Vrančiceite is a new mineral species discovered in a sample collected from the old mine dumps of the abandoned Vrančice deposit near Příbram, central Bohemia, Czech Republic. Vrančiceite occurs as rare anhedral grains, up to 100 μm in size, in a calcite gangue, associated with cinnabar, djurleite, galena and hedyphane. Vrančiceite is black, with metallic lustre. Mohs hardness is ca. 2–3, calculated density is 6.652 g.cm–3. In reflected light, vrančiceite is light grey with a yellowish shade; bireflectance, pleochroism and anisotropy are all weak. Internal reflections were not observed. Reflectance values for the four Commission on Ore Mineralogy wavelengths of vrančiceite in air [Rmax, Rmin (%) (λ in nm)] are: 33.6, 31.2 (470); 33.9, 30.6 (546); 31.1, 30.0 (589); and 32.1, 29.1 (650). The empirical formula, based on electron-microprobe analyses, is Cu10.11(4)Ag0.01(1)Hg2.87(4)Sb0.01(1)Bi0.01(1)S7.99(8). The ideal formula is Cu10Hg3S8 (Z = 2), which requires (in wt.%) Cu 42.54, Hg 40.29 and S 17.17, total 100.00. Vrančiceite is triclinic, P$\bar{1}$, with unit-cell parameters a = 7.9681(2), b = 9.7452(3), c = 10.0710(3) Å, α = 77.759(1), β = 76.990(1), γ = 79.422(1)°, V = 737.01(4) Å3 and Z = 2. The strongest reflections of the calculated powder X-ray diffraction pattern [d, Å (I) hkl] are: 3.354 (76) $\bar{2}$01, 3.111 (68) 222, 2.833 (100) 213, 2.733 (93) 231, 2.705 (76) 2$\bar{2}$1 and 2.647 (71) $\bar{2}\bar{1}$2. According to the single-crystal X-ray diffraction data (R1 = 0.0262), the crystal structure of vrančiceite can be described as comprising Cu–S layers, connected through CuS3 polyhedra, giving rise to a three-dimensional framework with channels running along the a axis and hosting linearly coordinated Hg atoms. Structural relations with gortdrumite are discussed. Vrančiceite is named after its type locality, the Vrančice deposit near Příbram. The mineral and its name have been approved by the Commission on New Minerals, Nomenclature and Classification of the International Mineralogical Association (IMA2022–114).

Monazites are one of the most interesting groups of accessory mineral components of crystalline rocks due to the information on geochemical evolution of the crystallisation environment coded in their chemical compositions, in addition to comprising one of the most valuable objects for geochronology studies. This paper presents monazite-(Sm) and monazite-(Nd) from the Blue Beryl Dyke of the Julianna system of rare-element pegmatites at Piława Górna, Lower Silesia, Poland. These monazites are unique due to their unusually high Sm and Nd contents, reaching 33.22 wt.% Sm2O3 and 34.12 wt.% Nd2O3, respectively. We consider the most significant factors of the enrichment in Sm and Nd to be the occurrence of highly fractionated pegmatite-forming melts during the final stages of solidification and associated hydrothermal fluids that were strongly enriched in rare earth element REE–Cl and REE–F complexes. Local disequilibria allowed for the rapid growth of accessory phases under supercooling conditions associated with the scavenging of selected elements, leading to their local depletion, which was not balanced by diffusion processes. As a consequence, the depletion of light rare earth elements (LREE) led to the incorporation of available middle rare earth elements (MREE, Sm–Dy) in the case of Sm and Nd, which could occupy an acceptable structural position in minerals of the monazite group.

Dongchuanite, ideally Pb4VIZnIVZn2(PO4)2(PO4)2(OH)2, is a new phosphate mineral with a new type of structure. It was found at the Dongchuan copper mine, Yunnan Province, People's Republic of China. Dongchuanite generally occurs as spherical aggregates with microscopic lamellar crystals, characterised by a turquoise–greenish blue colour. It is transparent, with a colourless streak and has a vitreous lustre without fluorescence. It is brittle with a Mohs hardness of 2–2½, and has good parallel cleavage to {011}, with insignificant parting and even fracture. According to the empirical formula and cell volume, it has a calculated density of 6.06 g/cm3. It easily dissolves in acid without gas being emitted. The mineral is biaxial (–), calculated n = 1.90 and maximum birefringence: δ = 0.010 and 2V=70°. Dispersion of the optical axes r < v is very weak. The mineral is pale blue to light blue and very weakly pleochroic in transmitted light. Dongchuanite crystallises in the triclinic space group P$\bar{1}$, with unit-cell parameters a = 4.7620(10) Å, b = 8.5070(20) Å, c = 10.3641(19) Å, α = 97.110(17)°, β = 101.465(17)°, γ = 92.273(18)°, V = 407.44(15) Å3 and Z = 1. The eight strongest reflections in the powder X-ray diffraction pattern [dobs, Å (I/I0) (hkl)] are: 3.442 (100) ($\bar{1}$12), 3.035 (50) (120), 4.652 (45) (100), 2.923 (40) ($\bar{1}\bar{1}$3), 2.384 (35) ($\bar{2}$01), 3.130 (30) ($\bar{1}$21), 2.811 (30) (030) and 2.316 (18) (032). The crystal structure (solved and refined from single-crystal X-ray diffraction data, R1 = 0.07) is a new layered structure consisting of corner-sharing tetrahedrons and octahedrons, where [PO4] tetrahedra and [ZnO4] tetrahedra share corners to form a double chain, and the another [PO4] tetrahedra is connected by corner-sharing with a [ZnO4(OH)2] octahedra to form a tetrahedral–octahedral chain, extending along the a-axis direction. The two types of chains are connected by corner-sharing between [ZnO4] and [PO4] tetrahedra forming a wrinkled layer parallel to (011). The Pb atoms occupy two independent sites between the wrinkled layers, both of which have typical lopsided coordination of Pb2+ with stereoactive 6s2 lone-pair electrons.

A new mineral species, holubite, ideally Ag3Pb6(Sb8Bi3)Σ11S24, has been found at Kutná Hora ore district, Czech Republic. The mineral is associated with other lillianite homologues (gustavite, terrywallaceite, vikingite and treasurite) most frequently as grain aggregates and replacement rims of earlier Ag–Pb–Bi minerals, growing together in aggregates up to 200 × 50 μm. It typically occurs in a close association with Ag,Bi-bearing galena and terrywallaceite. Holubite is opaque, steel-grey in colour and has a metallic lustre, the calculated density is 5.899 g/cm3. In reflected light holubite is greyish white and bireflectance and pleochroism are weak with grey tints. Anisotropy is weak to medium with grey to bluish-grey rotation tints. Internal reflections were not observed. Electron microprobe analyses yielded an empirical formula, based on 44 atoms per formula unit (apfu) of (Ag3.03Cu0.03)Σ3.06(Pb6.19Fe0.02Cd0.01)Σ6.22(Sb7.71Bi2.90)Σ10.61S24.12. Its unit-cell parameters are: a = 19.374(4), b = 13.201(3), c = 8.651(2) Å, β = 90.112(18)°, V = 2212.5(9) Å3, space group P21/n and Z = 2. Holubite is a new member of the andorite branch of the lillianite homologous series with N = 4. The structure of holubite contains two Pb sites with a trigonal prismatic coordination, eight distinct octahedral sites, of which one is a mixed (Bi,Ag) site and one is a mixed (Sb,Pb) site, and twelve anion sites. Holubite is defined as a lillianite homologue with the three following requirements: N = 4, L% [Ag+ + (Bi3+,Sb3+) ↔ 2 Pb2+ substitution] ≈ 70% and approximately one quarter to one third at.% of antimony is replaced by bismuth [Bi/(Bi+Sb) ≈ 0.26–34]. The new mineral has been approved by the Commission on New Minerals, Nomenclature and Classification of the International Mineralogical Association (IMA2022-112) and named after Milan Holub, a key Czech geologist and specialist in the Kutná Hora ore district.

Ca-bearing nepheline found in the Kajishiyama basanite, Tsuyama Basin, southwest Japan, was investigated to clarify its genesis in silica-undersaturated magmas. The basanite contains olivine and augite as phenocrysts and microphenocrysts, with Ca-bearing nepheline, olivine, augite, ulvöspinel, plagioclase, alkali feldspar, apatite and zeolites in the groundmass. Zeolites are more abundant in coarser-grained samples. The whole-rock composition of the basanite is characterised by low SiO2 and P2O5 contents and high total Fe, MgO, Na2O, K2O, Ba and Sr contents.

The Ca-bearing nepheline, ~20 μm in size, occurs in the mesostasis of the Kajishiyama basanite and contains up to 2.31 wt.% CaO and 16.75 wt.% Na2O, in contrast to nepheline from the Hamada nephelinite, southwest Japan. The approximate compositional formula of the Kajishiyama nepheline with the highest Ca content is (Ca0.467Ba0.013Na5.286K0.919□Total1.385)Σ8.070(Si0.912Al6.980Cr3+0.003Fe3+0.067 Mg0.017)Σ7.979Si8.000O32; i.e. Ne65.50Ks11.39Qxs11.22CaNe11.89.

Basanites are defined as being nepheline-normative, however they are high in normative plagioclase, the amount of which increases with fractionation of the magma. Nepheline crystallised after plagioclase, at the last stage of magmatic solidification is enriched in Ca. Such Ca-rich nepheline only forms from a magma which is high in normative plagioclase, as is the case in the Kajishiyama basanite. In contrast, Ca-poor nepheline is precipitated from nephelinitic magmas that crystallise melilite instead of plagioclase, even when Ca contents are high.

The chemistry and the crystal structure of the recently described mineral argentopolybasite are critically discussed based on the study of two new occurrences of the mineral: Gowganda, Timiskaming District, Ontario, Canada and IXL Mine, Silver Mountain mining district, Alpine County, California.

The crystal structure of argentopolybasite can be described as the sequence, along the c axis, of two alternating layers: a [Ag6Sb2S7]2– A layer and a [Ag10S4]2+ B layer. In the B layer there are linearly-coordinated metal positions (B sites), which are usually occupied by copper in all members of the pearceite–polybasite group, resulting in a B-layer composition [Ag9CuS4]2+. In argentopolybasite, however, Ag fills all the metal sites in both A and B layers. By means of a multi-regression analysis on 67 samples of the pearceite–polybasite group, which were studied by electron microprobe and single-crystal X-ray diffraction, the effect of Ag, Sb and Se on the B sites of the B layer was modelled. Although the nomenclature rules for these minerals are based on chemical data only, we think this approach is useful to evaluate the goodness of the refinement of the structure (Ag/Cu disorder) and thus fundamental to discriminate different members of the pearceite–polybasite group.

A new mineral species, mikenewite (IMA2022-102), ideally Mn2+(S4+O3)⋅3H2O, has been discovered from the San Judas Chimney, Ojuela mine, Mapimí, Durango, Mexico. It occurs as spheres of platy crystals. Associated minerals include goethite, cryptomelane, adamite and lotharmeyerite. Mikenewite is yellowish in transmitted light, transparent with a white streak and vitreous lustre. It is brittle and has a Mohs hardness of 2½–3. Cleavage is perfect on {101}. The measured and calculated densities are 2.48(5) and 2.467 g/cm3, respectively. Optically, mikenewite is biaxial (+), with α = 1.606(5), β = 1.614(5), γ = 1.627(1) (white light), 2V(meas.) = 69(3)° and 2V(calc.) = 77°. An electron microprobe analysis yielded an empirical formula (based on 6 O apfu) of (Mn0.86Zn0.12Fe0.04Ca0.02)Σ1.04(S0.98O3)⋅3H2O, which can be simplified to (Mn,Zn,Fe)(SO3)⋅3H2O.

Mikenewite is the natural analogue of synthetic α-Mn2+(S4+O3)⋅3H2O, as well as the Mn-analogue of albertiniite, Fe2+(S4+O3)⋅3H2O. It is monoclinic, with space group P21/n and unit-cell parameters a = 6.6390(3), b = 8.8895(4), c = 8.7900(4) Å, β = 96.095(2)°, V = 515.83(4) Å3 and Z = 4. The crystal structure of mikenewite is characterised by each Mn atom coordinated octahedrally by six O atoms, three from different sulfite O atoms and three from H2O molecules. Each S4+O3 group is bonded to three Mn atoms, resulting in a sheet parallel to (101) with the sheet composition of Mn2+(S4+O3)⋅3H2O. Such sheets, stacked along [10$\bar{1}$], are joined together by hydrogen bonds, accounting for the perfect cleavage of the mineral. Mikenewite is dimorphous with orthorhombic Pnma gravegliaite, as albertiniite is with fleisstalite. Its discovery from the Ojuela mine, which is particularly rich in Zn, implies the possibility of finding Zn-bearing sulfites there as well.

The paragenesis and composition of bavenite–bohseite were investigated in fifteen granitic pegmatites from the Bohemian Massif, Czech Republic. Three types distinct in their relation to primary Be precursors, mineral assemblages, morphology and origin were recognised: (1) primary hydrothermal bavenite–bohseite crystallised in miarolitic pockets from residual pegmatite fluids; and secondary bavenite–bohseite in two distinct types: (2) a proximal type restricted spatially to pseudomorphs after a primary Be mineral (beryl > phenakite, helvine–danalite); and (3) a distal type on brittle fractures and fissures of host pegmatite. The mineral assemblages are highly variable: (1) axinite-(Mn), smectite, calcite and pyrite; (2) bertrandite, milarite, secondary beryl, bazzite, K-feldspar, muscovite–illite, scolecite, gismondine-Ca, analcime, chlorite; and (3) muscovite, albite, quartz, epidote, pumpellyite-(Mg), pumpellyite-(Fe3+), titanite and chlorite. Electron microprobe analyses showed, in addition to major constituents (Si, Ca and Al), minor concentrations (in apfu) of Na (≤0.24), Fe (≤0.10), Mn (≤0.10) and F (≤0.36). The type 1 hydrothermal miarolitic bavenite–bohseite is mostly Al-rich (2.00–0.67 apfu) relative to type 2 proximal bavenite–bohseite and bohseite after beryl, phenakite and helvine–danalite (1.56–0.46, 0.70–0.05, 1.02–0.35 apfu, respectively); and type 3 distal bavenite–bohseite typically after beryl (1.63–0.09 apfu). Raman spectroscopy revealed that the distance between the OH– vibrational modes decreases with increasing bohseite component. The Al content of secondary type 2 proximal bavenite–bohseite is controlled by the composition of the Be precursor whereas type 3 distal bavenite–bohseite with beryl as the Be precursor is more variable and the composition is governed mainly by the composition of fluids. Calcium, a crucial component for bavenite–bohseite origins, was derived from residual pegmatite fluids (Vlastějovice, Vepice IV or Třebíč Plutons) or external sources (e.g. Drahonín IV, Věžná I or Maršíkov). Primary type 1 hydrothermal bavenite–bohseite from miarolitic pockets might have crystallised at T ≈ 300–400°C and P ≈ 200 MPa, whereas the secondary type 2 and 3 bavenite–bohseite formed at T ≈ 300–100°C and P ≈ 200–20 MPa.

Raman spectroscopic analysis was performed on columbite-(Mn) samples from a variety of previously studied rare-element pegmatites in Xinjiang, China, including the Jing'erquan No. 1 spodumene-subtype, Dakalasu No. 1 beryl–columbite-subtype and Kalu'an spodumene-subtype pegmatites, to quantify the relationship between the degree of metamictisation of columbite and Raman spectra. For all of the analysed columbites-(Mn), the position (p) and the full width at half maximum (FWHM) of the strongest band, A1g vibration mode related to the Nb/Ta–O bond, in the Raman spectra have a negative correlation. Combined with previously determined U–Pb isotopic data and major–minor-element data for the columbites-(Mn), the degree of metamictisation was quantified using the alpha-decay dose (D) and displacement per atom (dpa), both of which were corrected for effects caused by annealing. The results demonstrate that the columbite-(Mn) from Jing'erquan and Kalu'an are very crystalline, whereas those from Dakalasu are transitional between crystalline and amorphous stages. The main factor influencing the key parameters, i.e. band position and FWHM, of the strongest Raman band of columbite-(Mn) is metamictisation caused by radiation damage, whereas composition and crystal orientation have limited influence. A set of equations are established to quantify the degree of metamictisation of columbite using the band position and the full width at half maximum: FWHM = 8.309 × ln(aD) + 30.11 (R2 = 0.9861); p = –5.187 × ln(aD) + 867.09 (R2 = 0.966); FWHM = 8.1453 × ln(adpa) + 48.425 (R2 = 0.9822); and p = –5.078 × ln(adpa) + 855.67 (R2 = 0.9594).

The new mineral argentopolybasite, ideally Ag16Sb2S11, was found at the Kremnica Au–Ag epithermal deposit, Žiar nad Hronom Co., Banská Bystrica Region, Slovakia (type locality), Šibeničný vrch near Nová Baňa, Žarnovica Co., Banská Bystrica Region, Slovakia (cotype locality) and the Arykevaam epithermal Au–Ag deposit, Anadyr’ District, Chukotka Autonomous Okrug, Russian Federation (cotype locality). At the Kremnica deposit argentopolybasite was found as discrete, well-developed (pseudo)hexagonal tabular crystals up to 4 mm in size or as complex crystalline aggregates and groups up to 5 mm in size in cavities of quartz. It is associated with pyrargyrite, polybasite, stephanite, miargyrite, rozhdestvenskayaite-(Zn), argentotetrahedrite-(Zn), naumannite, gold and pyrite. Argentopolybasite is dark grey to black, with a black streak and metallic to opaque lustre. The Mohs hardness is ~3. It is brittle with no observable cleavage and with a conchoidal fracture. The calculated density is 6.403 g⋅cm–3. In reflected light, argentopolybasite is grey, with no observable bireflectance and very weak pleochroism. It shows moderate anisotropy in crossed polarisers with weak greenish and green–blue tints. The reflectance values for wavelengths recommended by the Commission on Ore Mineralogy of the IMA are (Rmin/Rmax, %): 30.3/31.0 (470 nm), 28.8/29.3 (546 nm), 28.1/28.6 (589 nm) and 27.4/27.8 (650 nm). The empirical formulae (based on 29 apfu) are, Kremnica: (Ag15.94Cu0.18)Σ16.12(Sb1.40As0.61)Σ2.01(S10.60Se0.25Cl0.03)Σ10.88, Nová Baňa: Ag16.30(Sb1.74As0.22)Σ1.96(S10.69Cl0.04)Σ10.73 and Arykevaam: (Ag15.54Cu0.38)Σ15.92(Sb1.56As0.51)Σ2.07S11.01. The ideal end-member formula for argentopolybasite is Ag16Sb2S11. Argentopolybasite is trigonal, space group P321, a = 15.0646(5) Å, c = 12.2552(5) Å, V = 2408.61(15) Å3 and Z = 2. The seven strongest powder X-ray diffraction lines are [dobs in Å, (I), hkl]: 12.169, (40), 001; 3.162, (100), 041; 3.045, (54), 004; 2.881, (45), 042; and 2.4256, (28), 421. The crystal structure of argentopolybasite from Kremnica, refined to Robs = 0.0741 for 2804 observed reflections, confirmed that the atomic arrangement is isotypic to that of the other members of the polybasite group and it is isostructural with argentopearceite.

The criteria for the definition of a new mineral species currently used by the Commission on New Minerals Nomenclature and Classification (CNMNC) of the International Mineralogical Association are critically examined. In particular, the rule of the dominant constituent can violate the laws of conservation of electric charge. A series of additional rules: (1) valency-imposed double site-occupancy; (2) the dominant-valency rule; and (3) the site-total-charge approach, have been developed in an attempt to correct this error. However, none of these rules can overcome the fundamental flaw introduced by the rule of the dominant constituent, and the chemical formulae resulting from application of these rules can violate the requirements of an end-member, particularly that of electroneutrality. As a result, the IMA–CNMNC rules cannot derive end-member formulae for some groups of minerals, giving rise to many ad hoc decisions in defining distinct mineral species.

A new mineral species, bernardevansite (IMA2022-057), ideally Al2(Se4+O3)3⋅6H2O, has been discovered from the El Dragón mine, Potosí Department, Bolivia. It occurs as aggregates or spheres of radiating bladed crystals on a matrix consisting of Co-bearing krut'aite–penroseite. Associated minerals are Co-bearing krut'aite–penroseite, chalcomenite and ‘clinochalcomenite’. Bernardevansite is colourless in transmitted light, transparent with white streak and vitreous lustre. It is brittle and has a Mohs hardness of 2½–3. Cleavage is not observed. The measured and calculated densities are 2.93(5) and 2.997 g/cm3, respectively. Optically, bernardevansite is biaxial (+), with α = 1.642(5), β = 1.686(5) and γ = 1.74(1) (white light). An electron microprobe analysis yielded an empirical formula (based on 15 O apfu) (Al1.26Fe3+0.82)Σ2.08(Se0.98O3)3⋅6H2O, which can be simplified to (Al,Fe3+)2(SeO3)3⋅6H2O.

Bernardevansite is the Al-analogue of mandarinoite, Fe3+2(SeO3)3⋅6H2O or dimorphous with P$\bar{6}$2c alfredopetrovite. It is monoclinic, with space group P21/c and unit-cell parameters a = 16.5016(5), b = 7.7703(2), c = 9.8524(3) Å, β = 98.258(3)°, V = 1250.21(6) Å3 and Z = 4. The crystal structure of bernardevansite consists of a corner-sharing framework of M3+O6 (M = Al and Fe) octahedra and Se4+O3 trigonal pyramids, leaving large voids occupied by the H2O groups. There are two unique M3+ positions: M1 is octahedrally coordinated by (4O + 2H2O) and M2 by (5O + H2O). The structure refinement indicates that Al preferentially occupies M1 (= 0.692Al + 0.308Fe) over M2 (= 0.516Al + 0.484Fe). The substitution of the majority of Fe in mandarinoite by Al results in a significant reduction in its unit-cell volume from 1313.4 Å3 to 1250.21(6) Å3 for bernardevansite. The discovery of bernardevansite begs the question whether the Fe3+ end-member, Fe3+2(SeO3)3⋅6H2O, has two polymorphs as well, one with P21/c symmetry, as for mandarinoite and the other P$\bar{6}$2c, as for alfredopetrovite.

A high-grade ore sample from the Cu–Zn–Au Photo Lake volcanogenic massive sulfide deposit (Flin Flon–Snow Lake greenstone belt, Manitoba, Canada) contains a Bi–Ag sulfo-selenide with a composition situated approximately in the middle of the S–Se substitution range (Se ≈ 0.86 apfu and S ≈ 1.05 apfu). These new data, combined with a literature compilation of all publicly available matildite and bohdanowiczite compositional data, reveal a nearly complete range of S–Se substitution between these two minerals, with only the section between BiAgSe0.78S1.18 and BiAgSe0.25S1.75 – about a quarter of the complete S–Se range – not yet documented. These observations suggest that a complete solid-solution series between matildite and bohdanowiczite, as previously suspected, might exist and in a manner similar to the galena–clausthalite complete solid-solution series.

Synthetic samples of krautite, Mn[AsO3(OH)]⋅H2O, koritnigite, Zn[AsO3(OH)]⋅H2O and cobaltkoritnigite, Co[AsO3(OH)]⋅H2O, were used for calorimetric experiments. For krautite and koritnigite, single-crystal X-ray diffraction was used to determine positions of all atoms, including the H atoms. These data allowed the hydrogen-bond network and the function of H2O molecules in these structures to be determined. The structural formulae are Mn4(H2[3]O)4[AsO3(OH)]4 and Zn4(H2[3]O)2[AsO3(OH)]4(H2[4]O)2, where [3]H2O and [4]H2O are the ‘transformer’ and ‘non-transformer’ H2O groups, respectively. Even though the principal features of these structures are identical, the details, especially those regarding the H2O groups, differ from one structure to another structure in this group. The solubility products (log Ksp) were determined from calorimetric data, that is, from the experimentally measured enthalpies of formation and entropies. They relate to the reaction M[AsO3(OH)]⋅H2O → M2+ + HAsO42– + H2O and are –6.10 for krautite, –6.88 for koritnigite and –6.83 for cobaltkoritnigite. We also estimated the log Ksp for magnesiokoritnigite as –2.0. Calculation of phase diagrams shows that all these phases originate under acidic conditions from solutions with high metal and arsenate concentration. They are restricted to local environments, to pockets that maintain such high concentrations over the time necessary for crystallisation of the krautite-group phases.

Piccoliite, ideally NaCaMn3+2(AsO4)2O(OH), is a new mineral discovered in the Fe–Mn ore hosted in metaquartzites of the Montaldo di Mondovì mine, Corsaglia Valley, Cuneo Province, Piedmont, Italy. It occurs as small and rare black crystals and aggregates hosted by a matrix of quartz, associated with calcite and berzeliite/manganberzeliite. It has been also found in the Valletta mine near Canosio, Maira Valley, Cuneo Province, Piedmont, Italy, where it occurs embedded in quartz associated with grandaite, hematite, tilasite/adelite and rarely thorianite. The mineral is opaque (thin splinters may be very dark red), with brown streak and has a resinous to vitreous lustre. It is brittle with irregular fracture. No cleavage has been observed. The measured Mohs hardness is ~5–5.5. Piccoliite is non fluorescent. The calculated density is 4.08 g⋅cm–3. Chemical spot analyses by electron microprobe analysis using wavelength dispersive spectroscopy resulted in the empirical formula (based on 10 anions per formula unit) (Na0.64Ca0.35)Σ0.99(Ca0.75Na0.24)Σ0.99(Mn3+1.08Fe3+0.59Mg0.20Ca0.10)Σ1.97(As2.03V0.03Si0.01)Σ2.07O9(OH) and (Na0.53Ca0.47)Σ1.00(Ca0.76Na0.23Sr0.01)Σ1.00(Mn3+0.63Fe3+0.49Mg0.48Mn4+0.34Ca0.06)Σ2.00(As1.97P0.01Si0.01)Σ1.99O9(OH) for the Montaldo di Mondovì and Valletta samples, respectively. The mineral is orthorhombic, Pbcm, with single-crystal unit-cell parameters a = 8.8761(9), b = 7.5190(8), c = 11.689(1) Å and V = 780.1(1) Å3 (Montaldo di Mondovì sample) and a = 8.8889(2), b = 7.5269(1), c = 11.6795(2) Å, V = 781.43(2) Å3 (Valletta sample) with Z = 4. The seven strongest powder X-ray diffraction lines for the sample from Montaldo di Mondovì are [d Å (Irel; hkl)]: 4.85 (57; 102), 3.470 (59; 120, 113), 3.167 (100; 022), 2.742 (30; 310, 213), 2.683 (53; 311, 023), 2.580 (50; 222, 114) and 2.325 (19; 320, 214, 223). The crystal structure (R1 = 0.0250 for 1554 unique reflections for the Montaldo di Mondovì sample and 0.0260 for 3242 unique reflections for the Valletta sample) has MnO5(OH) octahedra forming edge-shared dimers; these dimers are connected through corner-sharing, forming two-up-two-down [[6]M2([4]TO4)4φ2] chains [M = Mn; T = As; φ = O(OH)] running along [001]. These chains are bonded in the a and b directions by sharing corners with AsO4 tetrahedra, giving rise to a framework of tetrahedra and octahedra hosting seven-coordinated Ca2+ and Na+ cations. The crystal structure of piccoliite is closely related to that of pilawite-(Y) as well as to carminite-group minerals that also show the same type of chains but with different linkage. The mineral is named after the mineral collectors Gian Paolo Piccoli and Gian Carlo Piccoli (father and son) (1926–1996 and b. 1953, respectively), the latter having discovered the type material at the Montaldo di Mondovì mine.

Multicoloured tourmalines from Elba Island, commonly display dark-coloured terminations due to incorporation of Fe, and also occasionally Mn. The mechanisms which led to the availability of these elements in the late-stage residual fluids are not yet completely understood. For this purpose, we investigated a representative tourmaline crystal found naturally in two fragments within a wide miarolitic cavity in the Rosina pegmatite (San Piero in Campo, Elba Island, Italy), and characterised by late-stage dark-coloured overgrowths. Microstructural and paragenetic observations, together with compositional and spectroscopic data (electron microprobe and optical absorption spectroscopy), provide evidence which shows that the formation of the dark-coloured Mn-rich overgrowths are the result of a pocket rupture. This event caused alteration of the cavity-coating spessartine garnet by highly-reactive late-stage cavity fluids by leaching processes, with the subsequent release of Mn to the residual fluids. We argue that the two fragments were originally a single crystal, which underwent natural breakage followed by the simultaneous growth of Mn-rich dark terminations at both breakage surfaces. This conclusion supports the evidence for a pocket rupture event, responsible for both the shattering of the tourmaline crystal and the compositional variation of the cavity-fluids related to the availability of Mn, which was incorporated by the tourmaline crystals. Additionally, a comparison of the dark overgrowths formed at the analogous and the antilogous poles, provides information on tourmaline crystallisation at the two different poles. The antilogous pole is characterised by a higher affinity for Ca, F and Ti, and a selective uptake of Mn2+, even in the presence of a considerable amount of Mn3+ in the system. This uneven uptake of Mn ions resulted in the yellow–orange colouration of the antilogous overgrowth (Mn2+ dependent) rather than the purple-reddish colour of the analogous overgrowths (Mn3+ dependent).

Five povondraite crystals from San Francisco Mine, Villa Tunari, Bolivia, have been structurally and chemically characterised by single-crystal X-ray diffraction and electron microprobe analysis. For the first time, this characterisation is accompanied by Mössbauer spectroscopic and single-crystal infrared spectroscopic data, which show the exclusive presence of Fe3+ at both the octahedrally-coordinated Y and Z sites as well as slight disorder of (OH) and O over the O(1) and O(3) sites.

The data obtained along with those for earlier-studied bosiite and oxy-dravite oxy-tourmalines show a complete substitution series described by the reaction YFe3+3 + ZMg + ZFe3+4 ↔ YAl2 + YMg + ZAl5 (i.e. Fe3+Al–1) with variation of the structural parameters dominated by Fe3+ (or Al). Povondraite is the tourmaline member having the largest unit-cell parameters due to the larger size of Fe3+ relative to other trivalent cations (V > Cr > Al). In the tourmaline-supergroup minerals, the a and c unit-cell parameters vary from ~15.60 Å to ~16.25 Å and ~7.00 Å to ~7.50 Å, respectively. Their values increase with increasing Fe3+ or decreasing Al. End-member compositions related to the smallest and largest a and c parameters are, respectively, NaAl3Al6(Si3B3O18)(BO3)3(OH)3(OH) (synthetic tourmaline) and NaFe3+3(Fe3+4Mg2)(Si6O18)(BO3)3(OH)3O (povondraite).

Southwestern Sardinia, Italy, hosts several skarn, W–Sn–Mo greisen and hydrothermal deposits related to a 289±1 Ma Late Variscan granite suite. Among them, the most representative scheelite-bearing skarns belong to the San Pietro and Sinibidraxiu localities, in the Monte Tamara area, Sulcis region. The San Pietro deposit is a typical calc-silicate skarn whereas Sinibidraxiu is a sharply bounded orebody hosted in a marble unit. Optical petrographic observations and compositional data of major and trace elements were obtained for samples from both localities. San Pietro data suggests evolution from an oxidising prograde skarn stage (andradite–diopside, hematite and scheelite), to progressively more reducing conditions from the early retrograde (magnetite–cassiterite) to the late sulfide stage (arsenopyrite, stannite, molybdenite, Bi sulfosalts and Zn–Cu–Pb–Fe sulfides); Sinibidraxiu has diffuse carbonate–quartz intergrowths pseudomorphic over an early mineral assemblage with fibrous habit, followed by abundant ore mineral precipitation under reducing conditions (scheelite, arsenopyrite and Pb–Zn–Cu–Fe sulfides). Geothermometers indicate a comprehensive temperature range of 460–270°C for the sulfide stages of both deposits. The differences between the two deposits might be controlled by the distance from the source intrusion coupled with the different reactivity of the host rocks. The San Pietro mineralogy represents a more proximal skarn, contrasting with more distal mineralogical and chemical features characterising the Sinibidraxiu orebody (lack of Mo–Sn–Bi phases; LREE–MREE–HREE signature of scheelite). This investigation contributes for the first time to the identification of a W–Sn skarn system in SW Sardinia, thereby suggesting the Monte Tamara area and its surroundings as favourable for further exploration.

Eclogite-facies mineral assemblages are commonly preserved in mafic protoliths within continental terranes. It is widely accepted that the entirety of these continental terrains must also have been subducted to eclogite-facies conditions. However, evidence that the felsic material transformed at eclogite-facies conditions is lacking. Low-strain metagranites of the ultrahigh-pressure metamorphic Tso Morari Complex in Ladakh, Himalaya, are host to eclogite-facies mafic sills and preserve evidence of subduction to eclogite-facies conditions. Following the eclogite-facies metamorphism, the granites and their gneissic equivalents were overprinted by amphibolite-facies Barrovian metamorphism, obscuring their earlier metamorphic history. We present evidence that the Tso Morari metagranites preserve a complex magmatic, hydrothermal and polymetamorphic history that involved four stages. Stage 1 was magmatic crystallisation, a record of which is preserved in the primary igneous mineralogy and relict igneous microstructures. Monazite grains record a U–Pb age of 474.0 ± 11.6 Ma, concurrent with a published zircon crystallisation age. Stage 2 represents pervasive late-magmatic hydrothermal alteration of the granite during emplacement and is evident in the mineral composition, particularly in the white micas preserved in the igneous domains. Stage 3 involved the (ultra)high-pressure metamorphism of these granite bodies during the Himalayan subduction of continental material. The high-pressure stage of the metamorphic history (>25 kbar at 550–650°C) is preserved as thin coronas of garnet and phengite around igneous biotite, garnet with kyanite inclusions in pseudomorphs after cordierite, and rare palisade quartz textures after coesite. Stage 4 was a result of Barrovian metamorphism of the Tso Morari Complex and is evident in the replacement of garnet by biotite. Many of these features are preserved in localised textural domains in the rock, where local equilibrium was important and the anhydrous conditions limited reaction progress, though aided preservation potential. Collectively, these four stages record a 480 Myr history of metamorphism and reworking of the northernmost Indian plate.

Parahibbingite [β-Fe2(OH)3Cl], a new mineral recently described from ultramafic rocks in the Bushveld Complex, South Africa, has been found to form millimetric well-developed crystals as a terrestrial weathering product of the Muonionalusta iron meteorite. The mineral, initially identified by means of Raman spectroscopy, was found in a small cavity within a crust of rust on a granitic rock fragment that was in direct contact with the alteration crust of a meteorite specimen, collected in the Kitkiöjärvi area, Sweden. Its crystal structure was refined from single-crystal X-ray diffraction data (R1 = 0.0331) in the space group R$\bar{3}$m [a = 6.9362(4), c = 14.673(1) Å and V = 611.35(7) Å3 for Z = 6], thus confirming the structural model of synthetic β-Fe2(OH)3Cl. It consists of a network of octahedrally coordinated Fe2+ atoms alternately arranged in triangular and Kagomé layers, stacked along the c axis. The H atom position was determined, showing O–H⋅⋅⋅Cl bonds, which provides a further link between layers. Parahibbingite is found to be not only an important constituent of the corrosion system of archaeological iron artefacts but can also play an important role as an alteration product of iron meteorites.