Fibrous nanoinclusions in massive rose quartz: HRTEM and AEM investigations
Abstract Pink fibrous crystals within massive rose quartz from localities in California, South Dakota, Brazil, Madagascar, and Namibia were examined with high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and analytical electron microscopy (AEM). This study reveals that the nanofibers in all samples are related to dumortierite. Selected-area electron diffraction (SAED) patterns and HRTEM images indicate that the dumortierite-related fibers have a superstructure with a doubled periodicity along the a and b axes of dumortierite, giving cell parameters a = 2adum = 2.36 nm, b = 2bdum = 4.05 nm, c = cdum = 0.47 nm. Computer simulations suggest that periodic arrangements of two different M1 site occupancies in the octahedral face-sharing chains give rise to the superstructure. One type of M1 site is occupied mainly by Al, whereas the other type is dominated by Ti and Fe. Simulated HRTEM images based on our proposed model match the experimental images. Most of the fibers, elongated along the c axis, are free of defects. AEM analysis shows that the dumortierite-related fibers have a composition similar to well-characterized dumortierite, but that they contain a greater amount of Fe substituting for Al in the M1 sites. Boron was detected in all fibers examined by electron energy loss spectroscopy as well as in sillimanite crystals found as a minor component in one rose quartz from Brazil.
Dictionary of gems and gemology
The rapid growth of gemological sciences and mineralogy requires a comprehensive dictionary for gemologists, mineralogists, geologists, jewel dealers, industry, and hobbyists. The second edition of this dictionary contains about 25,000 entries - about 9,000 more than the first edition. The comprehensive definitions are now completed by more than 1,500 charts, diagrams and figures. The author offers a one-stop reference to any matter dealing with gems and gemology.
Ellenbergerite, a new high-pressure Mg-Al-(Ti,Zr)-silicate with a novel structure based on face-sharing octahedra
Ellenbergerite occurs as purple millimetre-size grains associated with talc, kyanite, clinochlore, rutile, and zircon in composite inclusions within decimetre-large pyrope crystals (90–98 mole percent end-member) in the quartzite layer of the Dora Maira massif, Western Alps, from which coesite has been recently reported (Chopin 1984). It is hexagonal, a=12.255(8), c=4.932(4) Å, Z=1, space group P63. Mohs hardness 6.5; Dmes 3.15, Dcal 3.10; no cleavage. Uniaxial negative and vividly pleochroic,ω colourless,ε colourless to deep lilac with colour zoning. The intensely coloured variety hasω 1.6789(5),ε 1.670(1); microprobe analysis yields SiO2 39.1, P2O5 0.45, Al2O3 25.1, TiO2 4.0, MgO 22.2, FeO 0.20, sum 99.05 wt.% including H2O 8.0 (coulometrically). The formula calculated on a O28(OH)10 basis (implying 7.5 wt.% H2O) is Mg6.71 Fe0.03 Ti0.61 Al6.00 Si7.92 P0.08 O28(OH)10 The colour zoning is due to nearly complete Ti⇌Zr substitution. In addition ellenbergerite may contain more than 8 wt.% P2O5 with strictly correlated changes of Si, Mg, Al and Ti+Zr contents, over 80% of which represent the SiAl⇌PMg substitution.The structure has been determined from 1049 observed independent reflections and refined to R=0.034, Rw=0.031, including six of ten protons. It consists of single chains of face-sharing octahedra with one third vacancies extending along the six-fold screw axes, and of pairs of fully occupied face-sharing octahedra linked by edge-sharing to form octahedral double chains parallel to the twofold screw axes, all interconnected by SiO4 tetrahedra. It may be compared with the dumortierite polymorph with space group P63mc derived hypothetically by Moore and Araki (1978). The structural formula is (Mg,Ti,Zr,□)2 Mg6(Al,Mg)6 (Si,P)2 Si6 O28(OH)10 Face-sharing octahedra are an unusual feature in silicates which results in a dense structure and reflects, considering the common bulk composition, the uncommon high-pressure formation conditions (about 25–30 kbar, 700–800° C). Ti4+-Fe2+ charge transfer between face-sharing octahedra on the six-fold screw axes most likely accounts for the absorption scheme.