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Vanadium-induced coloration in grossite (CaAl4O7) and hibonite (CaAl12O19).
- Source :
- American Mineralogist; Apr2021, Vol. 106 Issue 4, p599-608, 10p
- Publication Year :
- 2021
-
Abstract
- High concentrations of vanadium cause very unusual coloration in hibonite (purple) and grossite (light violet) crystals in an exotic mineral assemblage from Sierra de Comechingones (Argentina). In the hibonite (CaAl<subscript>12</subscript>O<subscript>19</subscript>) structure vanadium ions, in various valence states (divalent, trivalent, and tetravalent), may be distributed over five crystallographic sites with coordinations corresponding to different polyhedra, namely, three unequal octahedra [M1 (D<subscript>3d</subscript>), M4 (C<subscript>3v</subscript>), and M5 (C<subscript>s</subscript>)], one M3 tetrahedron (C<subscript>3v</subscript>), and one unusual fivefold-coordinated trigonal bipyramid M2 (D<subscript>3h</subscript>). Possible locations of vanadium ions in grossite (CaAl<subscript>4</subscript>O<subscript>7</subscript>) are limited to two crystallographically distinct sites (T1 and T2, both C<subscript>1</subscript>) in tetrahedral coordination. The combination of single-crystal X‑ray diffraction and absorption spectroscopy techniques aided by chemical analyses has yielded details on the nature of the vanadium-induced color in both hibonite and grossite crystals. In hibonite, both M4 face-sharing octahedral and M2 trigonal bipyramid sites of the R-block are partially occupied by V<superscript>3+</superscript>. Strongly polarized bands recorded at relatively low energies in optical absorption spectra indicate that V<superscript>2+</superscript> is located at the M4 octahedral site of the hibonite R-block. Chemical analyses coupled with an accurate determination of the electron densities at structural sites in hibonite suggest that the vanadium ions occupy about 10 and 5% of the M4 and M2 sites, respectively. For grossite, polarized optical absorption spectra reveal no indications of V<superscript>2+</superscript>; all observed absorption bands can be assigned to V<superscript>3+</superscript> in tetrahedral coordination. Although not evident by the observed electron densities at the T sites of grossite (due to the low-V content), longer bond distances, and a higher degree of polyhedral distortion suggest that V<superscript>3+</superscript> is located at the T2 site. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 0003004X
- Volume :
- 106
- Issue :
- 4
- Database :
- Complementary Index
- Journal :
- American Mineralogist
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 152080713
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.2138/am-2020-7544