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A mineral with the composition Pd(Bi0.53Sb0.47), intermediate between sobolevskite, ideally PdBi, and sudburyite, PdSb, from the Chineiskii Deposit (Transbaikal region, Russia), was studied by the SEM and XRD methods. Its crystal structure was solved and refined (R = 3.02%) based on single crystal X-ray diffraction data. The structure is orthorhombic, and the space group is Cmcm. The unit-cell parameters are a = 4.1465(4) Å, b = 7.1782(6) Å, c = 5.6843(4) Å, V = 169.19(2) Å3, Z = 2. The series of the structures β-PdBi–Pd(Bi0.53Sb0.47)–PdSb and sobolevskite–sudburyite are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The laser induced damage thresholds of ZnGeP2 single crystals are determined. The values of the thresholds under the action of laser radiation at a wavelength of 2,097 μm, pulse repetition frequency of 10 kHz, and pulse duration of 35 ns are W0d =1.8 J/cm2 and W0d =2.1 J/cm2 for crystals manufactured by LOK LLC, Russia and the Harbin Institute of Technology, China, respectively. The effect of post-growth processing of ZnGeP2 single crystals (polishing of working surfaces, deposition of antireflection interference coatings) on the laser induced damage thresholds of the surfaces of these crystals has been studied. It was established that the presence of silicon conglomerates in an interference antireflection coating leads to a decrease in the laser induced damage threshold. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper opens a series devoted to the mineral diversity of the Mochalin Log rare earth element (REE) deposit, South Urals, Russia. There is a brief outline of the history of studies and geology of the deposit as well as the description of two new isostructural gatelite-group minerals, ferriperbøeite-(La) (CaLa3)(Fe3+Al2Fe2+)[Si2O7][SiO4]3O(OH)2 and perbøeite-(La) (CaLa3)(Al3Fe2+)[Si2O7][SiO4]3O(OH)2. Both minerals occur in polymineralic nodules and are associated with one another and allanite-(Ce), allanite-(La), bastnäsite-(Ce), bastnäsite-(La), ferriallanite-(Ce), ferriallanite-(La), ferriperbøeite-(Ce), perbøeite-(Ce), törnebohmite-(Ce) and törnebohmite-(La). The new minerals form isolated anhedral grains up to 0.3 mm [ferriperbøeite-(La)] and 0.5 mm [perbøeite-(La)] across and granular aggregates up to 1.5 mm × 0.5 mm [ferriperbøeite-(La)] and 3 mm × 1 mm [perbøeite-(La)]. Both minerals are brownish-black with vitreous lustre. Dcalc = 4.510 [ferriperbøeite-(La)] and 4.483 [perbøeite-(La)] g cm–3. They are optically biaxial (+); ferriperbøeite-(La): α = 1.788(5), β = 1.790(5), γ = 1.810(5) and 2Vmeas = 40(10)°; perbøeite-(La): α = 1.778(8), β = 1.783(8), γ = 1.805(8) and 2Vmeas = 40(10)°. Chemical data [wt.%, electron-microprobe; Fe3+:Fe2+ ratio from charge-balance requirements, H2O by stoichiometry; ferriperbøeite-(La)/perbøeite-(La)] are: CaO 4.91/4.81, ThO2 0.00/0.32, La2O3 23.75/22.16, Ce2O3 19.69/20.05, Pr2O3 0.85/1.09, Nd2O3 1.48/2.18, MgO 1.47/1.38, Al2O3 10.68/11.25, MnO 1.07/0.92, FeO 3.04/3.35, Fe2O3 5.31/3.78, TiO2 0.19/0.19, SiO2 27.47/27.35, F 0.11/0.23, H2O 1.61/1.54, –O = F –0.05/–0.10, total 101.58/100.50. The empirical formulae based on O20(OH,F)2 are for ferriperbøeite-(La): (Ca0.95La1.58Ce1.30Nd0.10Pr0.06)Σ3.99(Al2.27Fe3+0.72Fe2+0.46Mg0.40Mn0.16Ti0.03)Σ4.04Si4.96O20[(OH)1.94F0.06]; and for perbøeite-(La): (Ca0.94Th0.01La1.49Ce1.34Nd0.14Pr0.07)Σ3.99(Al2.42Fe3+0.52Fe2+0.51Mg0.38Mn0.14 Ti0.03)Σ4.00Si4.99O20[(OH)1.87F0.13]. Both minerals are monoclinic, P21/m; the unit-cell parameters [ferriperbøeite-(La)/perbøeite-(La)] are: a = 8.9458(2)/8.9652(4), b = 5.72971(13)/5.7306(2), c = 17.6192(3)/17.6770(9) Å, β = 115.9497(19)/116.053(6)°, V = 812.06(3)/815.88(6) Å3 and Z = 2/2. The crystal structures are solved on a single crystal and converged to R = 0.0355 [ferriperbøeite-(La)] and 0.0750 [perbøeite-(La)]. Ferriperbøeite-(La) and perbøeite-(La) are named as the La-analogues of ferriperbøeite-(Ce) and perbøeite-(Ce), respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents a complete characterization of kenoplumbomicrolite, (Pb,□)2Ta2O6[□,(OH),O], occurring in an amazonite pegmatite from Ploskaya Mountain, Western Keivy Massif, Kola Peninsula, Murmanskaja Oblast, Northern Region, Russia. Kenoplumbomicrolite occurs in yellowish brown octahedral, cuboctahedral and massive crystals, up to 20 cm, has a white streak, a greasy lustre and is translucent. The Mohs hardness is ~6. Attempts to measure density (7.310–7.832 g/cm3) were affected by the ubiquitous presence of uraninite inclusions. Reflectance values were measured in air and immersed in oil. Kenoplumbocrolite is optically isotropic. The empirical formula is (Pb1.30□0.30Ca0.29Na0.08U0.03)Σ2.00(Ta0.82Nb0.62Si0.23Sn4+0.15Ti0.07Fe3+0.10Al0.01)Σ2.00O6[□0.52(OH)0.25O0.23]Σ1.00 (from the crystal used for the structural study) and (Pb1.33□0.66Mn0.01)Σ2.00(Ta0.87Nb0.72Sn4+0.18Fe3+0.11W0.08Ti0.04)Σ2.00O6[□0.80(OH)0.10O0.10]Σ1.00 (average including additional fragments). The mineral is cubic, space group Fd $\overline 3 $ m. The unit-cell parameters refined from powder X-ray diffraction data are a = 10.575(2) Å and V = 1182.6(8) Å3, which are in accord with those obtained previously from a single crystal of a = 10.571(1) Å, V = 1181.3(2) Å3 and Z = 8. The mineral description and its name have been approved by the Commission on New Minerals, Nomenclature and Classification of the International Mineralogical Association (IMA2015-007a). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A crystal chemical study of narsarsukite from the Murun alkaline massif, Russia has been carried out combining single-crystal X-ray diffraction, electron microprobe analyses, micro-Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The narsarsukite single crystals are tetragonal (space group I4/m) with unit-cell parameters: 10.7140(1) ≤ a ≤ 10.7183(2) Å and 7.9478(1) ≤ c ≤ 7.9511(1) Å. The XPS analysis showed that Fe occurs in the mineral as Fe3+, whereas the FTIR spectrum showed that the sample studied is anhydrous. The average crystal chemical formula of the Murun narsarsukite is: Na2.04K0.01(V5+0.01Ti0.74Zr0.01Al0.01Fe3+0.22Mg0.01)1.00Si4.00(O10.74F0.23OH0.03)11.00. Structural disorder at octahedral and interstitial sites was modelled and also discussed in consideration of the main substitutional mechanism Ti4+ + O2− ↔ Fe3+ + (F−, OH−) active in the structure of the mineral. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The structures of tokkoite, K2Ca4[Si7O18OH](OH,F) and tinaksite, K2Ca2NaTi[Si7O18OH]O from the Murun massif (Russia) were refined from single-crystal X-ray diffraction data in the triclinic space group P1̄: Average crystallographic data are a ≈ 10.423, b ≈ 12.477, c ≈ 7.112 Å, α ≈ 89.92°, β ≈ 99.68°, γ ≈ 92.97°, V ≈ 910.5 Å3 for tokkoite; a ≈ 10.373, b ≈ 12.176, c ≈ 7.057 Å, α ≈ 90.82°, β ≈ 99.22°, γ ≈ 92.80°, V ≈ 878.5 Å3 for tinaksite. The substantial similarities between the geometrical parameters of the tokkoite and tinaksite structures led us to conclude that the two minerals are isostructural. However, major differences of tokkoite with respect to tinaksite are larger lattice constants, especially concerning the b parameter, longer distances, especially ; larger values of the M1-M3 and O20-O2 bond lengths, and a stronger distortion of the M1 polyhedron. Mössbauer analysis showed that significant trivalent iron is present, VIFe3+ 40.0(7)% in tokkoite and 12.8(3)% in tinaksite. It is confirmed that 2Ca(M1+M2)2+ + (F, OH)-(O20) ↔ Ti4+(M1) +Na+(M2) +O-(O20) is the exchange reaction that describes the relation between tokkoite and tinaksite. In addition, this exchange reaction causes local stress involving mainly the M1 site and its interaction with the M2 and M3 sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new Cu-rich variety of lyonsite has been found from fumarolic sublimates of the Tolbachik volcano (Kamchatka, Russia). The empirical formula is CuFeTiAlZn(VAsMoPS)O. The crystal structure was studied on single crystal using synchrotron radiation, R = 0.0514. The mineral is orthorhombic, Pnma, a = 5.1736(7), b =10.8929(12), c = 18.220(2) Å, V = 1026.8(2) Å, and Z = 2. The structural formula is (CuTiAlFe□)Cu(FeCu)(VAsMo)O. It is proposed to recast the simplified formula of lyonsite as Cu(FeCu)(VO), where 0 ≤ x ≤ 1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new mineral, yaroshevskite, ideally Cu9O2(VO4)4Cl2, occurs in sublimates collected from the Yadovitaya fumarole at the Second scoria cone of the Northern Breakthrough of the Great Tolbachik Fissure Eruption, Tolbachik volcano, Kamchatka, Russia. It is associated with euchlorine, fedotovite, hematite, tenorite, lyonsite, melanothallite, atlasovite, kamchatkite and secondary avdoninite, belloite and chalcanthite. Yaroshevskite forms isolated prismatic crystals, up to 0.1 6 0.15 6 0.3 mm in size, on the surface of euchlorine crusts. The mineral is opaque and black, with a reddish black streak and lustre between metallic and adamantine. Yaroshevskite is brittle, no cleavage was observed and the fracture is uneven. The Mohs hardness is ~3 (corresponding to a mean VHN micro-indentation hardness of 172 kg mm -2) and the calculated density is 4.26 g cm- 3. In reflected light, yaroshevskite is grey with a weak bluish hue. Pleochroism, internal reflections and bireflectance were not observed. Anisotropy is very weak. The composition (wt.%) determined by electron microprobe is: CuO 61.82, ZnO 0.53, Fe2O30.04, V2O531.07, As2O50.32, MoO31.56, Cl 6.23, O=Cl21.41; total 100.16. The empirical formula, calculated on the basis of 20 (O + Cl) anions is (Cu8.80Zn0.07Fe0.01)Σ 8.88(V3.87Mo0.12As0.03)σ 4.02O18.01Cl1.99. Yaroshevskite is triclinic, space groupP1,a= 6.4344(11),b= 8.3232(13),c= 9.1726(16) Å , a = 105.338(14), b = 96.113(14), g = 107.642(1)º,V= 442.05(13) Å3and Z= 1. The nine strongest reflections in the X-ray powder pattern [dobs in Å (I)(hkl)] are as follows: 8.65(100)(001); 6.84(83)(01.1); 6.01(75)(100); 5.52(60)(1.01); 4.965(55)(011); 4.198(67)(1.1.1); 4.055(65)(110); 3.120(55)(021); 2.896(60)(21.1,003,2.20). The crystal structure was solved by direct methods from single-crystal X-ray diffraction data and refined toR= 0.0737. The yaroshevskite structure is unique. It is based on corrugated layers made up of chains of edge-sharing flat squares with central Cu2+cations [Cu(1), Cu(4) and Cu(5)]; neighbouring chains are connected via groups consisting of three Cu2+-centred squares [two Cu(3) and Cu(6)]. Neighbouring layers are connected via pairs of Cu(2)O4Cl five-coordinate polyhedra and isolated VO4tetrahedra. The structure of yaroshevskite can also be considered in terms of oxygen-centred tetrahedra: O(7)Cu4tetrahedra are connected via common Cu(4) and Cu(5) vertices to form pyroxene-like chains [O2Cu6]∞. In this context, the structural formula can be written Cu3[O2Cu6][VO4]4Cl2. The mineral name honours the Russian geochemist Alexei A. Yaroshevsky (b. 1934) of Moscow State University. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study focused on the forms of occurrence and distribution of hidden ("invisible") noble metals (NMs = Au, Ag, Pt, Pd, Ru) in the coexisting pyrites and arsenopyrites of four samples of mineral associations from three Au deposits in the north-east of Russia. The unique nature of our approach was the combination of methods of local analysis and statistics of the compositions of individual single crystals of different sizes. This allowed us to take into account the contribution of the surface component to the total NM content and to distinguish the structurally bound form of the elements. The following estimates of the distribution coefficients of the structural (str) and surficial (sur) forms of elements were obtained: D ¯ P y / A s p s t r   = 2.7 (Au), 2.5 (Pd), 1.6 (Pt), 1.7 (Ru) and D ¯ P y / A s p s u r   = 1.6 (Au), 1.1 (Pd), 1.5 (Pt and Ru). The data on Ag in most cases indicated its fractionation into pyrite ( D ¯ P y / A s p s t r   = 17). Surface enrichment was considered as a universal factor in "invisible" NM distribution. A number of elements (i.e., Pt, Ru, Ag) tended to increase their content with a decrease in the crystallite size in pyrite and arsenopyrite. This may be due to both the phase size effect and the intracrystalline adsorption of these elements at the interblock boundaries of a dislocation nature. The excess of metal (or the presence of S vacancies) in pyrite increased Ag and Pt content in its structure and, to a lesser extent, the content of Ru, Pd and Au. Arsenopyrite exhibited a clear tendency to increase the content of Pt, Ru and Pd in samples with excess As over S. Sulphur deficiency was a favourable factor for the incorporation of Ag and platinoids into the structures of the mineral associations studied. Perhaps this was due to the lower sulphur fugacity. Pyrite with excess Fe was associated with higher contents of some NMs. The presence of other impurity elements was not an independent factor in NM concentration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]