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

The composition of topaz from different granites and greisen in the Krušné Hory/Erzgebirge area was investigated using electron microprobe analysis (EMPA) and Laser Ablation Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS). All topaz grains are rich in F (17.9 19.8 wt.%, 1.73 1.90 a.p.f.u.) and the most important minor/trace elements are P, Ge and Ga. Contents of P up to 1 wt.% P2O5 (0.025 a.p.f.u.) were found in topaz from the strongly peraluminous P-rich magmatic systems at Podlesí. Regardless of genetic type, topaz from granites typically contains 50 100 ppm Ge. The greatest amounts (up to 204 ppm Ge) were found in topaz from quartz-topaz-apatite greisen in Krásno. In fractionated granites and greisens, topaz is calculated to contain 23 87% of the bulk Ge content in the rock. In contrast, topaz does not concentrate Ga. The Ga content of topaz (typically 5 35 ppm in S-type granites, <10 ppm Ga in A-type granites) is usually smaller than the bulk Ga content of the rock. In addition, up to 16 ppm Sc, 23 ppm Sn and >400 ppm Fe may be present.

Vysokýite, U4+[(AsO2(OH)2]4(H2O)4 (IMA 2012–067), was found growing on an altered surface of massive native As in the Geschieber vein, Jáchymov ore district, Western Bohemia, Czech Republic. The new mineral was found in association with běhounekite, štěpite, kaatialaite, arsenolite, claudetite and gypsum. It forms extremely fibrous light-green crystals up to 8 mm long. Crystals have an alabaster lustre and a greenish-white to greyish streak. Vysokýite is brittle with uneven fracture and perfect cleavage along (100) and (001); the Mohs hardness is ∼2. A density of 3.393 g/cm3 was calculated using the empirical formula and unit-cell parameters obtained from a single-crystal diffraction experiment. Vysokýite is non-fluorescent under short or long wavelength UV radiation. It is colourless under the microscope, measured refractive indices are α' = 1.617(3), γ' = 1.654(3); the estimated optical orientation is α' ∼X, γ' ∼Z. The average of five spot wavelength dispersive spectroscopy (WDS) analyses is 29.44 UO2, 1.03 SiO2, 48.95 As2O5, 0.12 SO3, 15.88 H2O (calc.), total 95.42 wt.%. The empirical formula of vysokýite (based on 20 O a.p.f.u.) is U1.00[AsO2(OH)2]3.90(SiO4)0.16 (SO4)0.01·4H2O. The As–O–H and O–H vibrations dominate in the Raman spectrum. Vysokýite is triclinic, space group P, with a = 10.749(2), b = 5.044(3), c = 19.1778(7) Å, α = 89.872(15)°, β = 121.534(15)°, γ = 76.508(15)°, and V = 852.1(6) Å3, Z = 2 and Dcalc = 3.34 g·cm–3. The strongest diffraction peaks in the X-ray powder diffraction pattern are [dobs in Å (Irel.)(hkl)]: 8.872(100)(100), 8.067(50)(002), 6.399(7)(10), 4.773(6)(10), 3.411(10)(30), 3.197(18)(31). The crystal structure of vysokýite was solved from single-crystal X-ray diffraction data by the charge-flipping method and refined to R1 = 0.0595 based on 2718 unique observed reflection, and to wR2 = 0.1160 for all 4173 unique reflections. The structure of vysokýite consists of UO8 square antiprisms sharing all of their vertices with 8 As-tetrahedra to form infinite chains parallel to [010]. These chains are linked by hydrogen bonds involving terminal (OH) groups of the double-protonated As-tetrahedra and molecules of H2O located between the chains. The new mineral is named in honour of Arnošt Vysoký (1823–1872), the former chief of the Jáchymov mines and smelters, chemist and metallurgist.

The Tinderet volcano (19.9 to 5.5 Ma), located within the Kavirondo rift in Kenya, contains blocks of carbonatite lavas with calcite, minor apatite, fluorite, spinel-group minerals, accessory perovskite and 'plumbopyrochlore'; nyerereite is present as inclusions in the perovskite. At least four types of calcite are present in the carbonatite lavas; they differ in morphology, composition and origin. The dominant variety is secondary type-II calcite, which is enriched in sodium (up to 1.1 wt.% Na2O) and strontium (up to 1.3 wt.% SrO). The spinel-group minerals are manganese-bearing and include Mn-rich magnetite, magnesioferrite and jacobsite. Oxygen isotope data for bulk carbonatite samples (δ18O = +16.2 % to +22.6 % VSMOW) support a low crystallization temperature for the secondary calcite. Petrographic, mineralogical and isotopic data indicate that the Tinderet carbonatites are similar to natrocarbonatites from the Oldoinyo Lengai and Kerimasi volcanoes that have altered and recrystallized to form calcite carbonatites. These data support the hypothesis that some of the Tinderet carbonatites were originally alkali-rich rocks which contained primary nyerereite.

The crystal structure of a Te-rich polybasite has been refined by means of X-ray diffraction data collected at room temperature (space group Pm1; R = 0.0505 for 964 observed reflections and 94 parameters; refined formula Ag14.46Cu1.54Sb1.58As0.42S9.67Te1.33). The structure comprises stacking of [(Ag, Cu)6(Sb, As)2(S, Te)7]2–A and [Ag9Cu(S, Te)2(S, Te)2]2+B layer modules in which Sb forms isolated SbS3 pyramids, as occurs typically in sulfosalts, Cu links two S atoms in a linear coordination and Ag occupies sites with coordination ranging from quasi linear to almost tetrahedral. The silver d10 ions are found in the B layer module along two-dimensional diffusion paths and their electron densities evidenced by means of a combination of a Gram-Charlier development of the atomic displacement factors and a split model. The Te-for-S substitution occurs at the same structural sites that Se substitutes for S in selenopolybasite and the Te occupancy at one of these sites is 0.49, thus suggesting the possibility that 'telluropolybasite' could be found in nature.

The crystal structure of chalcoalumite, ideally Cu2+Al4(SO4)(OH)12(H2O)3, monoclinic, P21/n, Z = 4:a 10.228(3), b 8.929(3), c 17.098(6) Å, β 95.800(11)°, V 1553.6(1.5) Å3, has been refined to R1 = 3.08% for 4,022 unique observed (4σ) reflections collected on a Bruker D8 three-circle diffractometer equipped with a rotating-anode generator, multilayer optics and an APEX-II CCD detector. In the structure of chalcoalumite, there is one S site, tetrahedrally coordinated by four O anions, with <S–O> = 1.472 Å. There are four Al sites with site-scattering values in accord with occupancy by Al and <Al–O> distances of 1.898–1.919 Å. There is one Cu site occupied by Cu2+ and coordinated by six anions in the [4 + 2] arrangement typical for octahedrally coordinated Cu2+. The short <Cu–O> distance of 2.086 Å is in accord with the low degree of bond-length distortion of the Cu octahedron. There are 19 anion sites: 4 sites are occupied by O atoms that are bonded to the S cation, 12 sites are occupied by (OH) groups that bond to all octahedrally coordinated cations, and 3 sites are occupied by (H2O) groups that are held in the structure solely by hydrogen bonding. The structure of chalcoalumite consists of interrupted sheets of edge-sharing Al and Cu octahedra of the form [Cu2+Al4(OH)12]2+ that intercalate layers of (SO4) tetrahedra and (H2O) groups. Chalcoalumite is a member of the nickelalumite group.

Cu2+ϕ6(ϕ = O2–, (OH)–, (H2O)0) octahedra show a wide range of bond-length distortion away from the holosymmetric arrangement, driven by spontaneous symmetry-breaking of the degenerate electronic ground-state in holosymmetric octahedral coordination. Here, we examine the structural mechanisms that allow large octahedron distortions of this type. There are two mechanisms: (1) coupling of (usually parallel) octahedron distortions to a vibrational phonon, inducing a (often ferroelastic) phase transition in M2+-Cu2+ solid-solutions; (2) cooperative orientational disorder, where bond topology (polyhedron linkage) allows large differences in bond lengths within polyhedra to accord with the valence-sum rule of bond-valence theory.

Švenekite (IMA 99-007), Ca[AsO2(OH)2]2, is a rare supergene arsenate mineral occurring in the Geschieber vein, Jáchymov ore district, Western Bohemia, Czech Republic. It grows directly on the granite rocks and occurs isolated from other arsenate minerals otherwise common in Jáchymov. Švenekite usually forms clear transparent coatings composed of indistinct radiating to rosette-shaped aggregates up to 3 mm across. They are composed of thin lens- or bladed-shaped crystals, usually 100 – 150 μm long. Švenekite is transparent to translucent and has a white streak and a vitreous lustre; it does not fluoresce under ultraviolet light. Cleavage is very good on {010}. The Mohs hardness is ∼2. Švenekite is biaxial, non-pleochroic. The refractive indices are α' = 1.602(2), γ' = 1.658(2). The empirical formula of švenekite (based on As + P + S = 2 a.p.f.u., an average of 10 spot analyses) is (Ca1.00Mg0.01)Σ1.01[AsO2(OH)2]1.96[PO2(OH)2]0.03(SO4)0.01. The simplified formula is Ca[AsO2(OH)2]2 and requires CaO 17.42, As2O571.39, H2O 11.19, total 100.00 wt.%. Raman and infrared spectroscopy exhibit dominance of O – H vibrations and vibration modes of distorted tetrahedral AsO2(OH)2 units. Švenekite is triclinic, space group P, with a = 8.5606(5), b = 7.6926(6), c = 5.7206(4) Å, α = 92.605(6), β = 109.9002(6), γ = 109.9017(6)º, and V = 327.48(4) Å3, Z = 2, Dcalc = 3.26 g·cm–3. The a:b:c ratio is 0.7436:1:1.1082 (for single-crystal data). The six strongest diffraction peaks in the X-ray powder diffraction pattern are [d (Å)/I(%)/(hkl)]: 3.968(33)(20); 3.766(35)(2); 3.697(49)(101); 3.554(100)(020); 3.259(33)(20); 3.097(49)(11). The crystal structure of švenekite was refined from single-crystal X-ray diffraction data to R1 = 0.0250 based on 1309 unique observed, and to wR2 = 0.0588, for all 1588 unique reflections (with GOFall = 1.20). The structure of švenekite consists of sheets of corner-sharing CaO8 polyhedra and AsO2 OH2 groups, stacked parallel to (001). Adjacent sheets are linked by hydrogen bonds. The švenekite structure possesses very short symmetrical hydrogen bonds (with the D–H lengths ∼1.22 Å). The mineral is named to honour Jaroslav Švenek, the former curator of the mineralogical collection of the National Museum in Prague, Czech Republic.

After careful consideration of the semantics of status categories for mineral species names, minor corrections and disambiguations are presented for a recent report on the nomenclature of the pyrochlore supergroup. The names betafite, elsmoreite, microlite, pyrochlore and roméite are allocated as group names within the pyrochlore supergroup. The status of the names bindheimite, bismutostibiconite, jixianite, monimolite, partzite, stetefeldtite and stibiconite is changed from 'discredited' to 'questionable' pending further research.

Canonite from Alfenza grows as crowded, radiating, acicular aggregates covering bismuthinite crystals. Individual crystals have a lozenge-shaped habit on {010}, the presumed cleavage plane of cannonite. Crystal structure refinements in the P21/c space group of two single crystals led to the following cell parameters: a = 7.7196(5) Å, b = 13.8856(9), c = 5.6980(4), b = 109.174(1)º (R1 = 0.0424); and a = 7.7100(8), b = 13.8717(14), c = 5.6939(6), b = 109.155(2)º (R1 = 0.0438). Hydrogen atoms were also localized in the density-difference Fourier map and refined with soft restraints on the bond distances. Raman and IR spectroscopy confirm the presence of OH groups and the absence of molecular water, and deliver OH···O geometry wholly comparable with the structure refinement. Electron microprobe analyses revealed no significant levels of elements other than those expected in the ideal formula except fluorine which was present up to 0.14 a.p.f.u. The crystal structure can be described in terms of anion-centred OBi4 edge-sharing tetrahedra forming chains running parallel to z and strongly cemented along x by isolated SO4 tetrahedra. Each OBi4 tetrahedron is further connected along y by OH groups, making walls of composition Bi4O2(SO4)2(OH)4 parallel to (010). These walls are tied to each other along y by fewer Bi–O–S bridges and weaker OH···O bonds.

Characterization of Brazilian agates containing a lower horizontally banded section and an upper chamber with bands parallel to the walls shows that these agates formed much later than the 135 Ma Paraná basalt host rock. Age differentiation between the two types of banding shows that the horizontal bands formed between 43 to 63 Ma ago with a final infill of wall-lining bands between 7 and 27 Ma later. The horizontal bands have a higher Al3+ concentration and a greater crystallite size than the wall-lining layers; they have a lower mogánite content and defect-site water content. The formation of these agates appears to be the result of a three-stage process. After the separate formation of horizontally banded and wall-lining agate, a silica infill seals the gap between the agate and the cavity wall. The detection of cristobalite in some specimens indicates that genesis of both the horizontally banded and wall-lining deposits in the Brazilian samples proceeds along an amorphous silica → opal-CT → opal-C → chalcedony pathway.

Leydetite, monoclinic Fe(UO2)(SO4)2(H2O)11(IMA 2012–065), is a new supergene uranyl sulfate from Mas d'Alary, Lodève, Hérault, France. It forms yellow to greenish, tabular, transparent to translucent crystals up to 2 mm in size. Crystals have a vitreous lustre. Leydetite has a perfect cleavage on (001). The streak is yellowish white. Mohs hardness is ∼2. The mineral does not fluoresce under long- or short-wavelength UV radiation. Leydetite is colourless in transmitted light, non-pleochroic, biaxial, with α = 1.513(2), γ = 1.522(2) (further optical properties could not be measured). The measured chemical composition of leydetite, FeO 9.28, MgO 0.37, Al2O30.26, CuO 0.14, UO340.19, SO321.91, SiO20.18, H2O 27.67, total 100 wt.%, leads to the empirical formula (based on 21 O a.p.f.u.), (Fe0.93Mg0.07Al0.04Cu0.01)Σ1.05(U1.01O2)(S1.96Si0.02)Σ1.98O8(H2O)11. Leydetite is monoclinic, space group C2/c, with a = 11.3203(3), b = 7.7293(2), c = 21.8145(8) Å, β = 102.402(3)°, V = 1864.18(10) Å3, Z = 4, and Dcalc = 2.55 g cm–3. The six strongest reflections in the X-ray powder diffraction pattern are [dobs in Å (I) (hkl)]: 10.625 (100) (002), 6.277 (1) (11), 5.321 (66) (004), 3.549 (5) (006), 2.663 (4) (008), 2.131 (2) (0 0 10). The crystal structure has been refined from single-crystal X-ray diffraction data to R1 = 0.0224 for 5211 observed reflections with [I > 3σ(I)]. Leydetite possesses a sheet structure based upon the protasite anion topology. The sheet consists of UO7 bipyramids, which share four of their equatorial vertices with SO4 tetrahedra. Each SO4 tetrahedron, in turn, shares two of its vertices with UO7 bipyramids. The remaining unshared equatorial vertex of the bipyramid is occupied by H2O, which extends hydrogen bonds within the sheet to one of a free vertex of the SO4 tetrahedron. Sheets are stacked perpendicular to the c direction. In the interlayer, Fe2+ ions and H2O groups link to the sheets on either side via a network of hydrogen bonds. Leydetite is isostructural with the synthetic compound Mg(UO2)(SO4)2(H2O)11. The name of the new mineral honours Jean Claude Leydet (born 1961), an amateur mineralogist from Brest (France), who discovered the new mineral.

Syntheses in acidified hydrothermal (HT) solutions (1 N H2SO4 or stronger) produce monoclinic non-stoichiometric K-jarosites which contain Fe-site vacancies with long-range order. Syntheses in non-acidified HT solutions produce rhombohedral K-jarosites which contain relatively large numbers of Fe-site vacancies with no long-range order. Increasing the [Fe]/[K] ratio, reaction temperature and reaction time in non-acidified solutions promotes the formation of monoclinic jarosites which contain Fe-site vacancies with short-range order. A structural model including details of the ordering of the Fe-site vacancies was obtained by refinement of single-crystal synchrotron data from one of the HT synthesis products; this model was used to refine synchrotron powder X-ray diffraction data from products synthesized at different reaction times, temperatures and [Fe]/[K] ratios. Thermal and chemical analyses are consistent with a model for non-stoichiometry in which domains of stoichiometric jarosite are intergrown with butlerite-like iron-deficient domains with a composition [Fe2(SO4)2(OH)2(H2O)4]. It was found that heterogeneous nucleation of monoclinic jarosite on Si disks is preceded by the formation of an oriented film of Maus's Salt, K5Fe3O(SO4)6·10H2O, as a precursor phase, and that this transforms topotactically into oriented jarosite, which contains butlerite-like layers parallel to the disk surface. Structural models for the transformation of Maus's Salt into jarosite are proposed.

An examination of a specimen of aguilarite from the type locality provides new data on the chemistry and structure of this mineral. The chemical formula of the crystal used for the structural study is (Ag3.98 Cu0.02)(Se0.98 S0.84 Te0.18), on the basis of 6 atoms. The mineral was found to be monoclinic, crystallizing in space group P 21/n, with a = 4.2478(2), b = 6.9432(3), c = 8.0042(5) Å , β = 100.103(2)º, V = 232.41(2) Å3 and Z = 4. The crystal structure [refined to R1 = 0.0139 for 958 reflections with I > 2 σ (I)] is topologically identical to that of acanthite, Ag2S. It can be described as a body-centred array of tetrahedrally coordinated X atoms (X = S, Se and Te) with Ag2X3 triangles in planes nearly parallel to (010); the sheets are linked by the Ag1 silver site, which has twofold coordination.

Aguilarite is definitively proved to be isostructural with acanthite; it does not have a naumannite-like structure, as previously supposed. Our data support the hypothesis that there are two solid solution series in the system: a monoclinic 'acanthite-like' series (from Ag2S - Ag2S0.4Se0.6), and an orthorhombic 'naumannite-like' series (from Ag2S0.3Se0.7-Ag2Se). This is supported by data gathered on synthetic counterparts. Aguilarite remains as a valid as a mineral species, but it should be described as the Se-analogue of acanthite.

In this study we also (1) review the history of the aguilarite; (2) compare properties of synthetic and natural aguilarite; and (3) demonstrate how earlier researchers erred in describing aguilarite as orthorhombic.

The Te-bearing composition of the studied aguilarite crystal suggests the possibility of a solid solution with cervelleite (Ag4TeS).

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.