The hydrogen concentration and composition of garnets in the ultrahigh pressure eclogites at Shuanghe, eastern Dabieshan, were investigated using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and electron microprobe analysis. The OH absorption bands can be divided into four groups: (1) 3635–3655 cm–1; (2) 3600–3630 cm–1; (3) 3540–3580 cm–1; and (4) 3400–3450 cm–1 and the water content ranges from 45 to 2529 ppm. Based on the behaviour of the OH absorption band and the relationship between water content and the composition of garnets, the samples can be divided into two classes: samples with >400 ppm H2O and samples with ≤400 ppm H2O. The water content of the former shows an obvious positive correlation with Ca atoms and a negative correlation with the Si, Mg and Fe2+ atoms per 12 anions, whereas the water content of the latter shows no obvious linear correlation with cations. It is concluded that the major mechanism of hydroxyl incorporation in garnets with >400 ppm H2O is by the coupled substitution 4H +Z□ → □+ZSi in the tetrahedral site, and that several mechanisms are responsible for OH incorporation in garnets with ≤400 ppm H2O.

Bettertonite, [Al6(AsO4)3(OH)9(H2O)5]•11H2O and penberthycroftite, [Al6(AsO4)3(OH)9(H2O)5].8H2O, two new minerals from the Penberthy Croft mine, Cornwall, have flexible layer structures based on corner-connected heteropolyhedral columns. Their response to dehydration on heating was studied using in situ synchrotron powder X-ray diffraction at temperatures in the range -53 to 157°C. The bettertonite sample transforms to penberthycroftite in a narrow temperature range of 67 to 97°C with a large (8%) contraction of the layer separation and a 6 Å sliding of adjacent layers relative to each other. Above 100°C a second phase transition occurs to a DL (displaced layer) phase, involving another 8% inter-layer contraction combined with a rotation of the columns. On heating the penberthycroftite sample the phase transition to the DL phase occurs at a lower temperature of ∼80°C. The DL phase is stable to a temperature of ∼120°C. At higher temperatures, increased rotation of the columns is accompanied by a progressive amorphization of the sample. Bettertonite, penberthycroftite and the DL phase exhibit negative thermal expansion (NTE) along all three axes with large NTE coefficients, of the order of-100 x 10 -6 °C-1.

A new mineral katiarsite, ideally KTiO(AsO4), occurs in sublimates of the Arsenatnaya fumarole at the Second scoria cone of the Northern Breakthrough of the Great Tolbachik Fissure Eruption, Tolbachik volcano, Kamchatka, Russia. It is associated with hatertite, bradaczekite, johillerite, yurmarinite, tilasite, arsmirandite, hematite, tenorite, As-bearing orthoclase, fluorophlogopite and aphthitalite. Katiarsite occurs as long prismatic to acicular, typically sword-like, crystals up to 3 μm×10μm×50 μm in size, and rarely up to 0.15 mm long. Crystal forms are {011}, {201}, {100} and {001}. Katiarsite is transparent, colourless, with a vitreous lustre. The mineral is brittle. Cleavage was not observed, the fracture is uneven. Dcalc is 3.49 g cm–3. Katiarsite is optically biaxial (+), α = 1.784(3), β = 1.792(3), γ = 1.870(5); 2Vobs is small. Orientation is X = b, Y = a, Z = c. The Raman spectrum is reported. The chemical composition (wt.%, electron-microprobe data) is K2O 18.98, Fe2O3 5.07, TiO2 27.49, As2O5 47.48, total 99.02. The empirical formula, calculated based on 5 O apfu, is K1.00 (Ti0.85Fe3+0.16)∑1.01 As1.02O5. The strongest reflections of the powder X-ray diffraction pattern [d,Å(I)(hkl)] are 5.91(17)(110), 5.62(74)(011), 4.18(19)(202), 3.157(66) (013), 2.826(100)(221), 2.809(96)(022) and 2.704(19)(004). Katiarsite is orthorhombic, a = 13.174(4), b = 6.5635(10), c = 10.805(2) Å, V = 934.3(3) Å3, Z = 8, space group Pna21, by analogy with KTA, synthetic KTiO(AsO4), a notable non-linear optical crystalline material. The name of the mineral reflects its chemical composition, kalium titanyl arsenate.

An unworked quartz vein-hosted gold deposit occurs in the Clew bay area of County Mayo, western Ireland. The veins are late-Caledonian in age and transect greenschist-facies poly-deformed Silurian quartzites. The veins contain disseminated arsenopyrite that may be a primary mineral source for elevated levels of arsenic (As) found in groundwater samples recovered from wells related spatially to the gold deposit. Levels from 5 to 188 μg/L (significantly above the 7.5 μg/L threshold for safe drinking water) have been detected. A series of element distribution maps using a scanning electron microscope (Hitachi model S-4700) linked to an energy-dispersive spectrometer (INCA® Oxford Instruments) and mineral distribution maps generated by QEMSCAN® (Quantitative Evaluation of Minerals by Scanning electron microscopy) were used to map the distribution of the primary arsenopyrite and related secondary As-bearing phases. Laser Raman microspectroscopy was used to identify the secondary As-bearing phases. 'Island weathering' of primary arsenopyrite together with hydrated pseudomorphs of arseniosiderite, pharmacosiderite and scorodite after arsenopyrite are recorded. Circulating groundwater hydrates the primary arsenopyrite, providing the release mechanism that forms the secondary As-bearing phases that occur as microfracture infills together with muscovite and biotite. The textural relationships between the primary and secondary As minerals indicate their potential as mineral sources of As that could enter transport pathways leading to its release into groundwater.

Data based on end-member formulae of 4872 minerals (4975 entries) were subjected to numerical treatment and plotting. Most conspicuous among the findings is the hydration trend that spans the whole mineralogical system– something that may be related to the geological history of mineral formation on Earth. Interesting negative relationships were confirmed for pairs O and F, O and Cl, and Al and Si, while the O vs. S graph documents the dual nature of the behaviour of sulfur. Determinations of Al and Si have the potential of alarming the analyst that his phase might contain hydrogen. The dataset available also permitted the plotting of histograms that illustrate the preferred concentration distribution of individual elements throughout the mineral kingdom.

Pb-lawsonite, PbAl2[(OH)2|Si2O7]·H2O, space group Pbnm, was synthesized as crystals up to 15 μm × 5 μm × 5 μm in size by a piston cylinder technique at a pressure of ∼4 GPa and a temperature of 873 ± 10 K. Temperature-dependent powder and single-crystal X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses partly using synchrotron radiation as well as Raman spectroscopic investigations reveal a phase transition around 445 K resulting in the Cmcm high-temperature structure. The transformation temperature is considerably higher than that of lawsonite around 273 K, which is characterized predominantly by proton order/disorder. The transition is confirmed using principal component analysis and subsequent hierarchical cluster analysis on both the powder XRD patterns and the Raman spectra. Furthermore, a non-uniform change is observed around 355 K, which is not as pronounced as the 445 K transition and apparently comes from enhanced hydrogen bonding, which stops the atom shifts in Pb-lawsonite. These are the same bonds that mainly characterize the phase transition in lawsonite around 273 K. In contrast, the structural transition of Pblawsonite at 445 K seems to originate from the interaction of the SiO4 tetrahedra and AlO6 octahedra framework with the Pb2+ cation. The structural environment of Pb2+ can be described by a 12-fold coordination above 445 K, which changes towards irregular ten-fold coordination below this temperature. An assignment of the O–H stretching Raman bands confirms moderately strong H bonds in Pb-lawsonite, whereas both strong and weak H bonds exist in lawsonite. Therefore, a further phase transition of Pblawsonite, similar to that of lawsonite around 273 K, is not expected.

Carbonated calcium apatites doped with a monovalent cation (Li+, Na+, or K+) or a divalent cation (Mg2+ or Zn2+) were prepared in aqueous solution and analysed by powder X-ray diffraction, inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy and infrared spectroscopy. The hypothesis that the location of carbonate in the apatite structure, either in place of hydroxide ions in the c-axis channels (A-type substitution) or in place of phosphate (B-type substitution), is affected by the solution energetics of the cation (specifically its enthalpy of hydration) was strengthened by the observation of larger amounts of Atype carbonate in apatites containing the monovalent cations in aqueous solution. It is shown that cations with low negative enthalpies of hydration favour A-type substitution, whereas cations with higher negative hydration enthalpies, such as divalent cations (Mg2+, Zn2+), favour B-type substitution.

Jeffbenite, ideally Mg3Al2Si3O8, previously known as tetragonal-almandine-pyrope-phase ('TAPP’), has been characterized as a new mineral from an inclusion in an alluvial diamond from São Luiz river, Juina district of Mato Grosso, Brazil. Its density is 3.576 g/cm3 and its microhardness is ∼7. Jeffbenite is uniaxial (-) with refractive indexes ω = 1.733(5) and ε = 1.721 (5). The crystals are in general transparent emerald green.

Its approximate chemical formula is (Mg262Fe2+0.27)(Al186Cr016)(Si2 g2Al018)O12 with very minor amounts of Mn, Na and Ca. Laser ablation ICP-MS showed that jeffbenite has a very low concentration of trace elements. Jeffbenite is tetragonal with space group I42d, cell edges being a = 6.5231(1) and c = 18.1756(3) Å. The main diffraction lines of the powder diagram are [d (in Å), intensity, hkl]: 2.647, 100, 2 0 4; 1.625, 44, 3 2 5; 2.881, 24, 2 1 1; 2.220, 19, 2 0 6; 1.390, 13, 4 2 4; 3.069, 11,2 0 2; 2.056, 11,2 2 4; 1.372, 11,2 0 12.

The structural formula of jeffbenite can be written as (M1)(M2)2(M3)2(T1)(T2)2O12 with M1 dominated by Mg, M2 dominated by Al, M3 dominated again by Mg and both T1 and T2 almost fully occupied by Si. The two tetrahedra do not share any oxygen with each other (i.e. jeffbenite is classified as an orthosilicate).

Jeffbenite was approved as a new mineral by the IMA Commission on New Minerals and Mineral Names with the code IMA 2014-097. Its name is after Jeffrey W. Harris and Ben Harte, two world-leading scientists in diamond research. The petrological importance of jeffbenite is related to its very deep origin, which may allow its use as a pressure marker for detecting super-deep diamonds. Previous experimental work carried out on a Ti-rich jeffbenite establishes that it can be formed at 13 GPa and 1700 K as maximum P-T conditions.

The new mineral tavagnascoite, Bi4O4 (SO4)(OH)2, was discovered in the Pb-Bi-Zn-As-Fe-Cu ore district of Tavagnasco, Turin, Piedmont, Italy. It occurs as blocky, colourless crystals, up to 40 μm in size, with a silky lustre. In the specimen studied, tavagnascoite is associated with other uncharacterized secondary Bi-minerals originating from the alteration of a bismuthinite ± Bi-sulfosalt assemblage. Electron microprobe analyses gave (average of three spot analyses, wt.%) Bi2O3 85.32, Sb2O3 0.58, PbO 2.18, SO3 8.46, H2Ocalc 1.77, sum 98.31. On the basis of 10 O apfu, the chemical formula is (Bi3.74Pb0.10Sb0.04)∑ = 3.88O3.68 (SO4)1.08(OH)2, with rounding errors. Main calculated diffraction lines are [d in Å (relative intensity) hkl] 6.39 (29) 012, 4.95 (19) 111,4.019(32)121,3.604(28)014 and 3.213(100)123. Unit-cell parameters are a = 5.831(1), b = 11.925(2), c = 15.123(1) Å, V = 1051.6(3) Å3, Z = 4, space group Pca21. The crystal structure was solved and refined from single-crystal X-ray diffraction data to R 1 = 0.037 on the basis of 1269 observed reflections. It consists of Bi–O polyhedra and SO4 tetrahedra. Bismuth polyhedra are connected each to other to form Bi–O sheets parallel to (001). Successive sheets are linked together by SO4 groups and hydrogen bonds. Tavagnascoite is the Bi-analogue of klebelsbergite, Sb4O4(SO4)(OH)2, and it is the fifth natural known bismuth sulfate without additional cations. The mineral and its name have been approved by the IMA CNMNC (2014-099).

Continuous development of advanced technologies has created increasing demand for rare-earth elements (REE), with global emphasis on identifying new alternate sources to ensure adequate supply. Ore deposits containing physically adsorbed lanthanides are substantially lower grade than other REE deposit types; however, the low mining and processing costs make them economically attractive as sources of REE. To evaluate the commercial potential for the recovery of REEs from ion-adsorption deposits in a systematic manner, a standardized procedure for REE leaching was developed previously. Using this procudure it was found that, regardless of variations in ore origin and REE content, all REE consistently reached peak extraction levels under ambient conditions with fast kinetics. Various techniques to improve the REE extraction through process variations were also investigated: it was found that decreasing the L:S ratio, re-using leachate on fresh ores and counter-current leaching were all capable of increasing REE concentrations in the resultant leachate, albeit at the expense of REE extraction levels. In addition, the water content trapped in the leached material was found to contain significant amounts of REE and residual lixiviant requiring thorough washing of the solid residue.

The Outer Layered Suite of the Cuillin Igneous Complex (Isle of Skye, NW Scotland) comprises a Peridotite Series and a younger Allivalite Series (the latter comprising troctolites, eucrites and gabbros). Close to the junction between the Peridotite and the Allivalite Series (but wholly contained within the latter), an ultramafic breccia unit containing abundant peridotite xenoliths crops out. In the Peridotite Series, reddish-brown Cr-bearing spinels are present as disseminated crystals in the peridotite and also as chromitite seams, while in the peridotite xenoliths of the breccia unit, green pleonaste occurs in both of these modes of textural occurrence. Optical absorption spectroscopy reveals that the colour difference between the two spinel phases is related mainly to variable Al, Cr and Fe contents, while crystal structural analysis shows that the cooling rate calculated utilizing the oxygen positional parameter is comparable for all samples. The intracrystalline closure temperature for the Cr-spinel in the Peridotite Series is different for the disseminated and seam textural occurrences of the spinels, while the temperatures yielded by pleonaste in the peridotite xenoliths are the same for both textural occurrences. Our dataset suggests that the pleonaste in the peridotite xenoliths has been heated and equilibrated under subsolidus conditions, probably during breccia formation. During this heating, homogenization of the closure temperatures of pleonaste spinels occurred.

Magnesio-ferri-fluoro-hornblende has the ideal formula A□B Ca2C(Mg4Fe3+)T(Si7Al)O22WF2 (Hawthorne et al., 2012). The holotype sample described in this work occurs as prismatic crystals in vugs of volcanic rocks (Seruci ignimbrites), found along the coast road ∼5.5 km northeast of Portoscuso, Cagliari, Sardinia; associated minerals are tridymite, todorokite, magnetite, and hematite. The name and the mineral were approved by the IMA CNMNC (2014-091). Holotype magnesio-ferri-fluoro-hornblende is monoclinic, space group C2/m, a = 9.839(5), b = 18.078(9), c = 5.319(3) Å, β = 104.99(3)°, V = 913.9(9) Å3, Z = 2. The density calculated from the empirical formula is 3.315 g cm–3. In plane-polarized light, magnesio-ferri-fluoro-hornblende is pleochroic, X = pale grey (least), Y = dark grey (most), Z = pale brownish grey (intermediate); X^ a = 47.6° (β obtuse), Y // b, Z^ c = 33.4° (β acute). It is biaxial negative, α = 1.669, β = 1.676, γ = 1.678, all ±0.002; 2Vobs = 74(1)°, 2Vcalc = 56°. The strongest eight lines in the powder X-ray diffraction pattern are [d in Å (I)(hkl)]: 2.711 (100)(151), 8.412 (89)(110), 3.121 (64)(310), 2.553 (61)(2̄02), 3.389 (55)(131), 2.599 (45)(061), 2.164 (36)(261), and 2.738 (34)(3̄31). Electron-microprobe analysis of the refined crystal gave SiO2 45.34, Al2O3 6.18, TiO2 1.22, FeO 15.24, Fe2O3 6.27, MgO 9.71, MnO 0.78, ZnO 0.06, CaO 10.18, Na2O 1.35, K2O 1.15, F 3.22, Cl 0.30, H2Ocalc 0.37, sum 99.95 wt.%. The empirical formula unit, calculated on the basis of 24 (O, OH, F, Cl) apfu with (OH + F + Cl) = 2 apfu is: (Na0.15K0.22)∑0.37(Na0.25Ca1.66Mn0.09)∑2.00(Mg2.20Fe2+1.94Mn0.01Zn0.01Fe3+0.72Ti0.13)∑5.01 (Al1.11Si6.89)∑8.00O22[F1.55(OH)0.37Cl0.08)∑2.00.

Albertiniite, Fe2+(SO3)·3H2O, is a new Fe2+ sulfite trihydrate, related chemically to gravegliaite. It occurs at the Monte Falò Pb-Zn mine near Coiromonte, in the Armeno Municipality, Verbano–Cusio–Ossola Province, Italy. It is an intermediate product of oxidation between iron sulfides and sulfates, forming monoclinic, colourless to pale yellow, transparent crystals with a vitreous lustre. The mineral occurs associated with stolzite, pyromorphite, hinsdalite, plumbogummite, gibbsite, scheelite and jarosite on brittle fractures of quartz veins or chlorite-schist. Albertiniite is optically biaxial (+) with 2V(meas) ≈ 40° and 2V(calc) = 66°. The measured refractive indices, using sodium light (589 nm) are: α = 1.612(2)°, β = 1.618(2)° and γ = 1.632(2)°. The optical axis plane is parallel to the perfect {010} cleavage plane. It is non-fluorescent under shortwave (254 nm) or longwave (366 nm) ultraviolet light. The calculated density is 2.469 g cm–3 (from the crystal-structure refinement), or 2.458 g cm–3 (from the chemical analysis and the single-crystal unit-cell parameters). The empirical formula is (average of 16 spots and based on 3 anhydrous oxygen apfu) (Ca0.001Mg0.001Na0.003)∑1.061(S0.971O3)·2.84H2O, with the H2O content calculated by difference to 100 wt.%. Albertiniite is monoclinic, with space group P21/n. Its unit-cell parameters are: a = 6.633(1), b = 8.831(1), c = 8.773(1) Å, β = 96.106(8)° and V = 511.0(1) Å3, with Z = 4. The eight strongest measured lines in the powder X-ray diffraction pattern are [d in Å, (I/I0), (hkl)]: 4.072 (100) (1̄11), 3.539 (93) (1̄12), 5.533 (27) (1̄01), 6.167 (14) (011), 2.830 (14) (211), 4.998 (14) (101), 4.353 (12) (111) and 3.897 (12) (012). The mineral, which has been approved by the CNMNC, number IMA2015-004, is named albertiniite in honour of Claudio Albertini, an Italian mineral collector and expert in the systematic mineralogy of the Alps and pegmatites.

Stalagmites and stalactites, as observed within natural caves, may develop inside geological repositories during constructional and post-operational periods. It is therefore important to understand actinide sorption within such materials. Towards this, experimental studies were carried out with 233U, 238Np (VI), 238Np (IV), 239Pu and 241Am radiotracers using natural speleothem samples collected from the Dharamjali cave of the Kumaon Lesser Himalayas, India. Petrological/mineralogical studies showed that natural speleothems have three general domains: (1) columnar calcite; (2) microcrystalline calcite; and (3) botryoidal aragonite – each with ferruginous materials. Results showed that all domains of speleothems can take up >99% actinides, irrespective of valence state and pH (1–6 range) of the solution. However, distribution coefficients were found to be at a maximum in aragonite for most of the actinides. Such data are very important for long-term performance and safety assessments of the deep geological repositories planned for the disposal of high-level nuclear wastes.

We describe the structures and transformations that lead to the crystallization of a post-post-perovskite of Sb2S3 type in a GdFeO3-type fluoroperovskite system at high-pressure conditions, through use of large-volume powder and single-crystal x-ray diffraction techniques. The results of this analysis gives unique access to the relative crystallographic orientations of all the polymorphs encountered (GdFeO3 type, CaIrO3 type and Sb2S3 type). We use this information to extend this description to include other calculated and observed forms that are competitive in ABX3 and A2X3 stoichiometries (e.g. α-Gd2S3 and Be3N2 types) and provide substantial information on inter-relationships between these structures. Such information is critical to the interpretation of transition mechanisms, predicting transition sequences and to the expression of directional properties in those transformed structures. The transformation from CaIrO3 type to Sb2S3 type is group-subgroup, from Cmcm with fc2a, to Pnma c5, with no observable volume change, but considerable change to the morphology of the lattice. There is a concomitant increase in coordination and average bond length compared to the post-perovskite form of NaFeF3.

Geochemical characteristics and rare-earth element (REE)-bearing minerals of calc-alkaline granites in southern Myanmar were investigated to identify the minerals controlling fractionation between light and heavy REE (LREE and HREE) during magmatic differentiation and weathering. The granites were classified on the basis of the mineral assemblages into two contrasting groups: allanite-(Ce)- and/or titanite-bearing granites; and more HREE-enriched granites characterized by hydrothermal minerals including synchysite(Y), parisite-(Ce), bastnäsite-(Ce), xenotime-(Y), monazite-(Ce), Y-Ca silicate, waimirite-(Y) and fluorite. This suggests that allanite-(Ce) and titanite are not stable in differentiated magma and HREE are eventually preferentially incorporated into the hydrothermal minerals. The occurrence of the REE-bearing minerals is constrained by the degree of magmatic differentiation and the boundary of two contrasting granite groups is indicated by SiO2 contents of ∼74 wt.% or Rb/Sr ratios of ∼3–8. Fractionation between LREE and HREE during weathering of the granites is influenced by weathering resistance of the REE-bearing minerals, i.e. allanite-(Ce), titanite, the REE fluorocarbonates and waimirite-(Y) are probably more susceptible to weathering, whereas zircon, monazite-(Ce) and xenotime-(Y) are resistant to weathering. Ion-exchangeable REE in weathered granites tend to be depleted in HREE relative to the whole-rock compositions, suggesting that HREE are more strongly adsorbed on weathering products or that HREE remain in residual minerals.

Ferro-ferri-hornblende is a new member of the amphibole supergroup (IMA-CNMNC 2015-054). It has been found in a rock specimen from the historical collection of Leandro De Magistris, which was collected at the Traversella mine (Val Chiusella, Ivrea, Piemonte, Italy). The specimen was catalogued as ‘speziaite', and contains a wide range of amphibole compositions from tremolite/actinolite to magnesio-hastingsite. The end-member formula of ferro-ferri-hornblende is A□BCa2c(Fe+Fe3+)T(Si7Al) O22W(OH)2 , which requires SiO2 43.41, Al2O3 5.26, FeO 29.66, Fe2O3 8.24 CaO 11.57, H2O 1.86, total 100.00 wt.%. The empirical formula derived from electron microprobe analysis and single-crystal structure refinement for the holotype crystal is A(Na0.10K0.13) Σ=0.23B(Ca 1.93Na0.07)Σ=2.00C(Mg1.16Fe2+3.21Mn0.O6Fe3+0.45 Al0.12Ti 0.01)Σ=5.01T(Si7.26Al0. 74)Σ=8.00 O22W(OH1.89F0.01C10.10)Σ=2.00- Ferro-ferri-hornblende is biaxial (-), with α = 1.697(2), P = 1 .722(5), γ = 1.726(5) and 2V (meas.) = 35.7(1.4)°, 2V (calc.) = 43.1°. The unit-cell parameters are a = 9.9307(5), b = 18.2232(10), c = 5.3190(3) Å, β = 104.857(1)°, V= 930.40 (9) Å3, Z= 2, space group C2/m. The a:b:c ratio is 0.545:1:0.292. The strongest eight reflections in the powder X-ray pattern [d values (in Å), I, (hkl)] are: 8.493, 100, (110); 2.728, 69, (151); 3.151, 47, (310); 2.555, 37, (); 2.615, 32, (061); 2.359, 28, (); 3.406, 26, (131); 2.180, 25, (261). Type material is deposited in the collections of the Museo di Mineralogia, Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra e dell'Ambiente, Università di Pavia, under the catalogue number 2015-01. Sample M/U15285 from the historical collection of Luigi Colomba, presently at the Museo Regionale di Scienze Naturali di Torino, was also checked, and the presence of ferro-ferri-hornblende was confirmed.

The new mineral species meerschautite, ideally (Ag,Cu)5.5Pb42.4(Sb,As)45.1S112O0.8, has been discovered in the baryte + pyrite ± (Pb-Zn-Ag) deposit of the Pollone mine, near Valdicastello Carducci, Apuan Alps, Tuscany, Italy. It occurs as black prismatic crystals, striated along [100], up to 2 mm long and 0.5 mm thick, associated with baryte, boulangerite, pyrite, quartz and sphalerite. Meerschautite is opaque with a metallic lustre and shows a black streak. In reflected light, meerschautite is white in colour, weakly bireflectant and non pleochroic. With crossed polars, it is distinctly anisotropic with grey to dark grey rotation tints with brownish and greenish shades. Reflectance percentages for COM wavelengths [λ (nm), Rair (%)] are: 470: 39.7/41.4; 546: 38.3/39.9; 589: 37.4/39.0; 650: 35.8/37.2. Electron-microprobe data collected on two different samples gave (wt.%): Cu 0.22, Ag 3.15, Tl 0.07, Pb 48.54, Sb 25.41, As 2.82, S 19.74, Se 0.14, Cl 0.03, sum 100.12 (# 1) and Cu 0.22, Ag 3.04, Tl 0.13, Pb 48.53, Sb 25.40, As 2.93, Bi 0.06, S 19.82, Se 0.13, Cl 0.05, sum 100.31 (# 2). On the basis of 112 anions (S+Se+Cl) per formula unit, the empirical formulae are (Ag5.29Cu0.63)∑5.92(Pb42.43Tl0.06)∑42.49(Sb37.80As6.82)∑44.62(S111.53Se0.32Cl0.15)∑112 (# 1) and (Ag5.08Cu0.62)∑5.70(Pb42.22Tl0.12)∑42.34(Sb37.61As7.07Bi0.05)∑44.73(S111.45Se0.30Cl0.25)∑112 (# 2). Main diffraction lines, corresponding to multiple hkl indices, are [d in Å (relative visual intensity)]: 3.762 (m), 3.663 (s), 3.334 (vs), 3.244 (s), 3.016 (m), 2.968 (m), 2.902 (m), 2.072 (ms). The crystal structure study gave a monoclinic unit cell, space group P21, with a = 8.2393(1), b = 43.6015(13), c = 28.3688(8) Å, β = 94.128(2)°, V = 10164.93(2) Å3, Z = 2. The crystal structure has been solved and refined to a final R1 = 0.122 on the basis of 49,037 observed reflections. The structure is based on two building blocks, both formed by a complex column with a pseudotrigonal Pb6S12 core and two arms of unequal lengths (short and long arms, respectively). Two different kinds of short arms occur in meerschautite. One is an Ag-rich arm, whereas the other shows localized Sb–O–Sb bonds. Meerschautite is an expanded derivative of owyheeite and has quasi-homeotypic relationships with sterryite and parasterryite.

A new protocol for the quantitative determination of zeolite-group mineral compositions by electron probe microanalysis (wavelength-dispersive spectrometry) under ambient conditions, is presented. The method overcomes the most serious challenges for this mineral group, including new confidence in the fundamentally important Si-Al ratio. Development tests were undertaken on a set of natural zeolite candidate reference samples, representing the compositional extremes of Na, K, Cs, Mg, Ca, Sr and Ba zeolites, to demonstrate and assess the extent of beam interaction effects on each oxide component for each mineral. These tests highlight the variability and impact of component mobility due to beam interaction, and show that it can be minimized with recommended operating conditions of 15 kV, 2 nA, a defocused, 20 μm spot size, and element prioritizing with the spectrometer configuration. The protocol represents a pragmatic solution that works, but provides scope for additional optimization where required. Vital to the determination of high-quality results is the attention to careful preparations and the employment of strict criteria for data reduction and quality control, including the monitoring and removal of non-zeolitic contaminants from the data (mainly Fe and clay phases). Essential quality criteria include the zeolite-specific parameters of R value (Si/(Si + Al + Fe3+), the 'E%' charge-balance calculation, and the weight percent of non-hydrous total oxides. When these criteria are applied in conjunction with the recommended analytical operating conditions, excellent inter-batch reproducibility is demonstrated. Application of the method to zeolites with complex solid-solution compositions is effective, enabling more precise geochemical discrimination for occurrence-composition studies. Phase validation for the reference set was conducted satisfactorily with the use of X-ray diffraction and laser-ablation inductively-coupled plasma mass spectroscopy.

Lithium mineralization is common in the Central Iberian Zone and, to a lesser extent, in the Galizia-Trás-OsMontes Zone of Spain and Portugal, occurring along a ∼500 km-long NNW-SSE striking belt. There are different styles of Li mineralization along this belt; they are mainly associated with aplite-pegmatite bodies and, to a much lesser extent, with veins of quartz and phosphate. Lithium mineralization in the Central Iberian Zone may be classified into four types: aplite-pegmatite dykes occurring in pegmatitic fields, Li mineralization associated with leucogranitic cupolas, beryl-phosphate pegmatites and quartz-montebrasite veins. The main Li minerals of these bodies include Li-mica, spodumene and/or petalite in the pegmatitic fields and leucogranitic cupolas; triphylite–lithiophilite in the beryl-phosphate pegmatites, and amblygonite–montebrasite in the quartz-montebrasite veins. The origin of these different styles of mineralization is considered to be related to differentiation of peraluminous melts, which were generated by partial melting of metasedimentary rocks during the Variscan orogeny. On the basis of paragenesis and chemical composition, the pegmatitic fields and Li mineralization associated with granitic cupolas record the highest fractionation levels, whereas the beryl-phosphate pegmatites and quartz-montebrasite veins show lower degrees of fractionation. There are a number of textural and mineralogical indicators for Li exploration in the Central Iberian Zone and in the Galizia-Trás-Os-Montes Zone, with the highest economic potential for Li being in the pegmatite fields.