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Characteristics and origin of agates in sedimentary rocks from the Dryhead area, Montana, USA
- J. Götte, R. Möckel, U. Kempe, I. Kapitonov, T. Vennemann
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- Journal:
- Mineralogical Magazine / Volume 73 / Issue 4 / August 2009
- Published online by Cambridge University Press:
- 05 July 2018, pp. 673-690
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Agates from the Bighorn district in Montana (USA), the so-called Dryhead area, and their adjacent host rocks have been examined in the present study. Analyses by XRD, polarizing microscopy, LA-ICP-MS, cathodoluminescence (CL), SEM and of oxygen isotopes were performed to obtain information surrounding the genesis of this agate type.
Investigations of the agate microstructure by polarizing microscopy and CL showed that chalcedony layers and macrocrystalline quartz crystals may have formed by crystallization from the same silica source by a process of self-organization. High defect densities and internal structures (e.g. sector zoning) of quartz indicate that crystallization went rapidly under non-equilibrium conditions. Most trace-element contents in macrocrystalline quartz are less than in chalcedony due to a process of ‘selfpurification’, which also caused the formation of Fe oxide inclusions and spherules.
Although the agates formed in sedimentary host rocks, analytical data indicate participation of hydrothermal fluids during agate formation. Trace elements (REE distribution patterns, U contents up to 70 ppm) and CL features of agate (transient blue CL), as well as associated minerals (fluorite, REE carbonates) point to the influence of hydrothermal processes on the genesis of the Dryhead agates. However, formation temperatures <120°C were calculated from O-isotope compositions between 28.9‰ (quartz) and 32.2‰ (chalcedony).
Bendadaite, a new iron arsenate mineral of the arthurite group
- U. Kolitsch, D. Atencio, N. V. Chukanov, N. V. Zubkova, L. A. D. Menezes Filho, J. M. V. Coutinho, W. D. Birch, J. Schlüter, D. Pohl, A. R. Kampf, I. M. Steele, G. Favreau, L. Nasdala, S. Möckel, G. Giester, D. Yu. Pushcharovsky
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- Journal:
- Mineralogical Magazine / Volume 74 / Issue 3 / June 2010
- Published online by Cambridge University Press:
- 05 July 2018, pp. 469-486
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Bendadaite, ideally Fe2+Fe23+ (AsO4)2(OH)2·4H2O, is a new member of the arthurite group. It was found as a weathering product of arsenopyrite on a single hand specimen from the phosphate pegmatite Bendada, central Portugal (type locality). Co-type locality is the granite pegmatite of Lavra do Almerindo (Almerindo mine), Linópolis, Divino das Laranjeiras county, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Further localities are the Veta Negra mine, Copiapó province, Chile; Oumlil-East, Bou Azzer district, Morocco; and Pira Inferida yard, Fenugu Sibiri mine, Gonnosfanadiga, Medio Campidano Province, Sardinia, Italy.
Type bendadaite occurs as blackish green to dark brownish tufts (<0.1 mm long) and flattened radiating aggregates, in intimate association with an intermediate member of the scorodite–mansfieldite series. It is monoclinic, space group P21/c, with a = 10.239(3) Å, b = 9.713(2) Å, c = 5.552(2) Å, β = 94.11(2)°, V = 550.7(2) Å3, Z = 2. Electron-microprobe analysis yielded (wt.%): CaO 0.04, MnO 0.03, CuO 0.06, ZnO 0.04, Fe2O3 (total) 43.92, Al2O3 1.15, SnO2 0.10, As2O5 43.27, P2O5 1.86, SO3 0.03. The empirical formula is (Fe2+0.52Fe3+0.32☐0.16)Σ1.00(Fe3+1.89Al0.11)Σ2.00(As1.87P0.13)Σ2.00O8(OH)2.00·4H2O based on 2(As,P) and assuming ideal 8O, 2(OH), 4H2O and complete occupancy of the ferric iron site by Fe3+ and Al. Optically, bendadaite is biaxial, positive, 2Vest. = 85±4°, 2Vcalc. = 88°, with α 1.734(3), β 1.759(3), γ 1.787(4). Pleochroism is medium strong: X pale reddish brown, Y yellowish brown, Z dark yellowish brown; absorption Z > Y > X, optical dispersion weak, r > v. Optical axis plane is parallel to (010), with X approximately parallel to a and Z nearly parallel to c. Bendadaite has vitreous to sub-adamantine luster, is translucent and non-fluorescent. It is brittle, shows irregular fracture and a good cleavage parallel to {010}. Dmeas. 3.15±0.10 g/cm3, Dcalc. 3.193 g/cm3 (for the empirical formula). The five strongest powder diffraction lines [d in Å (I)(hkl)] are 10.22 (10)(100), 7.036 (8)(110), 4.250 (5)(111), 2.865 (4)(), 4.833 (3)(020,011). The d spacings are very similar to those of its Zn analogue, ojuelaite. The crystal structure of bendadaite was solved and refined using a crystal from the co-type locality with the composition (Fe2+0.95☐0.05)Σ1.00(Fe3+1.80Al0.20)Σ2.00(As1.48P0.52)Σ2.00O8(OH)2·4H2O (R = 1.6%), and confirms an arthurite-type atomic arrangement.