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.

Bohseite is an orthorhombic calcium beryllium aluminosilicate with variable Al content and an endmember formula Ca4Be4Si9O24(OH4), that was discovered in the Piława Górna quarry in the eastern part of the Góry Sowie Block, ∼50 km southwest of Wrocław, SW Poland. It occurs in a zoned anatectic pegmatite dyke in close association with microcline, Cs-rich beryl, phenakite, helvite, 'lepidolite', probably bertrandite and unidentified Be-containing mica as alteration products after a primary Be mineral, probably beryl. Bohseite forms fan-like or parallel aggregates (up to 0.7 cm) of white, platy crystals (up to 2 mm long) with characteristic striations. It is white with a white streak, is translucent and has a vitreous lustre; it does not fluoresce under ultraviolet light. The cleavage is perfect on {001} and fair on {010}, and neither parting nor twinning was observed. Bohseite is brittle with a splintery fracture and Mohs hardness is 5–6. The calculated density is 2.719 g cm–3. The indices of refraction are α= 1.579, β = 1.580,γ = 1.597, all ±0.002; 2Vobs = 24(3)°, 2Vcalc = 27°; the optic orientation is as follows: X ^ a = 16.1°, Y ^ b = 16.1°, Z // c Bohseite shows orthorhombic diffraction symmetry, space group Cmcm, a = 23.204(6), b = 4.9442(9), c = 19.418(6) Å, V = 2227.7(4) Å3, Z = 4. The crystal structure was refined to an R1 value of 2.17% based on single-crystal data, and the chemical composition was determined by electron-microprobe analysis. Bohseite is isostructural with bavenite. Bohseite was originally approved with an end-member composition of Ca4Be3AlSi9O25(OH)3, but subsequent discovery of compositions with Be > 3.0 apfu led to redefinition of its end-member composition, holotype sample and locality, as reported here. There is extensive solid solution in bavenite–bohseite according to the scheme O(2)OH– + T(4)Si4+ + T(3)Be2+ ↔ O(2)O2– + T(4)Al3++ T(3)Si4+, and a general formula for the bavenite–bohseite minerals may be written as Ca4BexSi9Al4–xO28–x(OH)x, where x ranges from 2–4 apfu: Ca4Be2Si9Al2O26(OH)2 (bavenite) to Ca4Be4Si9O24(OH)4 (bohseite).