The new eudialyte-group mineral amableite-(Ce), ideally Na15[(Ce1.5Na1.5)Mn3]Mn2Zr3□Si[Si24O69(OH)3](OH)2⋅H2O, was discovered in a peralkaline pegmatite at Saint-Amable Sill, Montérégie, Québec, Canada. The associated minerals are albite, microcline, aegirine, serandite, natrolite, yofortierite, and an unidentified titanosilicate forming minute grains. Amableite-(Ce) occurs as yellow equant or thick tabular crystals up to 2 mm across. The observed crystal forms are {0001}; the subordinate forms are {11$\bar{2}$0}, {10$\bar{1}$1}, and {10$\bar{1}$0}. Amableite-(Ce) is brittle, with a Mohs hardness of 5. D(meas) = 2.89(1), D(calc) = 2.899 g⋅cm–3. Amableite-(Ce) is optically anomalously biaxial (+) with α ≈ β = 1.603(2) and γ = 1.608(2). The chemical composition is (wt.%, electron microprobe, H2O measured by means of a modified Penfield method): Na2O 14.20, K2O 0.41, CaO 1.89, MnO 8.25, Fe2O3 2.40, La2O3 3.10, Ce2O3 4.19, Pr2O3 0.16, Nd2O3 0.59, SiO2 49.41, ZrO2 11.17, HfO2 0.24, TiO2 0.68, Nb2О5 1.54, Cl 0.26, H2O 1.70, –O≡Cl –0.06, total 100.13. The crystal structure was determined using single-crystal X-ray diffraction data and refined to R1 = 0.0423. Amableite-(Ce) is trigonal, space group R3, with a = 14.1340(3) Å, c = 30.3780(11) Å and V = 5255.6(3) Å3. The crystal-chemical formula is (Na12.93K0.27Ce0.06)Σ13.26[(Mn2.49Ce0.30Ca0.21)Σ3.00(Ce1.14Na1.04Ca0.82)Σ3.00](Mn1.05Fe0.90□1.05)Σ3.00(Zr2.85Ti0.12Hf0.03)Σ3.00(□0.40Nb0.36Si0.24)Σ1.00(Si0.88□0.12)Σ1.00[Si24(O70.44(OH)1.56)Σ72.00][(OH)2.20(H2O)1.27]Σ3.47Cl0.22 (Z = 3). Infrared and Raman spectra are given. The strongest lines of the powder X-ray diffraction pattern [d, Å (I, %)(hkl)] are: 11.34 (51)(101), 7.06 (76)(110), 4.312 (63)(205), 3.783 (38)(033), 3.538 (43)(027, 220), 2.963 (84)($\bar{3}$45), 2.837 (100)(404). The mineral is named after the discovery locality.

The problem to be solved is whether Al is a necessary component of Fe-Mg chlorites. Very unusual Al-depleted and Fe-enriched trioctahedral chlorites with the empirical formulae Na0.05Ca0.05(Fe2+3.01Mg2.01Ti0.14Fe3+0.04)Σ6.00[(Si3.53Fe3+0.41Al0.06)Σ4.00O10](OH)8·nH2O (Sample 1) and Na0.05Ca0.01(Fe2+3.26Mg1.97Fe3+0.75Mn0.01Ti0.01)Σ6.00[(Si3.16Fe3+0.75Al0.09)Σ4.00O10](OH)8 (Sample 2) have been discovered in Al-depleted dolomite carbonatites of the Kovdor complex of ultramafic, alkaline rocks and carbonatites, Kola Peninsula, Russia. The presence of substantial amounts of Ti in Sample 1 is another unusual feature of this mineral. In both samples, chlorites are intimately intergrown with cronstedtite-1T which is an indication of a low stability of chlorite structure in the absence of aluminum in the tetrahedral sheet. The crystal structure of chlorite in Sample 1 was solved by the Rietveld method. The mineral is triclinic (IIb-4-module), space group C-$1$, a = 5.4153(4), b = 9.3805(7), c = 14.5743(12) Å, α = 90.137(5)°, β = 96.928(5)°, γ = 90.043(6)°, V = 734.95(10) Å3, and Z = 2. A problem to be solved is how stable are Al-free chlorites belonging to the clinochlore–chamosite solid-solution series and whether their existence in natural mineral assemblages is possible. The results obtained indicate that even though Al-depleted chlorites belonging to the clinochlore–chamosite solid-solution series exist in Nature as metastable phases, these minerals are extremely rare and much less stable than Al-poor serpentines.

Bystrite is redefined as a four-layer cancrinite-group mineral with the four-layer Losod-type framework and the end-member formula Na7Ca(Al6Si6O24)S52–Cl–. The mineral is known only at the Malo–Bystrinskoe gem lazurite deposit, Baikal Lake area, Siberia, Russia. The associated minerals are calcite, lazurite, sodalite, fluorapatite, phlogopite, diopside, dolomite and plagioclase. Bystrite is brittle, with the Mohs hardness of 5 and distinct cleavage on {10$\bar{1}$0}. The yellow colour of bystrite is due to the presence of S52– anions occurring in Losod (LOS) cages of the aluminosilicate framework with the ABAC stacking sequence. Measured and calculated density is, respectively, 2.43(1) and 2.412 g cm–3 for the holotype and 2.42(1) and 2.428 g cm–3 for the cotype sample. Bystrite is uniaxial (+), ɛ = 1.660(2) and ω = 1.584(2). The mineral was characterised by infrared and Raman spectra. The empirical formulae of the holotype and cotype samples are Na6.97K0.04Ca0.98(Si6.03Al5.97O24)(S52–)0.93[(SO42–)0.15Cl0.83] and Na6.75K0.04Ca1.11(Si6.09Al5.91O24)(S52–)1.04[(HS–)0.17Cl0.85], respectively. Bystrite is trigonal, space group P31c. The unit-cell parameters are: a = 12.8527(6) Å, c = 10.6907(5) Å, V = 1529.4(1) Å3 and Z = 2. The strongest lines of the powder X-ray diffraction pattern [d, Å (I, %) (hkl)] are: 4.821 (32) (102), 3.915 (38) (211), 3.712 (100) (300), 3.307 (50) (212), 2.782 (18) (400), 2.692 (22) (401), 2.673 (30) (004) and 2.468 (23) (402). Isomorphism and genesis of bystrite-type minerals is discussed. Bystrite and its K,HS-analogue sulfhydrylbystrite, Na5K2Ca(Al6Si6O24)S52–(HS)–, are indicators of highly reducing conditions.

Eudialyte-related compounds have been synthesised hydrothermally at T = 600°C and P = 2 kbar from a stoichiometric mixture of Na2CO3, CaO, Fe2O3, ZrOCl2 and SiO2 using the Na:Ca:Fe:Zr:Si ratios corresponding to the eudialyte end-member Na15Ca6Fe3Zr3Si(Si25O73)(OH)Cl2⋅H2O, in the presence of 1 M aqueous solutions of NaCl and NaF. The synthesis was carried out in platinum ampoules over 10 days. Natural raslakite (a Ca-deficient member of the eudialyte group) was used as a seed and added in amounts corresponding to 2 wt.% of the whole charge. The products were characterised by powder X-ray diffraction, IR and Raman spectroscopy, morphological features, and electron probe microanalyses. In experiments with NaCl, almost pure eudialyte-type compounds were obtained. Synthesis in the presence of a NaF solution resulted in the formation of a F-dominant eudialyte-type compound related to raslakite as the main product and aegirine, vlasovite and lalondeite as by-products. All synthesised eudialyte-type compounds are Zr-rich and Fe-deficient, similar to eudialyte-group minerals from hyperagpaitic rocks related to foyaites. The increased NaCl contents in the reaction system results in increased Ca content in the synthesised eudialyte-related compounds. The crystal-chemical formulae of the synthesised eudialyte-type compounds are derived based on general regularities established earlier for eudialyte-group minerals.

The new eudialyte-group mineral selsurtite, ideally (H3O)12Na3(Ca3Mn3)(Na2Fe)Zr3□Si[Si24O69(OH)3](OH)Cl⋅H2O, was discovered in metasomatic peralkaline rock from the Flora mountain, northern spur of the Selsurt mountain, Lovozero alkaline massif, Kola Peninsula, Russia. The associated minerals are aegirine, albite and orthoclase, as well as accessory lorenzenite, calciomurmanite, natrolite, lamprophyllite and sergevanite. Selsurtite occurs as brownish-red to reddish-orange, equant or flattened on (0001) crystals up to 2 mm across and elongate crystals up to 3 cm long. The main crystal forms are {0001}, {11$\bar{2}$0}, and {10$\bar{1}$1}. Selsurtite is brittle, with the Mohs’ hardness of 5. No cleavage is observed. Parting is distinct on (001). D(meas) = 2.73(2) and D(calc) = 2.722 g⋅cm–3. Selsurtite is optically uniaxial (–), with ω = 1.598(2) and ɛ = 1.595(2). The chemical composition is (wt.%, electron microprobe): Na2O 6.48, K2O 0.27, MgO 0.10, CaO 6.83, MnO 4.73, FeO 1.18, SrO 1.88, La2O3 0.57, Ce2O3 1.07, Pr2O3 0.20, Nd2O3 0.44, Al2O3 0.29, SiO2 50.81, ZrO2 13.50, HfO2 0.45, TiO2 0.61, Nb2О5 1.10, Cl 1.01, SO3 0.29, H2O 8.10, –O≡Cl –0.23, total 99.68. The empirical formula is H25.94Na6.03K0.16Mg0.07Ca3.51Sr0.52Ce0.19La0.10Nd0.08Pr0.03Mn1.91Fe0.47Ti0.22Zr3.16Hf0.06Nb0.24Si24.40Al0.16S0.10Cl0.82O79.13. The crystal structure was determined using single-crystal X-ray diffraction data and refined to R = 0.0484. Selsurtite is trigonal, space group R3, with a = 14.1475(7) Å, c = 30.3609(12) Å, V = 5262.65(7) Å3 and Z = 3. Infrared and Raman spectra show that hydronium cations are involved in very strong hydrogen bonds and form Zundel- and Eigen-like complexes. The strongest lines of the powder X-ray diffraction pattern [d, Å (I, %)(hkl)] are: 11.38 (56)(101), 7.08 (59)(110), 5.69 (36)(202), 4.318 (72)(205), 3.793 (36)(303), 3.544 (72)(027, 220, 009), 2.970 (100)(315) and 2.844 (100)(404). The mineral is named after the discovery locality.

The new sodalite-group mineral sapozhnikovite, ideally Na8(Al6Si6O24)(HS)2, was discovered in a hydrothermally altered urtite-like rock at Karnasurt Mountain, Lovozero alkaline massif, Kola Peninsula, Russia. The associated minerals are nepheline, aegirine, potassic feldspar, albite, kyanoxalite, natrolite, fluorapatite, fluorcaphite, lomonosovite (partially or completely altered to murmanite) and loparite-(Ce). Sapozhnikovite forms isolated colourless to pale greyish anhedral equant grains up to 5 mm across. The streak is white and the lustre is vitreous. Strong orange fluorescence under longwave UV radiation (λ = 330 nm) and weak yellow-orange fluorescence under shortwave UV radiation (λ = 245 nm) is observed. Sapozhnikovite is brittle, with a Mohs hardness of 5½. Cleavage is imperfect on (110). Density measured by flotation in heavy liquids is equal to 2.25(1) g⋅cm–3. The calculated density is 2.255 g⋅cm–3. Sapozhnikovite is characterised by infrared, Raman, electron spin resonance, NIR-Vis-UV absorption, and photoluminescence spectroscopy. The chemical composition is (wt.%, electron microprobe, H2O determined by gas chromatography of ignition products): Na2O 25.05, Al2O3 32.44, SiO2 37.58, HS 4.33, Cl 2.22, H2O 0.30, –O≡(Cl,HS) –1.55, total 100.37. The empirical formula is Na7.73Al6.08Si5.97O24(HS)1.25Cl0.60⋅0.16H2O. The crystal structure was determined using single-crystal X-ray diffraction data and refined to R1 = 1.62%. Sapozhnikovite is cubic, P$\bar{4}$3n, with a = 8.9146(1) Å, V = 708.45(2) Å3 and Z = 1. The new mineral is isostructural with sodalite. The strongest lines of the powder X-ray diffraction pattern [d, Å (I, %) (hkl)] are: 6.30 (37) (110), 3.638 (100) (211), 2.821 (14) (310), 2.572 (18) (222), 2.382 (16) (321) and 2.101 (29) (411). The mineral is named in honour of the Russian mineralogist and crystallographer Dr. Anatoly Nikolaevich Sapozhnikov (b. 1946).

The new beudantite-group mineral oberwolfachite, ideally SrFe3+3(AsO4)(SO4)(OH)6, was discovered in two localities: Clara mine, Oberwolfach, Schwarzwald, Baden-Württemberg, Germany (holotype) and Monterniers mine, Lantignié, Rhône, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France (cotype). The associated minerals are quartz, baryte, hematite, illite, goethite, beudantite and dussertite (Clara) and arsenogoyazite, jarosite, graulichite-(Ce), goethite and hematite (Monterniers). Oberwolfachite forms yellow to brown platy crystals up to 1 mm across or thick outer zones of mixed (oberwolfachite–beudantite) crystals up to 3 mm across. The lustre is adamantine and the streak is yellow. A distinct cleavage on {0001} is observed. Calculated density is 3.874 g⋅cm–3. The infrared spectra are given. The chemical composition of the holotype/cotype samples are (wt.%, b.d.l. = below detection limit): K2O 1.25/1.86, SrO 6.41/11.15, BaO 8.13/0.45, PbO 2.18/b.d.l., Al2O3 0.16/0.23, Fe2O3 38.99/39.98, La2O3 1.68/not determined, Ce2O3 1.28/2.06, P2O5 0.12/b.d.l., As2O5 17.55/16.55, SO3 12.86/14.99, H2O (calculated) 8.72/9.05, total 99.33/96.62. The empirical formula of the holotype sample is (Sr0.38Ba0.33K0.16Pb0.06La0.06Ce0.05)Σ1.04(Fe3+3.03Al0.02)Σ3.05[(SO4)1.00(AsO4)0.95(PO4)0.01](O6.16H6.00). The crystal structures of both samples were determined using single-crystal X-ray diffraction data and refined to R = 3.13% (holotype, 293 K) and 2.65% (cotype, 170 K). Oberwolfachite is trigonal, R${\bar 3}$m, with a = 7.3270(3) Å, c = 17.0931(9) Å and V = 794.70(8) Å3 (holotype), and a = 7.298(2) Å, c = 16.908(3) Å and V = 779.8(4) Å3 (cotype); Z = 3. The strongest lines of the powder X-ray diffraction pattern of holotype [d, Å (I, %)(hkl)] are: 5.95 (56)(101), 3.664 (37)(110), 3.117 (16)(021), 3.082 (100)(113), 2.548 (15)(024), 2.280 (22)(107), 1.983 (26)(303) and 1.832 (19)(220).

This work presents a detailed study of platinum-group mineral (PGM) assemblages from the Malaya Kamenushka River placer, whose formation is associated with the weathering of the Kamenushensky Uralian–Alaskan type massif, Middle Urals, Russian Federation. The deposit is characterised by the dominance of isoferroplatinum, together with significant numbers of inclusions of Os–Ir–Ru alloys and platinum-group element (PGE) sulfides. A study of the Os–Ir–Ru alloys permitted recognition of two types of iridium with different morphology and composition. The similarity of the PGM assemblages from the Malaya Kamenushka River placer and the lode mineralisation of the Kamenushensky massif is demonstrated. A comparison of PGM assemblages from the Malaya Kamenushka River placer with other placers and massifs of the Ural platinum belt demonstrates significant differences in the number of Os–Ir–Ru inclusions. Such differences for minerals of refractory elements cannot be explained by the vertical zoning of the lode mineralisation. Most probably this is associated with the enrichment of the primary substrate with Os, Ir and Ru and/or the degree of melting, depending on the chosen model of formation of the Uralian–Alaskan type massifs.

A new tsumcorite-group mineral, nickeltsumcorite, Pb(Ni,Fe3+)2(AsO4)2(H2O,OH)2, the Ni-dominant analogue of tsumcorite and cobalttsumcorite, was found in the oxidation zone of a hydrothermal orebody containing gersdorffite and galena at the Km-3 mine, Lavrion, Attikí Prefecture, Greece. It is associated with annabergite, nickellotharmeyerite, nickelaustinite, gaspéite, calcite, dolomite, aragonite, quartz, goethite, cerussite, arseniosiderite, mimetite, oxyplumboroméite and Mn oxides/hydroxides. Nickeltsumcorite occurs as open-work aggregates and interrupted crusts up to 3 mm × 5 mm in area and up to 0.2 mm thick. They typically consist of coarse radial spherulites or dense concentric nodules up to 0.15 mm in diameter. Bunches or hemispherical clusters of crude individuals and separate imperfect, elongated crystals (up to 0.02 mm long) are also observed. Nickeltsumcorite is yellow, brownish-yellow, light brown or brown, with a yellow streak and a vitreous lustre. The Mohs hardness is ∼4. The mineral is brittle; one direction of distinct cleavage is observed under the microscope. D(calc.) = 5.02 g cm–3. Nickeltsumcorite is optically biaxial (–), α = 1.82(2), β = 1.87(1), γ = 1.90(1), 2V(obs.) is large. The chemical composition (wt.%, electron-microprobe data, H2O by difference) is CaO 2.79, PbO 28.12, MgO 0.30, CoO 0.15, NiO 17.39, ZnO 0.76, Mn2O3 0.57, Fe2O3 6.83, As2O5 38.17, H2O 4.92, total 100.00. The empirical formula, calculated based on 10 O apfu, is (Pb0.76Ca0.30)∑1.06(Ni1.39Fe3+0.51Zn0.06Mn3+0.04 Mg0.04Co0.01)∑2.05As1.99O7.97[(H2O)1.25(OH)0.78]. The strongest reflections in the powder X-ray diffraction pattern [d,Å(I)(hkl)] are 4.64 (100) (1̄11), 4.47 (41)(2̄01), 3.238 (82)(1̄12), 3.008(60)(201), 2.859(41)(021), 2.545(79)(3̄12, 112), 2.545 (79)(3̄12, 112) and 2.505 (61)(220, 2̄03). The cation composition, powder Xray diffraction data and IR spectrum show that nickeltsumcorite belongs to the tsumcorite structure type. The new mineral is monoclinic, space group C2/m, a = 9.124(8), b = 6.339(3), c = 7.567(7) Å, β = 115.19(6)°, V = 396.0(7) Å3 and Z = 2. Nickeltsumcorite forms a solid-solution series with nickellotharmeyerite.