A Tertiary, dacitic volcanic land-form in Kelowna, British Columbia, shows layering that has not been recognized elsewhere. Layering is expressed as thin (0.5 m) layers separated by thick (4.5 m) layers exposed along a weathered fault scarp. The major elements show that both thick and thin layers are dacitic and geochemically very similar. Trace element modelling indicates that thin layers formed from thick layers via crystal fractionation involving removal of plagioclase, biotite and magnetite in the proportions 75:20:5, and with only 12% fractionation. The thin layers represent segregation veins generated during crystallization of the dacite. They formed when the crystal mush at the bottom of the upper crust successively, thermally contracted, fractured and foundered, siphoning evolved interstitial liquid from the mush into the horizontal crack. Cooling of the segregation veins led to further fracturing. Later, fluids following these fractures altered the thin layers and precipitated secondary carbonate minerals. The altered thin layers weather preferentially, thus visually accentuating the small primary chemical differences between thick and thin layers. The scale of layering, mode of formation and differentiation mechanisms appear different from those in felsic magma chambers and it is unclear how common this phenomenon is. However, similar layering is more easily identified and commonly developed in mafic lava flows.

Reactions between olivine and plagioclase form kelyphytic corona textures in the Rymmen gabbro, southern Sweden. The coronas surround olivine and consist of enstatite ± amphibole and phlogopite, combined with an outer rim of symplectic intergrowth of green spinel and amphibole. Corona reactions took place in fractures within olivine prior to the formation of chlorite, serpentine, and magnetite in the fractures at cooler conditions. Disequilibrium between olivine and plagioclase has been put forward as an explanation for the corona formation. However, inclusions of plagioclase in olivine show that there is no reaction between these minerals, since no new minerals formed between them. The conclusion drawn is that the most important factor for development of kelyphytic structures in the Rymmen gabbro is contact with a late deuteric fluid in an environment where olivine and plagioclase are close to each other. Temperature estimates for the formation of the kelyphytic coronas in the Rymmen gabbro yield consistent temperatures of around 800 ± 30°C and pressures 6–8 kbar, which indicate emplacement at a depth of 20–30 km in the crust. Late deuteric fluids caused olivine replacement by intergrown orthopyroxene and magnetite, in Fe-Ti oxide-rich rocks only. In these, plagioclase is replaced by symplectite when in contact with ilmenite and magnetite. It is noted that the symplectite minerals have low Ti contents. This suggests that the Fe-Ti oxide was a catalyst for the reaction between plagioclase and late-stage aqueous fluids rather than being a reactant, alternatively that the magnetite/ilmenite was a reactant and Ti was retained in the oxide.

Natrocarbonatite magma, erupted as lava flows in the Tanzanian volcano Oldoinyo Lengai in June and November of 1988, has evolved chemically since its formation. The June and November flows of 1988 display increasing Cl, F, Ba, K, Mg and Mn, concomitantly with Na, Ca and P depletion. Furthermore, the June magma, at the time of eruption, had higher Cl, F, Ba and K contents and lower Ca than the November magma and evolved to higher levels of Cl, F, Ba and K content and lower Ca, Na and P. The mineralogy of the lavas reflects these trends. Crystallization of fluorite and halite–sylvite solid solution, usually as a symplectic intergrowth, occurs when Cl and F concentrations reach the critical value necessary to stabilize both minerals and explains why neither occurs as a phenocryst phase. Natrocarbonatite magma has undergone considerable and rapid magmatic evolution, probably in small and separate magma chambers. Two minerals, nyerereite and gregoryite, have dominated the crystallization history of natrocarbonatite magma, and many lavas are phenocryst-rich. However, because most of the lavas are composed principally of these two minerals, crystal accumulation has not greatly changed their composition and, consequently, we suggest that the bulk composition of the lavas closely approximates that of the parental magma.

Apatite-dolomite carbonatite at Lesnaya Varaka, Kola Peninsula, Russia, hosts intricate mineral intergrowths composed of lueshite in the core and pyrochlore-group minerals in the rim. Lueshite is a primary Nb-bearing phase in the carbonatite and ranges in composition from cerian lueshite to almost pure NaNbO3. For comparison, the compositional variation of lueshite from the Kovdor and Sallanlatvi carbonatites is described. At Lesnaya Varaka, lueshite is replaced by nearly stoichiometric Na-Ca pyrochlore due to late-stage re-equilibration in the carbonatite system. X-ray powder diffraction data for both minerals are presented. Barian strontiopyrochlore, occurring as replacement mantles on Na-Ca pyrochlore, contains up to 43% Sr and 8–18% Ba at the A-site, and shows a high degree of hydration and strong ionic deficiency at the A- and Y-sites. This mineral is metamict and, upon heating, recrystallises to an aeschynite-type structure. Monazite-(Ce) found as minute crystals in fractures, represents the solid solution between monazite-(Ce) CePO4, brabantite CaTh(PO4)2 and SrTh(PO4)2. Our data indicate the high capacity of the monazite structure for Th and accompanying divalent cations at low temperatures and pressures that has a direct relevance to solving the problem of long-term conservation of radioactive wastes. Monazite-(Ce) and barian strontiopyrochlore are products of low-temperature hydrothermal or secondary (hypergene) alteration of the primary mineral assemblage of the carbonatite.

Precision serial lapping in combination with raster image acquisition is an efficient and versatile approach to 3-D microstructure reconstruction of geological materials. However, during associated sample preparation and data acquisition, geometric inaccuracies are introduced, which, if neglected, severely distort the desired 3-D models of minerals and rock fabrics. A novel method is presented to assess and correct the relative shifts and rotations between the images acquired at the individual erosion levels. The method relies on optical reflection prisms which provide a precise internal reference system that allows all images making up an erosion series to be registered on a common system of coordinates. Tested on a microanalyser with digital sample stage control, the method yielded position errors between successive images of approximately 1 µm. A thorough description of the mechanical design of the reference system and the coordinate transformation formulae are given.

Tsugaruite, Pb4As2S7, is a new Pb-As sulphosalt from the Yunosawa mine, Aomori Prefecture, northern Japan. X-ray studies indicated it to be orthorhombic Pnn2 or Pnnm, a 15.179(1), b 38.195(1), c 8.0745(1) Å, Z = 16 [Pb4As2S7] with a subcell with c′ = 1/2c. The six strongest diffractions in the X-ray powder pattern [d (in Å), (I), (hkl)] are: 4.47 (30) (340), 3.705 (34) (1.10.0), 3.395 (100) (450), 2.870 (34) (192), 2.819 (53) (550), and 2.739 (48) (560, 2.13.0). The average of seven electron microprobe analyses gave Pb 68.70, Tl 0.13, As 12.45, S 18.64, total 99.92 wt.%. The empirical formula calculated on the basis of total atoms = 13 is Pb3.99Tl0.01As2.00S7.00, corresponding to the ideal formula Pb4As2S7. The calculated density is 6.83 g/cm3 for the ideal formula.

Tsugaruite is opaque with a metallic lustre and lead-grey streak. No cleavage was observed. It is brittle with uneven fracture. VHN25 is 75.4–94.9 kg/mm2, mean 86.4 (n) = 4), corresponding to 2.5–3 in Mohs' hardness scale. In reflected plane-polarised light in air, it is white with a greenish tint, more greenish than jordanite. Bireflectance and pleochroism are weak, weaker than those of jordanite; and anisotropism is weak to moderate, weaker than that of jordanite. No internal reflections. The reflectance spectra are tabulated in the text.

Tsugaruite was found in a thin baryte veinlet exposed in the wall of a small open cut of the Yunosawa mine. It forms radiating groups of long tabular tapering crystals elongated along c and tabular to b, up to 0.04 mm wide and 2 mm long. The associated minerals are jordanite, which formed earlier than tsugaruite, and galena. The chemical similarity of tsugaruite and jordanite and their intergrown character indicates that earlier jordanite analyses may also include analyses of tsugarite.

The hydrothermal fahlore deposits of the Schwaz-Brixlegg district have been mined for silver and copper over many centuries and are famous as the type locality of the mercurian fahlore variety ‘schwazite’. The ore is dominantly monomineralic fahlore and occurs as stratabound, discordant vein, and breccia bodies over a 20 km belt hosted mostly by the Devonian Schwaz Dolomite. The structural style of the mineralization is similar to that of Mississippi Valley type deposits.

This study presents the first electron microprobe analyses of the ores and reveals wide variations in fahlore compositions, from 35 to 100 wt.% tetrahedrite end-member in the solid solution series with tennantite. Sb and Zn contents vary between 12.1–28.0 wt.% and 0.1–7.6 wt.%, respectively. Silver contents average 0.5 wt.% and range up to 2.0 wt.%. In the breccia-hosted ores these variations clearly result from a temporal evolution in the ore-forming hydrothermal system: main-stage tetrahedrite is replaced by assemblages of Sb-, Fe-, and Ag-enriched tetrahedrite + enargite, with minor sphalerite ± stibnite ± cuprian pyrite (≤ 25 wt.% Cu). These reactions are deduced to result from either increases in aqueous sulphur activity or falling temperature. Earlier workers recognized strong geographic zonation of fahlore compositions, but our microprobe analyses refute these contentions.

The 1167 new microprobe analyses of 51 fahlore samples collected underground or obtained from museum collections yield an average Hg content of 1.8 wt.%, and a maximum of 9.4 wt.%. According to modern nomenclature, not even the highest Hg value qualifies as ‘schwazite’. Moreover, it appears that the original and only analysis of ‘schwazite’, reporting 15.6 wt.% Hg (Weidenbusch, 1849), was erroneously performed on a polymineralic aggregate, rather than on a monomineralic fahlore. We conclude that the Schwaz-Brixlegg fahlores are in fact not unusually rich in mercury, and that in all probability there is not, and never has been, any ‘schwazite’ at Schwaz.

Paragenetic, textural, and chemical characteristics of columbite-tantalite minerals are examined as steps towards identifying the metallogenetic processes of their host granitoids. Columbite-tantalite-bearing granitoids of the Eastern Desert province of Egypt can be categorized into: (i) metaluminous alkali granites; (ii) peraluminous Li-albite granites; and (iii) metasomatized biotite and/or muscovite granite (i.e. apogranites).

Columbite of the alkali granite is of FeNb2O6 composition and associated with annite. The low F and Li contents of the associated mica precludes the important role of these volatile elements during the late stage of evolution of the alkali granites, thus delaying fractionation of Mn over Fe and Ta over Nb.

Compositionally, columbite-tantalite of the Li-albite granites is constrained between MnNb2O6 and MnTa2O6 (the Ta/(Nb+Ta)atom. ratio ranges between 0.10 and 0.80). This low to high ratio and the association of columbite-tantalite with topaz, fluorite and lithian micas (in the series zinnwaldite-white mica) indicate a higher solubility for Ta-fluoride complex compounds and their more stabilized state at lower temperatures in Li- and F-rich sodic melts. The columbite-tantalite commonly exhibits a mottled or patchy zoned texture with the rims consistently higher in Ta than the cores, reflecting the later effect of a corrosive supercritical vapour phase.

The columbites of metasomatized granites range in composition between FeNb2O6 and MnNb2O6. They are characterized by high Ti and U, and low Ta contents (the Ta/(Nb+Ta)atom. ranges between 0.01 and 0.15), indicating deposition from alkaline (K+ Na+ -rich), and relatively high-temperature interacting fluids. However, the Mn-enriched columbites are commonly encountered in the apical parts of the apogranites and formed in response to high μKF and μLiF required for stabilizing the associated Li-siderophyllite or zinnwaldite. Columbites of the apogranites commonly exhibit progressive (either normal or reverse) zoning which can be attributed to the disequilibrium conditions (e.g. sudden change in the pH) between the growing crystal and the solutions.

Zirkelite, a cubic mineral of general formula (Ti,Ca,Zr)O2−x occurs as an accessory mineral in phoscorites, carbonatites and associated rocks in the Sebl'yavr complex. After pyrochlore, it is the main mineral concentrating niobium in these rocks. Zirkelite forms platy crystals comprising polysynthetic octahedral twins, often having a complex skeletal internal structure within a cuboctahedral external morphology. The mineral is largely metamict, but after heating to 800°C it produces a cubic crystalline structure with ao = 5.157 ±0.006 Å. It is black to brownish-black in colour, VHN = 760−780 kg.mm−2, density = 4.27 g.cm−3, and reflectance = 12.5%.

Chemically, zirkelite is relatively enriched in Nb2O5 (up to 14.5 wt.%) and ThO2 (up to 7.7 wt.%), and it displays four compositionally-distinct zones which probably formed during primary crystallisation processes. It is patchily altered where it is associated with an unidentified Ba, Ti, Nb, Zr silicate phase which partly replaces and pseudomorphs it. Under the current IMA-approved nomenclature scheme, non-crystalline (metamict) minerals of the composition described here would normally be given the general species name zirconolite, with the name zirkelite confined to the cubic mineral. However, at Sebl'yavr, the name zirkelite is used because the mineral displays a well-defined cubic crystal morphology and has a cubic structure after heating.

Pyrophanite is widely distributed in metamorphic Mn-rich rock assemblages of the Gangpur Group, India. It occurs in two distinct habits: as an independent phase, and as an exsolved phase within hematite. The well developed large sized crystals coexist with spessartine in Mn-silicate facies rocks. In contrast, the exsolved crystals occur as fine needle/bleb-like crystallites intergrown with hematite in Mn-silicate-oxide facies rocks. Compositionally the exsolved crystals are enriched in iron, present in both the ferric and ferrous states. The two morphologies of pyrophanite attest to their formation under different environmental conditions. The independent pyrophanite is formed from a Mn-Ti rich precursor under low oxygen fugacity conditions while the hematite-pyrophanite intergrowth evolved from an Fe-Mn-Ti rich precursor under higher fO2 conditions.

The available data on compositional zoning in grossular-andradite (grandite) garnets occurring at different scales, mainly due to the variations of their Fe3+/Al ratios, and the hypotheses on the origin of this zoning are reviewed. Four zoned crystals of grandites showing different optical properties have been studied by means of X-ray diffraction. Optical and structural studies suggest three superimposed scales of Fe3+/Al zonality along [110]. The drastic change of the structural characteristics from sample to sample correlates with the change of their optical patterns. The superfine oscillatory zoning has been described in terms of irregular interstratified structures with a high degree of segregation. The self-affinity of zoning at different scales testify to the possible origin of the zonality due to the non-linear dynamics at the growth front. The wide variation of the layer compositions revealed by the modelling of the X-ray diffraction profiles seems to contradict the hypothesis of unmixing in grandite garnets.

Zussmanite KFe13[AlSi17O42](OH)14, a modulated 2:1 layer silicate, has so far been found only in iron-rich metasediments from Laytonville, California (Agrell et al.), 1965). A new occurrence is reported here from Punta Nihue north of Valdivia, Chile, in banded stilpnomelane-schists. These are intercalated in the ‘Western Series’, a complex of low-grade metamorphic rocks with local high-pressure, low-temperature overprint (e.g. blueschists).

The rock contains conspicuous porphyroblasts of zussmanite of mm size and is composed of chemically distinct bands with the subsequent assemblages: (1) zussmanite-stilpnomelane-quartz, (2) siderite-quartz±stilpnomelane (3) apatite-stilpnomelane-quartz±siderite. The chemical composition of zussmanite, (K0.80Na0.05Ba0.01)(Fe11.292+Mg1.11Mn0.25Fe0.143+Cr0.01Al0.19Ti0.01)[Al1.23Si16.77O42](OH)14, its optical properties and X-ray data correlate well with the Californian occurrence. Additionally, we present new IR data. In type (2) bands of fine-grained crystals of a K,Al poor mineral formed from siderite and quartz. Its chemical composition is close to that of zussmanite. A similar phase was also reported from Laytonville, California (Muir Wood, 1980).

The rarity of rock-forming zussmanite can be explained by its occurrence in strongly Fe-rich and reduced rocks, as well as, by a possibly narrow P-T stability field.