Alflarsenite, a new beryllium-silicate zeolite from a syenitic pegmatite in the Larvik plutonic complex, Oslo Region, Norway

Authors: Raade, Gunnar; Grice, Joel D.; Cooper, Mark A.

Source: European Journal of Mineralogy, Volume 21, Number 4, August 2009 , pp. 893-900(8)

Publisher: E. Schweizerbart'sche Verlagsbuchhandlung

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Abstract:

Alflarsenite is a new beryllium-silicate zeolite with chemical composition close to NaCa₂ Be₃ Si₄ O₁₃ (OH) 2H₂ O. It is a latestage hydrothermal mineral from a syenitic pegmatite in the Tuften larvikite quarry, Tvedalen, Larvik, Vestfold, south Norway. Closely associated minerals are calcite, analcime and K-feldspar. Alflarsenite is monoclinic, P2₁, with a = 7.1222(4), b = 19.8378(11), c = 9.8071(5) Å, β = 111.287(1)°, V = 1291.1(2) Å ³, Z = 4. The crystal structure was refined from single-crystal X-ray data to R1 = 0.045 for 3283 observed reflections. The zeolite structure is novel, consisting of intersecting channels: 5- and 8-membered channel rings along [010] and 3-, 6- and 8-membered channel rings along [100]. The strongest eight reflections of the X-ray powder-diffraction pattern [d(obs.) in Å (I) (hkl)] are: 9.095 (100) (001), 6.279 (42) ( 111, 110), 4.189 (32) ( 122, 121), 3.972 (76) ( 141, 140), 3.205 (37) ( 113, 112), 2.964 (70) ( 232, 230), 2.915 (92) ( 133, 132), 2.757 (33) ( 242, 240). Alflarsenite crystals are colourless (in aggregates pale beige) and bladed; they are flattened on (010) and elongate on [100]. Identified crystal forms are {010}, {0-10}, {001} and {20-1}. Cleavage was not observed. The mineral is biaxial (+) with refractive indices &α 1.578(1), β1.580(1), γ1.583(1), measured at 590 nm. 2V (meas.) = 82(5) from extinction curves and = 76(5)° by the Kamb method; 2V (calc.) = 79°. The optical orientation is Z = b, X ^ a = 45(2)°. The Mohs hardness is ∼4; D (calc.) = 2.605 g/cm³.

Keywords: ALFLARSENITE; NEW MINERAL SPECIES; ZEOLITE; BERYLLIUM SILICATE; CRYSTAL STRUCTURE; SYENITIC PEGMATITE; OSLO REGION; NORWAY

Document Type: Research article

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1127/0935-1221/2009/0021-1946

Publication date: 2009-08-01

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