Garnet porphyroblasts, containing elongate ilmenite inclusions arranged in an essentially spherical pattern, are described. The garnets are post-tectonic, and the inclusion pattern is the result of deformation and simultaneous replacement of the matrix by the growing porphyroblast.

Rhombohedral cleavage faces of quartz have been etched hydrothermally and with fused KOH. Stratigraphical etch patterns were observed on isolated cleavages, matched cleavage faces, and opposite sides of a thin flake. The angle between the () cleavage plane and the planes responsible for the stratigraphical patterns was almost equal to the interfacial angle, 46° 16′ between adjacent rhombohedral faces. It is concluded that the stratigraphical patterns formed by preferential etching reveal the edges of weak planes deposited during growth. The implications are discussed.

Chemical and mineralogical investigations show that the Bitburg meteorite is not a pallasite, but a group-IB iron meteorite. Like other members of this group it contains chondritic silicates.

Infrared absorption spectra of the precipitated solids separated from aluminium-hydroxide solutions below the pH of minimum solubility of Al(OH)3 demonstrate the slow ageing of polymeric Al complexes to gibbsite. On comparison with the spectra of natural gibbsites, shifts in absorption frequency during crystal growth are interpreted in terms of changes in hydrogen bonding as a consequence of deprotonation and stacking of aluminium hydroxide layers to form gibbsite. In alkaline solutions the bayerite polymorph precipitates and IR frequencies are compatible with protonation as aluminate ions associate with the bayerite crystal having a lower crystal energy than its low pH polymorph. The infrared spectrum of nordstrandite, which is probably the stable polymorph in alkaline solution, shows evidence of strongly polarized hydroxyl ions similar to gibbsite.

Eight new and fourteen published analyses of astrophyllites are used to examine chemical variation within the group. Al, Ca, Cs, F, Mg, Mn, Nb, Rb, Sn, Zn, and Zr may all substitute in moderate to large amounts in the unit cell, whose basic formula is (K,Na)3Fe7Ti2Si8(O,OH)31; the natural Mn- and Nb- analogues of astrophyllite have been recorded. Ba, Cl, Cu, Li, P, Pb, Sr, and Ta are present, but in smaller amounts. The majority of specimens show appreciable cation deficiencies, up to 5 % of sites remaining vacant. Astrophyllites from undersaturated igneous rocks are characterized by higher Al, Ca, Mg, Mn, (OH+F), (K+Na) and Zr, and lower Li, Pb, and Zn contents than those from oversaturated igneous rocks. A ‘high-alkali’ type of astrophyllite is distinguished. A new occurrence of nigerite is noted.

High-iron bustamite and apatite occur as subhedral large crystals up to 1 to 2 cm wide and 10 cm long in close association with spessartine in the disseminated sphalerite- and galena-bearing diopside-roepperite-calcite skarn at the New Broken Hill Consolidated mine (N.B.H.S.), New South Wales, Australia. Complete chemical analyses of the minerals have been made, together with physical, optical, and X-ray studies.