ALBERT

Description: Calciodelrioite, ideally Ca(VO3)2(H2O)4, is a new mineral (IMA 2012-031) from the uranium-vanadium deposits of the eastern Colorado Plateau in the USA. The type locality is the West Sunday mine, Slick Rock district, San Miguel County, Colorado. The new mineral occurs on fracture surfaces in corvusite- and montroseite-impregnated sandstone and forms as a result of the oxidative alteration of these phases. At the West Sunday mine, calciodelrioite is associated with celestine, gypsum, huemulite, metarossite, pascoite and rossite. The mineral occurs as transparent colourless needles, bundles of tan to brown needles and star bursts of nearly black broad blades composed of tightly intergrown needles. Crystals are elongate and striated parallel to [100], exhibiting the prismatic forms {001} and {011} and having terminations possibly composed of the forms {100} and {611İ}. The mineral is transparent and has a white streak, subadamantine lustre, Mohs hardness of about 2, brittle tenacity, irregular to splintery fracture, one perfect cleavage on {001} and possibly one or more additional cleavages parallel to [100]. Calciodelrioite is soluble in water. The calculated density is 2.451 g cm−3. It is optically biaxial (+) with α = 1.733(3), β = 1.775(3), γ = 1.825(3) (white light), 2Vmeas = 87.3(9)° and 2Vcalc = 87°. The optical orientation is X = b; Z ≈ a. No pleochroism was observed. Electron-microprobe analyses of two calciodelrioite samples and type delrioite provided the empirical formulae (Ca0.88Sr0.07Na0.04K0.01)Σ1.00(V1.00O3)2(H2.01O)4, (Ca0.76Sr0.21Na0.01)Σ0.98(V1.00O3)2(H2.01O)4 and (Sr0.67Ca0.32)Σ0.99(V1.00O3)2(H2.00O)4, respectively. Calciodelrioite is monoclinic, I2/a, with unit-cell parameters a = 14.6389(10), b = 6.9591(4), c = 17.052(2) Å, β = 102.568(9)°, V = 1695.5(3)Å3 and Z = 8. The seven strongest lines in the X-ray powder diffraction pattern [listed as dobs Å(I)(hkl)] are as follows: 6.450(100)(011); 4.350(16)(013); 3.489(18)(020); 3.215(17)(022); 3.027(50)(multiple); 2.560(28)(41İ5,413); 1.786(18)(028). In the structure of calciodelrioite (refined to R1 = 3.14% for 1216 Fo 〉 4σF), V5+O5 polyhedra link by sharing edges to form a zigzag divanadate [VO3] chain along a, similar to that in the structure of rossite. The chains are linked via bonds to Ca atoms, which also bond to H2O groups, yielding CaO3(H2O)6 polyhedra. The Ca polyhedra form a chain along b. Each of the two symmetrically independent VO5 polyhedra has two short vanadyl bonds and three long equatorial bonds. Calciodelrioite and delrioite are isostructural and are the endmembers of the series Ca(VO3)2(H2O)4–Sr(VO3)2(H2O)4. Calciodelrioite is dimorphous with rossite, which has a similar structure; however, the smaller 8-coordinate Ca site in rossite does not accommodate Sr.

Description: Nestolaite (IMA 2013-074), CaSeO 3 ·H 2 O, is a new mineral species from the Little Eva mine, Grand County, Utah, USA. It is named in honour of the prominent Italian mineralogist and crystallographer Fabrizio Nestola. The new mineral was found on sandstone matrix as rounded aggregates up to 2 mm across and up to 0.05 mm thick consisting of tightly intergrown oblique-angled, flattened to acicular crystals up to 30 μm long and up to 7 μm (very rarely up to 15 μm) thick. Nestolaite associates with cobaltomenite, gypsum, metarossite, orschallite and rossite. The new mineral is light violet and transparent with a white streak and vitreous lustre. The Mohs hardness is 21/2. Nestolaite is brittle, has uneven fracture and perfect cleavage on {100}. The measured and calculated densities are D meas. = 3.18(2) g/cm 3 and D calc. = 3.163 g/cm 3 . Optically, nestolaite is biaxial positive. The refractive indices are α = 1.642(3), β = 1.656(3), = 1.722(6). The measured 2 V is 55(5)° and the calculated 2 V is 51°. In transmitted light nestolaite is colourless. It does not show pleochroism but has strong pseudo-absorption caused by high birefringence. The chemical composition of nestolaite (wt.%, electron-microprobe data) is: CaO 28.97, SeO 2 61.14, H 2 O (calc.) 9.75, total 99.86. The empirical formula calculated on the basis of 4 O a.p.f.u. (atoms per formula unit) is Ca 0.96 Se 1.02 O 3 ·H 2 O. The Raman spectrum is dominated by the Se–O stretching and O–Se–O bending vibrations of the pyramidal SeO 3 groups and O–H stretching modes of the H 2 O molecules. The mineral is monoclinic, space group P 2 1 /c , with a = 7.6502(9), b = 6.7473(10), c = 7.9358(13) Å, β = 108.542 (12)°, V = 388.37(10) Å 3 and Z = 4. The eight strongest powder X-ray diffraction lines are [ d obs inÅ ( hkl ) ( I rel )]: 7.277 (100)(100), 4.949 (110)(37), 3.767 (002)(29), 3.630 (200)(58), 3.371 (020)(24), 3.163 (2I02)(74), 2.9783 (1I21)(74) and 2.7231 (112)(31). The crystal structure of nestolaite was determined by means of the Rietveld refinement from the powder data to R wp = 0.019. Nestolaite possesses a layered structure consisting of Ca–SeO 3 sheets, composed of edge-sharing polyhedra. Adjacent sheets are held by H bonds emanating from the single (H 2 O) group within the sheets. The nestolaite structure is topologically unique.

Description: The new mineral belakovskiite (IMA2013-075), Na 7 (UO 2 )(SO 4 ) 4 (SO 3 OH)(H 2 O) 3 , was found in the Blue Lizard mine, Red Canyon, White Canyon district, San Juan County, Utah, USA, where it occurs as a secondary alteration phase in association with blödite, ferrinatrite, kröhnkite, meisserite and metavoltine. Crystals of belakovskiite are very pale yellowish-green hair-like fibres up to 2 mm long and usually no more than a few μm in diameter. The fibres are elongated on [100] and slightly flattened on {021}. Crystals are transparent with a vitreous lustre. The mineral has a white streak and a probable Mohs hardness of ~2. Fibres are flexible and elastic, with brittle failure and irregular fracture. No cleavage was observed. The mineral is readily soluble in cold H 2 O. The calculated density is 2.953 g cm –3 . Optically, belakovskiite is biaxial (+) with α = 1.500(1), β = 1.511(1) and = 1.523(1) (measured in white light). The measured 2V is 87.1(6)° and the calculated 2V is 88°. The mineral is non-pleochroic. The partially determined optical orientation is X a . Electron-microprobe analysis provided Na 2 O 21.67, UO 3 30.48, SO 3 40.86, H 2 O 6.45 (structure), total 99.46 wt.% yielding the empirical formula Na 6.83 (U 1.04 O 2 )(SO 4 ) 4 (S 0.99 O 3 OH)(H 2 O) 3 based on 25 O a.p.f.u. Belakovskiite is triclinic, P 1I, with a = 5.4581(3), b = 11.3288(6), c = 18.4163(13) Å, α = 104.786(7)°, β = 90.092(6)°, = 96.767(7)°, V = 1092.76(11) Å 3 and Z = 2. The eight strongest X-ray powder diffraction lines are [ d obs Å( I )( hkl )]: 8.96(35)(002), 8.46(29)(011), 5.19(100)(1I01,101,1I10), 4.66(58)(013,1I02,1I1I0,110), 3.568(37)(120,023,005,03I3), 3.057(59)(01I6,11I5,1I31), 2.930(27)(multiple) and 1.8320(29)(multiple). The structure, refined to R 1 = 5.39% for 3163 F o 〉 4 F reflections, contains [(UO 2 )(SO 4 ) 4 (H 2 O)] 6– polyhedral clusters connected via an extensive network of Na–O bonds and H bonds involving eight Na sites, three other H 2 O sites and an SO 3 OH (hydrosulfate) group. The 3-D framework, thus defined, is unique among known uranyl sulfate structures. The mineral is named for Dmitry Ilych Belakovskiy, a prominent Russian mineralogist and Curator of the Fersman Mineralogical Museum.

Description: Two new minerals – manganoblödite (IMA2012–029), ideally Na 2 Mn(SO 4 ) 2 ·4H 2 O, and cobaltoblödite (IMA2012–059), ideally Na 2 Co(SO 4 ) 2 ·4H 2 O, the Mn-dominant and Co-dominant analogues of blödite, respectively, were found at the Blue Lizard mine, San Juan County, Utah, USA. They are closely associated with blödite (Mn-Co-Ni-bearing), chalcanthite, gypsum, sideronatrite, johannite, quartz and feldspar. Both new minerals occur as aggregates of anhedral grains up to 60 μm (manganoblödite) and 200 μm (cobaltoblödite) forming thin crusts covering areas up to 2 x 2 cm on the surface of other sulfates. Both new species often occur as intimate intergrowths with each other and also with Mn-Co-Ni-bearing blödite. Manganoblödite and cobaltoblödite are transparent, colourless in single grains and reddish-pink in aggregates and crusts, with a white streak and vitreous lustre. Their Mohs' hardness is ~21/2. They are brittle, have uneven fracture and no obvious parting or cleavage. The measured and calculated densities are D meas = 2.25(2) g cm –3 and D calc = 2.338 g cm –3 for manganoblödite and D meas = 2.29(2) g cm –3 and D calc = 2.347 g cm –3 for cobaltoblödite. Optically both species are biaxial negative. The mean refractive indices are α = 1.493(2), β = 1.498(2) and = 1.501(2) for manganoblödite and α = 1.498(2), β = 1.503(2) and = 1.505(2) for cobaltoblödite. The chemical composition of manganoblödite (wt.%, electron-microprobe data) is: Na 2 O 16.94, MgO 3.29, MnO 8.80, CoO 2.96, NiO 1.34, SO 3 45.39, H 2 O (calc.) 20.14, total 98.86. The empirical formula, calculated on the basis of 12 O a.p.f.u., is: Na 1.96 (Mn 0.44 Mg 0.29 Co 0.14 Ni 0.06 ) 0.93 S 2.03 O 8 ·4H 2 O. The chemical composition of cobaltoblödite (wt.%, electron-microprobe data) is: Na 2 O 17.00, MgO 3.42, MnO 3.38, CoO 7.52, NiO 2.53, SO 3 45.41, H 2 O (calc.) 20.20, total 99.46. The empirical formula, calculated on the basis of 12 O a.p.f.u., is: Na 1.96 (Co 0.36 Mg 0.30 Mn 0.17 Ni 0.12 ) 0.95 S 2.02 O 8 ·4H 2 O. Both minerals are monoclinic, space group P 2 1 / a , with a = 11.137(2), b = 8.279(1), c = 5.5381(9) Å, β = 100.42(1)°, V = 502.20(14) Å 3 and Z = 2 (manganoblödite); and a = 11.147(1), b = 8.268(1), c = 5.5396(7) Å, β = 100.517(11)°, V = 501.97(10) Å 3 and Z = 2 (cobaltoblödite). The strongest diffractions from X-ray powder pattern [listed as ( d , Å( I )( hkl )] are for manganoblödite: 4.556(70)(210, 011); 4.266(45)(2I01); 3.791(26)(2I11); 3.338(21)(310); 3.291(100)(220, 021), 3.256(67)(211, 1I21), 2.968(22)(2I 21), 2.647(24)(4I01); for cobaltoblödite: 4.551(80)(210, 011); 4.269(50)(2I01); 3.795(18)(2I11); 3.339(43)(310); 3.29(100)(220, 021), 3.258(58)(211, 1I21), 2.644(21)(4I01), 2.296(22)(1I22). The crystal structures of both minerals were refined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction to R 1 = 0.0459 (manganoblödite) and R 1 = 0.0339 (cobaltoblödite).

Description: Meisserite (IMA2013-039), Na 5 (UO 2 )(SO 4 ) 3 (SO 3 OH)(H 2 O), is a new uranyl sulfate mineral from the Blue Lizard mine, San Juan County, Utah (USA). It is named in honour of the prominent Swiss mineralogist Nicolas Meisser. The new mineral was found in a sandstone matrix and is associated with chalcanthite, copiapite, ferrinatrite, gypsum, johannite and another new Na-bearing uranyl sulfate, belakovskiite (IMA2013-075). Meisserite is a secondary mineral formed by the post-mining weathering of uraninite. The mineral is triclinic, P 1I, a = 5.32317(10), b = 11.5105(2), c = 13.5562(10) Å, α = 102.864(7)°, β = 97.414(7)°, = 91.461(6)°, V = 801.74(6) Å 3 , and Z = 2. Crystals are prisms elongated on [100], up to 0.3 mm long, exhibiting the forms {010} and {001}. Meisserite is pale green to yellowish green, translucent to transparent and has a very pale yellow streak. It is brittle, with fair cleavage on {100} and {001}, and uneven fracture. The Mohs hardness is estimated at 2. Meisserite is somewhat hygroscopic and easily soluble in water. The calculated density based on the empirical formula is 3.208 g/cm 3 . Meisserite exhibits bright yellow green fluorescence under both long- and shortwave UV radiation. The mineral is optically biaxial (–), with α = 1.514(1), β = 1.546(1), = 1.557(1) (measured in white light). The measured 2V is 60(2)° and the calculated 2V is 60°. Dispersion is r 〉 v , perceptible, and the optical orientation is X a , Z c *. The mineral is pleochroic, with X (colourless) 〈 Y (pale yellow) Z (pale greenish yellow). The empirical formula of meisserite (based on 19 O a.p.f.u.) is Na 5.05 (U 0.94 O 2 )(SO 4 ) 3 [SO 2.69 (OH) 1.31 ](H 2 O). The Raman spectrum is dominated by the symmetric stretching vibrations of $${\mathrm{UO}}_{2}^{2+}$$ , $${\mathrm{SO}}_{4}^{2-}$$ and also weaker O–H stretching vibrations. The eight strongest powder X-ray diffraction lines are [ d obs in Å ( hkl ) I rel ]: 13.15 (001) 81, 6.33 (01I2) 62, 5.64 (02I1,020) 52, 5.24 (100,012,1I01) 100, 4.67 (101) 68, 3.849 (1I2I1,102,022) 48, 3.614 (03I2,1I1I3) 41, and 3.293 (1I13,004) 43. The crystal structure of meisserite ( R 1 = 0.018 for 3306 reflections with I obs 〉 3 I ) is topologically unique among known structures of uranyl minerals and inorganic compounds. It contains uranyl pentagonal bipyramids linked by SO 4 groups to form chains. Na + cations bond to O atoms in the chains and to an SO 3 OH group and an H 2 O group between the chains, thereby forming a heteropolyhedral framework.

Description: The new mineral belakovskiite (IMA2013-075), Na7(UO2)(SO4)4(SO3OH)(H2O)3, was found in the Blue Lizard mine, Red Canyon, White Canyon district, San Juan County, Utah, USA, where it occurs as a secondary alteration phase in association with blödite, ferrinatrite, kröhnkite, meisserite and metavoltine. Crystals of belakovskiite are very pale yellowish-green hair-like fibres up to 2 mm long and usually no more than a few mm in diameter. The fibres are elongated on [100] and slightly flattened on {021}. Crystals are transparent with a vitreous lustre. The mineral has a white streak and a probable Mohs hardness of ∼2. Fibres are flexible and elastic, with brittle failure and irregular fracture. No cleavage was observed. The mineral is readily soluble in cold H2O. The calculated density is 2.953 g cm−3. Optically, belakovskiite is biaxial (+) with α = 1.500(1), β = 1.511(1) and γ = 1.523(1) (measured in white light). The measured 2V is 87.1(6)° and the calculated 2V is 88°. The mineral is non-pleochroic. The partially determined optical orientation is X ≈ a. Electron-microprobe analysis provided Na2O 21.67, UO3 30.48, SO3 40.86, H2O 6.45 (structure), total 99.46 wt.% yielding the empirical formula Na6.83(U1.04O2)(SO4)4(S0.99O3OH)(H2O)3 based on 25 O a.p.f.u. Belakovskiite is triclinic, P, with a = 5.4581(3), b = 11.3288(6), c = 18.4163(13) Å, α = 104.786(7)°, β = 90.092(6)°, γ = 96.767(7)°, V = 1092.76(11) Å3 and Z = 2. The eight strongest X-ray powder diffraction lines are [dobs Å(I)(hkl)]: 8.96(35)(002), 8.46(29)(011), 5.19(100)(01,101,10), 4.66(58)(013,02,0,110), 3.568(37)(120,023,005,03), 3.057(59)(06,15,31), 2.930(27)(multiple) and 1.8320(29)(multiple). The structure, refined to R1 = 5.39% for 3163 Fo 〉 4σF reflections, contains [(UO2)(SO4)4(H2O)]6− polyhedral clusters connected via an extensive network of Na−O bonds and H bonds involving eight Na sites, three other H2O sites and an SO3OH (hydrosulfate) group. The 3-D framework, thus defined, is unique among known uranyl sulfate structures. The mineral is named for Dmitry Ilych Belakovskiy, a prominent Russian mineralogist and Curator of the Fersman Mineralogical Museum.