, CaO 0.14, MnO 0.10, FeO 10.62, B2O3 0.10, BeOcalc. 8.99, H2Ocalc. 0.55 and total 99.52 giving the following empirical formula (based on 2 Si): (Nd0.632 Ce0.472Y0.268Sm0.168Gd0.125Pr0.110La0.094Dy0.039Ca0.014Er0.011Tb0.011Eu0.008Ho0.008)∑1.957(Fe0.816Mg0.070Mn0.008)∑0.894(Be1.984B0.016)∑2.000Si2O9.660OH0.337. A weak Raman vibration band at ~3525 cm–1 confirms the presence of water in the structure. Gadolinite-(Nd) is monoclinic, P21/c, with a = 4.8216(3) Å, b = 7.6985(4) Å, c = 10.1362(6) Å, β = 90.234(4)°, V = 376.24(6) Å3 and Z = 2. The strongest X-ray diffraction lines are [dobs in Å (hkl) Irel]: 4.830 (100) 72, 3.603 (021) 37, 3.191(-112) 52, 3.097 (013) 35, 2.888 (121) 100, 2.607(113) 49, 2.412 (200) 24. Along with the Malmkärra mine, gadolinite-(Nd) was also recorded also at Johannagruvan and Nya Bastnäs. The minerals of the gadolinite subgroup together with fluorbritholite-(Ce) incorporate the highest fraction of medium-to-heavy rare-earth elements among associated rare-earth element minerals in the Malmkärra mine and possibly in all Bastnäs-type deposits.

Rosasite and aurichalcite occur with other copper, zinc, and also lead minerals in Masson Cavern, Rutland Cavern, and other workings in the Heights of Abraham, Matloek Bath, Derbyshire. Partial analyses of two specimens each of rosasite and aurichalcite show Cu : Zn ratios typical of the respective species. They appear to have been formed by the action of solutions containing zinc on disseminated chalcopyrite. The infra-red absorption spectra of malachite, rosasite, aurichalcite, and hydrozincite, examined by the mull technique, are shown to fall into two groups corresponding with the structural groups established by X-ray work. Twin absorption maxima at O-H stretching frequencies are present in the spectra of malachite and of rosasite.

A detailed electron and X-ray diffraction study of a suite of nephelines from a wide range of paragenetic environments indicates that, in all cases studied, additional weak maxima of scattered intensity are present. Similar intensity maxima have previously been observed and described in an isolated case by Sahama. Thermal treatment at temperatures as low as 200° C causes these maxima to become noticeably diffuse, implying a structural transformation.

The narrow belt of granophyre lying to the west of Blaven in the Isle of Skye showed so admirably the effects of chilling that a series of specimens was collected by one of us (L.R.W.) and found to contain, in the chilled marginal rock, phenoerysts of tridymite, now inverted to quartz. In the Thulean Tertiary igneous province former tridymite is known from certain acid lavas, for example, the Tardree rhyolite (von Lasaulx, 1877) and certain Icelandic liparites (Hawkes, 1916), and from metamorphosed arkoses adjacent to basic igneous intrusions (Harker, 1908, 1932), but it has not previously been noted in the intrusive acid rocks. In addition to phenocrysts of tridymite inverted to quartz, there is present in the groundmass of the unchilled granophyre a second generation of inverted tridymite crystals, surrounded by a final stage of quartz and felspar which has crystallized with normal microgranitic textures. Some of the textural features resemble those of the normal Skye granophyres, while others resemble certain metamorphosed arkoses.

Parkinsonite, ideally (Pb,Mo,□)8O8Cl2, is a new mineral from the Merehead Quarry, Cranmore, Somerset, England. It occurs as compact clusters or patches of red to purplish red bladed crystals, which have an adamantine lustre and a perfect {001} cleavage and occupy fractures and cavities in carbonate vughs in veins of manganese and iron oxide and hydroxide minerals. Associated minerals are mendipite, diaboleite, chloroxiphite, wulfenite, cerussite and hydrocerussite. Discrete crystals were not found; intergrown crystalline aggregates are the usual form of occurrence. The maximum grain size is about 300 × 100 µm, but most grains are appreciably smaller. Parkinsonite was synthesized using high purity chemicals. The measured density of the synthetic material is 7.32 g/cm3; the calculated density is 7.39 g/cm3, the difference being due to minor impurity and slight porosity in the synthetic sample. Parkinsonite is translucent. Reflectance spectra were obtained in air and in oil. Refractive indices calculated from these (at 589 nm) are for Ro, 2.58, and Re', 2.42, i.e. uniaxial negative. VHN50 is 113–133 from which the calculated Mobs hardness is 2–2.5.

X-ray studies show that parkinsonite is tetragonal with space group I4/mmm, I4̄2m, I4̄m2, I4/mm, or I422 and a 3.9922(3), c 22.514(2) Å. It has a cell volume of 358.82(5) Å3 with Z = 1. The strongest six lines of the X-ray powder diffraction pattern are [d in Å (I) (hkl)] 2.823, 2.813(100) (110,008); 5.63(85) (004); 2.251(33) (116, 0.0.10); 2.988(27) (105); 3.750(15) (006); 1.994(11) (200,118). Averaged electron microprobe analyses give the empirical formula Pb6.34Mo0.89□0.77O8.02Cl1.98 on the basis of 10 atoms [O + Cl]. The name is for Reginald F. D. Parkinson, mineral collector of Somerset, UK, who first found the mineral.

Paratacamite-(Mg) (IMA 2013-014), Cu3(Mg, Cu)Cl2(OH)6, is the new Mg-analogue of paratacamite. It was found near the village of Cuya in the Camarones Valley, Arica Province, Chile. The mineral is a supergene secondary phase occurring in association with anhydrite, atacamite, chalcopyrite, copiapite, dolomite, epsomite, haydeeite, hematite, magnesite and quartz. Paratacamite-(Mg) crystals are rhombs and thick to thin prisms up to 0.3 mm in size exhibiting the forms {201} and {001}. Twinning by reflection on {10} is common. The mineral is transparent with a vitreous lustre, with medium to deep-green colour and light-green streak. Mohs hardness is 3–3½, the tenacity is brittle and the fracture is conchoidal. Paratacamite-(Mg) has one perfect cleavage on {201}. The measured and calculated densities are 3.50(2) and 3.551 g cm–3, respectively. The mineral is optically uniaxial (–) with ε = 1.785(5) and ω > 1.8 and slight pleochroism: O (bluish green) > E (green). Electron-microprobe analyses provided the empirical formula Cu3(Mg0.60Cu0.38Ni0.01Mn0.01)Cl2(OH)6. The mineral is easily soluble in dilute HCl. Paratacamite-(Mg) is trigonal, R, with cell parameters a = 13.689(1), c = 14.025(1) Å, V = 2275.8(3) Å3 and Z = 12. There is a pronounced sub-cell corresponding to a' ≈ ½a, c' ≈ c in space group Rm. The eight strongest lines in the X-ray powder diffraction pattern are [dobs Å(I)(hkl)]: 5.469(87)(021), 4.686(26)(003), 2.904(34)(401), 2.762(100)(22,042), 2.265(81)(404), 1.819(26)(603), 1.710 (34)(440) and 1.380(19)(446). The structure was refined to R1 = 0.039 for 480 Fo > 4σF reflections. Refinement using interlayer Mg-Cu site scattering factors indicated that Mg is distributed statistically between both interlayer octahedra M1O6 and M2O6. A comparison of the distortions associated with M1O6 and M2O6 octahedra suggest that the sample is near the upper compositional limit for stability of the R phase.

Kerimasite, ideally is a new calcium zirconium silicate-ferrite member of the garnet group from the extinct nephelinitic volcano Kerimasi and surrounding explosion craters in northern Tanzania. The mineral occurs as subhedral crystals up to 100 μm in size in calcite carbonatites, and as euhedral to subhedral crystals up to 180 μm in size in carbonatite eluvium. Kerimasite is light to dark-brown in colour and transparent with a vitreous lustre. No cleavage or parting was observed and the mineral is brittle. The calculated density is 4.105(1) g/cm3. The micro-indentation, VHN25, ranges from 1168 to 1288 kg/mm2. Kerimasite is isotropic with n = 1.945(5). The average chemical formula of the mineral derived from electron microprobe analyses (sample K 94-25) and calculated for O = 12 and all Fe as Fe2O3 is (Ca3.00Mn0.01Ce0.01Nd0.01)Σ3.03(Zr1.72Nb0.14Ti0.08Mg0.02Y0.02)Σ1.98(Ti0.09)Σ3.00O12. The largest Fe content determined in kerimasite is 21.6 wt.% Fe2O3 and this value corresponds to 1.66 a.p.f.u. in the tetrahedral site. Kerimasite is cubic, space group with a = 12.549(1) Å, V = 1976.2(4) Å3 and Z = 8. The five strongest powder-diffraction lines [d in Å, (I/Io), hkl] are: 4.441 (49) (220), 3.140 (91) (400), 2.808 (70) (420), 2.564 (93) (422) and 1.677 (100) (642). Single-crystal structure refinement revealed the typical structure of the garnet-group minerals. The name is given after the locality, Kerimasi volcano, Tanzania.

Electron microprobe analyses are presented for fluorapatite phenocrysts from a benmoreite-peralkaline rhyolite volcanic suite from the Kenya Rift Valley. The rocks have previously been well characterized petrographically and their crystallization conditions are reasonably well known. The REE contents in the M site increase towards the rhyolites, with a maximum britholite component of ~35 mol.%. Chondrite-normalized REE patterns are rather flat between La and Sm and then decrease towards Yb. Sodium and Fe occupy up to 1% and 4%, respectively, of the M site. The major coupled substitution is REE3+ + Si4+ ↔ Ca2+ + P5+. The substitution REE3+ + Na+ ↔ 2Ca2+has been of minor importance. The relatively large Fe contents were perhaps facilitated by the low fO2conditions of crystallization. Zoning is ubiquitous and resulted from both fractional crystallization and magma mixing. Apatites in some rhyolites are relatively Y-depleted, perhaps reflecting crystallization from melts which had precipitated zircon. Mineral/glass (melt) ratios for two rhyolites are unusually high, with maxima at Sm (762, 1123).

The crystal structure of reyerite, (Na,K)2Ca14Si22Al2O58(OH)8.6H2O, Z = 1, was refined in the space group P, a = 9.765, c = 19.067Å, to R = 0.064 for 1540 reflections. The structure is composed of the following structural units: (a) tetrahedral sheets S1, with composition (Si8O20)8−, characterized by six-membered rings of tetrahedra; (b) tetrahedral sheets S2, characterized by six-membered rings of tetrahedra, with six tetrahedra pointing in one direction and two pointing in the other direction—the apical oxygens of these two tetrahedra connect two inversion-related S2 sheets to build double sheets, with composition (Si14Al2O38)14− and ordered distribution of aluminum cations; (c) sheets O of edge-sharing calcium octahedra. The various structural units are connected through corner sharing according to the schematic sequence ……; the corresponding composition is [Ca14Si22Al2O58(OH)8]2−. The charge balance is restored by alkali cations which are placed, together with water molecules, in the cavities of the structure at the level of the double tetrahedral sheet.

Tausonites occurring in aegirine potassium feldspar syenite from the Little Murun potassic alkaline complex are characterised by complex growth and resorption features. These are attributed to nonequilibrium crystallisation in a dynamic environment characterised by magma mixing and/or volatile degassing. The crystals represent a transported assemblage which has no simple relationship to the magma from which their host rock crystallised. Tausonites exhibit significant normal, reverse and oscillatory compositional zoning with respect to strontium and the rare earth elements. The compositions are unique, ranging from tausonite to strontian cerian loparite, and are unlike those found in strontian perovskites from lamproites and fenites associated with carbonatites.

Compositional data are presented for Ba-rich titanates belonging to the hollandite group, Ba(Ti,Fe)5O11 and K2Ti13O27. The titanates, on the basis of textural evidence, are interpreted to have formed by the reaction of K-Ba-rich residual liquids with pre-existing Ti-magnetite, ilmenite and tausonite. The compositions of the titanates are similar to those of primary titanates found in kimberlites and carbonatites.

The ∽16 Ma Rangwa Caldera Complex, part of the large Kisingiri nephelinite-carbonatite volcano, Homa Bay District, western Kenya (0º34’S; 34º09’E) contains carbonatitic lapilli and ash tuffs, agglomerate and tuffisite, and a number of intrusive calcite carbonatites. A detailed petrographic and electron microprobe study has been performed on 20 fresh samples from the collection at The Natural History Museum, London.

Most of the juvenile lapilli and ash particles are either predominantly composed of devitrified silicate glass (now biotite/phlogopite but probably also originally potassic silicate) or calcite carbonatite, which suggests that two molten liquids were erupted simultaneously. Some 10 mm-diameter lapilli contain quench-textured calcite crystals set in devitrified glass. They are interpreted as having crystallized from a molten silicate-carbonate melt at, or very near, the surface.

The extrusive carbonate is mostly composed of calcite, consistent with intrusive calcite compositions at Rangwa. Other key minerals are magnetite, two types of mica (magnesian-biotite phenocrysts and phlogopite xenocrysts) and fluorapatite.

The pyroclastic rocks contain many calcite carbonatite clasts, and fragments of calcite, aegirine and diopside, fluorapatite, magnetite, plus some phlogopite, titanite, K-feldspar, fenite and glimmerite; ijolite lithics are rare. Thus, there is no evidence for a cognate nephelinitic (ijolitic) or melilitic magma nor evidence for a direct relationship with the nephelinites of the Kisingiri volcano.

Two hypotheses are discussed. A rising silicate and K-rich carbonatite liquid may have evolved towards a carbonate-rich K-silicate liquid after crystallization of calcite, phlogopite, apatite and magnetite. Preservation of the the potassic component may be rare, with a more usual scenario being that potassic component separates as fenitizing fluids. The alternative is that the silicate component is remobilized fenite, formed from country rock that was mobilized by supercritical K-rich, fenitizing fluids associated with the carbonatite. Both scenarios require generation of a K-rich carbonatite magma, probably from a carbonated phlogopite-rich metasomatized mantle.

The isothermal equation of state (EoS) of phase E, Mg1.96(7)Fe0.072(5)Si1.04(5)H3.7(8)O6, has been determined using high-pressure single-crystal X-ray diffraction. A third-order Birch Murnaghan EoS fit to pressue-volume data collected from room pressure and temperature to 6.7 GPa reveals that phase E has the lowest bulk modulus, KT = 92.9(7) GPa, and highest pressure derivative of the bulk modulus, K' = 7.3(2), for any dense hydrous magnesium silicate (DHMS) yet measured. A parameterized third-order Birch-Murnaghan EoS was also fit to the unit-cell parameters which display significant curvature with increasing pressure. This analysis shows that the c-axis (Kc = 89.1(10) GPa) is 6% more compressible than the a-axis (Ka = 94.8(6) GPa), with little of the anisotropy commonly observed in other layered structures. The high K' is indicative of the similarity to layers of the brucite structure. The introduction of interlayer cation polyhedra to the structure serves to reduce both the anisotropy, by reducing the compressibility perpendicular to the sheets, and the ability to shear, by increasing the coherence between layers.

During the study of some decay processes in marble covering the façade of the Florence Cathedral (1870-1887), vaterite was found as the principal component of some bonding mortars of inlay decorations.

Vaterite is one of the three polymorphous phases of CaCO3 and crystallizes in the hexagonal system, dihexagonal bipyramidal class (Kamhi, 1963; Sato and Matsuda, 1969): it is unstable under normal environmental conditions (Deer et al., 1964).

Sodalites and sulfatic sodalites in holocrystalline K-feldspar-rich ejecta from the Somma Vesuvius volcanic complex, Italy, have been characterized by combined chemical, structural and spectroscopic analyses. Sodalite has a relatively homogeneous chemical composition, with the ubiquitous presence of CO32– and H2O/OH–. The sulfatic sodalites are isomorphous and have cage structures which can contain a wide variety of anions, molecular species and cations. Molecular CO2 and H2O/OH– are present in sulfatic sodalites, instead of the CO32– anions that are present in sodalite sensu stricto. The cell dimensions of the all of the studied sodalite samples are very similar, the sulfatic sodalite cell dimensions are more variable. Structure refinement of a distinctly green sample confirms the P3n space group. Metasomatic magma-derived fluids that are rich in H2O, CO2, Cl and S are believed to be responsible for the genesis of the relatively late-stage phases which form the ejecta containing the sodalite-group minerals.