New Pd-Tl-(Bi,As)-rich compounds are described from the Anomal'nyi Cu-PGE deposit, Kondyor alkaline ultramafic complex, northeastern Russia. They occur in vein-type settings associated with bodies of 'kosvite' (magnetite-rich clinopyroxenite) in the dunite-(peridotite) core, in pegmatiticand micaceous rocks. The ore zones are substantially enriched in phlogopite; they consist of diopside, disseminated titaniferous magnetite and fluorapatite (Sr-bearing). The observed assemblages of ore minerals include sulfides of the chalcopyrite-bornite-(secondary chalcocite) associationand various species of platinum-group minerals (PGM) [isomertieite or arsenopalladinite rich in Sb, mertieite-II, mertieite-I, sobolevskite, kotulskite, merenskyite, zvyagintsevite, palarstanide, paolovite, sperrylite, maslovite or moncheite, hollingworthite and unnamed species of PGM] anda Ag-Au alloy. The oxides [Pd4(Bi,Te,Tl)O6 and Pd4(Tl,Bi,Te)O6] probably formed in situ by oxidation reactions at the expense of the associated PGM intergrowths. These involve palladium bismuthide-thallide phases, Pd5(Tl,As,Bi)and Pd5(As,Tl,Bi), which are documented here for the first time. A fairly evolved environment, enriched in Cu, Pd, Te, Bi, Pb and volatile components, is indicated for the vein-type deposit at Anomal'nyi.

In this work, we tested the equilibrium constant of hydromagnesite [Mg5(CO3)4(OH)2·4H2O] at 22.5°C proposed by Berninger et al. (2014) against field observations. By field observations we mean that analytical resultsoriginate from samples in the natural environment. In our test, we calculated saturation states of hydromagnesite, using the equilibrium constant of hydromagnesite at 22.5°C from Berninger et al., for the carbonate lakes in Qinghai-Xizang Plateau in China and for Salda Lake in Turkey,based on the hydrochemical data from literature. The predictions based on this equilibrium constant indicate that all of these lakes are strongly under-saturated with respect to hydromagnesite. However, hydromagnesite has been shown to form in all of these lakes. Therefore, this equilibrium constant is clearly in direct contradiction with field observations, leading to the conclusion that the equilibrium constant of hydromagnesite of Berninger et al. (2014) is not suitable for geochemical modelling.

We describe occurrences of palladoan melonite in intimate intergrowths with cobaltite-gersdorffite from the Neoproterozoic dunite-wehrlite-gabbro complexes of Kingash and Kuskanak, Eastern Sayans, Russia. The observed compositional trends of melonite are consistent with the overallvariations examined on the basis of numerous literature sources. The levels of Bi in NiTe2 are normally limited to ≤0.25 Bi atoms per formula unit (apfu), under natural conditions. Greater levels (≤0.5 Bi apfu) are associated with the (Pd + Pt) enrichment in the palladoanvarieties. The telluride–sulfarsenide intergrowths probably formed at Kingash and Kuskanak late in the crystallization history of the ore zones, from microdroplets of residual melt rich in semimetals (Te, Bi, As) and noble metals (Pd and Ag), below the solidus of the enclosing gabbroicrocks and within a narrow range of temperatures (500–550°C). On the basis of our observations made on specimens of melonite and synthetic Ni(Te,Bi)2–x (x = 0.6), we infer that the limit of incorporation of Bi into a melonitetype phase is ≤0.5 Bi apfu.

New chemical (EMP, SIMS) and structural data are reported for a suite of crystals of oxo-mangani-leakeite and mangano-mangani-ungarettiite from their common type locality, the Hoskins mine (New South Wales, Australia). Notwithstanding the low OH content, FTIR analysis of selected sampleshas provided considerable information on short-range order in these Mn3+-rich amphiboles, and shows that Li is associated with occupied A sites and is linked to the oxo-component at the O(3) site. Comparative analysis of all available data allows us to: (1) further improveour understanding of the crystal-chemistry of these very peculiar compositions of the oxo-amphibole group; and (2) calculate reliable site-populations. The proposed limited compositional variability has been confirmed. The two amphiboles have completely different arrangements of CR3+cations. In oxo-mangani-leakeites, those CR3+ cations related to the oxocomponent occur at the M (1) site, whereas those CR3+ cations related to the leakeite charge-arrangement occur at the M (2) site. In mangano-mangani-ungarettiite,all CR3+ cations order at the M (1) and M (3) sites, and local bond-valence requirements are satisfied by the presence of Mn3+, which assumes a strongly distorted coordination due to its degenerate eg electronic state. Therefore,the inverse patterns observed for both cation-ordering and deformation of the octahedra are incompatible with solid-solution between these two species that coexist at the Hoskins mine.

Maneckiite, ideally NaCa2Fe22þ (Fe3+Mg)Mn2(PO4)6(H2O)2, was found in a pegmatite at Michałkowa, Góry Sowie Block, SW Poland. The mineral forms subhedral and anhedral crystals ~150 μm × 150 μm in the outer zone of phosphate nodules, where it is associated with fluorapatite, wolfeite, Ca-rich graftonite and alluaudite-group minerals. Maneckiite is transparent, dark brown, with a colourless streak and vitreous lustre, brittle, and has a good cleavage // {010}, a splintery fracture and a Mohs hardness of ~5. The calculated density is 3.531 g cm–3. Maneckiite is pleochroic: α = dark green, β = dark blue/green, γ = light brown/tan, biaxial (+) with refractive indices α = 1.698(2), β = 1.706(2), γ = 1.727(2) and birefringence Δ = ~0.03; 2Vmeas. = 65.9 (1.5)° and 2Vcalc. = 64°, dispersion is obscured by the dark colour, and optical orientation X//a, Y//b, Z//c. Maneckite is orthorhombic (Pcab) and has unit-cell parameters a = 12.526(4) Å, b = 12.914(5) Å, c = 11.664(4) Å and V = 1886.8(5) Å3. The strongest reflections are (dhkl in Å; I; hkl): 2.759, 100, 402; 2.916, 78, 004; 3.020, 68, 401; 2.844, 35, 014; 2.869, 31, 240; 2.825, 30, 042. Maneckiite has the wicksite structure and is its M(3)Mn-analogue. The mineral crystallized as a product of Na- and Ca-metasomatism induced by a HT fluid in the presence of Al3+ from a neighbouring aluminosilicate melt. A Gladstone-Dale index, 0.027, places maneckiite in the category ‘excellent’.