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In terrestrial rocks, Br minerals are extremely rare with only nine minerals known where Br is a dominant component. A new arsenite bromide mineral ermakovite, (NH4)(As2O3)2Br, was discovered at the tract of Kukhi-Malik, Fan-Yagnob coal deposit, ca. 75 km N of Dushanbe, Tajikistan. Ermakovite is a fumarolic mineral formed directly from gas from a natural underground coal fire. Associated minerals are sulfur, realgar, amorphous As-sulfides, salammoniac, alacránite, bonazziite and thermessaite-(NH4). In addition, there are amorphous As2S3 intergrowths associated with ermakovite. The mineral typically occurs as tabular or prismatic hexagonal crystals up to 200 μm with the following forms: c (001), m (010) and p (014). Spherulites and multi-twinned intergrowths are very common. The mineral is optically uniaxial (–), ω = 1.960 (5) and ɛ = 1.716(3) (589 nm). The measured density is 3.64(2) g/cm3. The mineral is insoluble in water, HCl, HNO3 and organic solvents. The empirical formula calculated on the basis of (As+Sb) = 4 atoms per formula unit is [(NH4)0.92Na0.01]0.93(As3.94Sb0.06)4.00O6.02(Br0.97Cl0.08I0.01)1.06. The strongest lines in the powder X-ray diffraction pattern are [d, Å (I, %) (hkl)]: 9.160 (80)(001); 4.560(90)(002); 3.228(100) (102); 2.629(80)(110); and 2.522(60)(103). Ermakovite is hexagonal, P6/mmm, a = 5.271(3), c = 9.157(6) Å, V = 220.3(3) Å3 and Z = 1. The sandwich-type structure of ermakovite is based on three types of layers: (1) a honeycomb [As2O3] arsenite layer; (2) an NH4+ layer; and (3) a Br layer. The layer stacking sequence is ⋅⋅⋅NH4–As2O3–Br–As2O3–NH4⋅⋅⋅. Ermakovite has a synthetic analogue. Infrared and Raman spectra are also reported.An overview of the processes that give rise to high concentrations of Br, leading to the formation of exotic Br minerals, is given.

Shakhdaraite-(Y), ideally ScYNb2O8, is a new mineral from the Leskhozovskaya miarolitic granitic pegmatite at the Shakhdara River, southwestern Pamir (Tajikistan). Shakhdaraite-(Y) occurs mainly as grains from 10 to 150 μm in size in a near-miarolitic pegmatite complex in association with quartz, albite, pyrochlore-microlite, fersmite, and an unnamed Sc-Nb oxide; only one large, single, well-shaped crystal 200 μm long was found in a small cavity with quartz, albite, bertrandite, pyrochlore, and jarosite. Shakhdaraite-(Y) is black to dark-brown, streak is brown. Luster is vitreous semi-metallic. It is brittle with conchoidal fracture. Mohs hardness is 5. VHN100 = 436 kg/mm2. Dcalc. = 5.602 g/cm3. In reflected light, it is light gray and its reflective capacity is moderate to low. Anisotropy is distinct, without color effects. Pleochroism was not observed. Internal reflections are red-brown. Reflectance values were measured in air with SiC as reference material [λ(nm), Rmax, Rmin]: 470, 14.6, 13.9; 546, 14.0, 13.4; 589, 13.9, 13.3; 650, 13.8, 13.1. Electron probe microanalysis (WDS mode, 7 points) gives (wt.%): Nb2O5 50.70; Ta2O5 4.52; TiO2 0.08; WO3 0.79; SnO2 1.54; CaO 1.01; Sc2O3 11.35; MnO 1.38; FeO 0.01; Y2O3 12.00; Ce2O3 0.21; Pr2O3 0.04; Nd2O3 0.27; Sm2O3 0.32; Eu2O3 0.07; Gd2O3 0.86; Tb2O3 0.22; Dy2O3 2.07; Ho2O3 0.29; Er2O3 1.33; Tm2O3 0.35; Yb2O3 2.80; Lu2O3 0.32; PbO 0.24; ThO2 1.90; UO2 3.30, total 97.97. The empirical formula of shakhdaraite-(Y) based on O = 8 apfu (atoms per formula unit) is (Nb1.91Sc0.83Y0.53Ta0.10Mn0.10Ca0.09 Yb0.07U4+0.06Dy0.06Sn0.05Th0.04Er0.03Gd0.02W6+0.02Pb0.01Ce0.01Nd0.01Sm0.01Tb0.01Ho0.01Tm0.01Lu0.01Ti0.01)Σ4.00O8, Z = 2. The simplified formula is Sc(Y,Yb)Nb2O8, where Yb is the dominant lanthanoid. Shakhdaraite-(Y) is monoclinic, space group P2/c, a 9.930(2), b 5.6625(11), c 5.2108(10) Å, β 92.38(3)°, V 292.7(5) Å3, Z = 2. The crystal structure was solved by direct methods [R1 = 0.0269, 878 unique reflections (F > 4σF)]. There are three cation M sites: [6]M(1) = Nb2apfu, [6]M(2) = Sc apfu, and [8]M(3) = Y apfu, ideally M = ScYNb2apfu. The M(1) and M(2) octahedra each form a brookite chain along c. The Y-dominant [8]M(3A) polyhedra form a brookite-like kinked chain, and each M(3A) polyhedron of one brookite-like chain shares two edges with the two M(3A) polyhedra from the adjacent brookite-like chain, thus forming a [Y2O8]10– layer. In the structure of shakhdaraite-(Y), M(1A) and M(2) brookite chains and a layer of [8]-coordinated M(3A) polyhedra alternate along a. Shakhdaraite-(Y) is isostructural with samarskite-(Y), ideally YFe3+Nb2O8. Shakhdaraite-(Y) [Russian Cyrillic: шахдараит-(Y)] is named after its type locality: the valley of the Shakhdara River in the southwest of the Pamir Mountains.

Badakhshanite-(Y), ideally Y2Mn4Al(Si2B7BeO24), is a tetrahedral sheet-structure mineral found in the Dorozhny (Road) miarolitic granitic pegmatite within the Kukurt pegmatite field 45 km E of Murghab, Eastern Pamir, Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Oblast, Tajikistan. Badakhshanite-(Y) occurs in medium- to coarse-grained non-graphic albite-microcline-quartz pegmatites in close association with smoky quartz, Sc-bearing spessartine, Sc-bearing tusionite, and schorl. It often grows together with Sc-bearing tusionite and occurs as single columnar crystals ranging from 50 to 400 μm in length, as inclusions in spessartine and tourmaline, and rarely as crystals in blebs along boundaries between garnet, tourmaline, and quartz. Badakhshanite-(Y) is yellow brown and has a white streak and a vitreous luster. It is brittle, with a conchoidal fracture, Mohs hardness of 6.5–7, and calculated density of 4.41 g/cm. In thin section it is transparent and pale yellow, non-pleochroic, biaxial (–), with α = 1.805(2), βcalc = 1.827, γ = 1.835(3) (λ = 590 nm); 2V (meas.) = –60(10)°. Dispersion is weak, r > v. Extinction is straight, elongation is negative. FTIR spectra show the absence of (OH) and H2O groups. Chemical analysis by electron microprobe using WDS (6 points), SIMS, and ICP-OES for B and Be gave SiO2 11.96, ThO2 0.12, Sm2O3 0.17, Gd2O3 0.30, Tb2O3 0.10, Dy2O3 0.73, Ho2O3 0.19, Er2O3 1.34, Tm2O3 0.54, Yb2O3 8.82, Lu2O3 2.32, Y2O3 16.60, Sc2O3 1.57, Al2O3 3.06, B2O3 22.06, FeO 0.94, MnO 23.33, CaO 0.58, BeO 2.84, total 97.57 wt.%.The empirical formula based on 24 O apfu is (Y1.21REE0.78Th0.01)Σ2(Mn3.47Y0.34Ca0.11Fe2+0.08)Σ4(Al0.63Sc0.24Fe2+0.06□0.07)Σ1[(Si2.10B6.69Be1.20)Σ9.99O24], where REE = (Yb0.47Lu0.12Dy0.04Er0.07Tm0.03 Ho0.01Gd0.02Sm0.01Tb0.01)Σ0.78. Badakhshanite-(Y) is orthorhombic, space group Pnma, a 12.852(1), b 4.5848(5), c 12.8539(8) Å, V 757.38(7) Å3, Z = 2. The crystal structure was refined to R1 = 4.31% based on 1431 unique [F > 4σF] reflections. In the crystal structure of badakhshanite-(Y), a layer of tetrahedra parallel to (010) is composed of four different tetrahedrally coordinated sites: Si, B(1), B(2), and T ( = 1.623 Å, = 1.485 Å, = 1.479 Å, = 1.557 Å), which form four-, five-, and eight-membered rings, having the composition (Si2B7BeO24). Between the sheets of tetrahedra, there are three cation sites: M(1), M(2), and M(3) ( = 2.346 Å, = 2.356 Å, = 2.016 Å) occupied by Y(REE), Mn2+(Y, Ca, Fe2+), and Al(Sc), respectively. The M(1,2) sites ideally give Y2Mn4apfu; the M(3) site ideally gives Al apfu. Badakhshanite-(Y) is an Al- and Be-analogue of perettiite-(Y).

A new mineral falgarite, K4(V+4O)3(SO4)5 was discovered at the tract of Kukhi-Malik, Fan-Yagnob coal deposit, ca. 75 km N of Dushanbe, Tajikistan. The new mineral is named after the Falgar, an ancient Sogdian name for an area around the Zeravshan riverhead. Falgarite is a fumarolic mineral formed directly from a gas emitted by a natural underground coal fire. Associated minerals are anhydrite, baryte, molybdite, an unidentified Tl-vanadyl sulfate, K–Mg sulfate and an anhydrous Mg-sulfate. Falgarite forms small isometric or pseudo-octahedral individual crystals (10–60 μm) of turquoise colour and spherical aggregates up to 0.5 mm in diameter. Mohs hardness is ~ 2.5, Dmeas = 2.87(2) and Dcalc = 2.89 g/cm3. Refractive indices are: α = 1.588(3), β(calc.) = 1.600(3) and γ = 1.609(2) (590 nm). In transmitted light falgarite is transparent green with a weak pleochroism. The mineral is non-soluble in H2O and 5% HNO3 at room temperature. Infrared spectra support the absence of H2O and OH–. The chemical composition determined by electron-microprobe analysis is (wt.%): Na2O 0.55, K2O 20.76, Tl2O 1.83, VO2 29.38 and SO3 46.78, total 99.29. The empirical formula (based on 23 O apfu) is: (K3.76Na0.15Tl0.07)Σ3.98V3.02S4.99O23.0. The strongest lines of the powder X-ray diffraction pattern are [d,Å(I,%)(hkl)]: 3.20(70)(202); 3.17(80)024; 3.14(70)$\bar{2}$04; 3.01(50)$\bar{1}$51; and 2.88(100)151. Falgarite is monoclinic, P21/n, a = 8.7209(5), b = 16.1777(6), c = 14.4614(7) Å, β = 106.744(5)°, V = 1953.77(17) Å3, Z = 4 and R1 = 0.05. VO6 octahedra and SO4 tetrahedra link together by sharing corners thus forming a [(VO)3(SO4)5]4– framework. K+, Na+ and Tl+ cations are located in the channels of the framework. The synthetic K4(VO)3(SO4)5 analogue is known.