Mindat Mineralogy Messageboard - Best Minerals R

Re: Rutile

Rock Currier — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 13:49:09 +0000

Don,
Thanks for catching that. Fixed

Re: Rutile

Don Windeler — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 06:48:26 +0000

Rock:

Very nice, as always. One small oopsie above that I noticed: the text for the Champion Mine in California is shifted down one locality, such that it's under the McGuire pegmatite in Colorado.
Cheers!
D.

Re: Rutile

Rock Currier — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 06:09:19 +0000

Rudolf;
Thanks for the addition. You don't have to let me know about little changes like that.

Re: Rutile

Rudolf Hasler — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 14:38:26 +0000

Rock,
I have added a short information at Schwarzkof mountain in Austria.
I hope you do not mind.

Rudolf

Rossmanite

Rock Currier — Fri, 14 Dec 2012 11:57:33 +0000

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Can you help make this a better article? What good localities have we missed? Can you supply pictures of better specimens than those we show here? Can you give us more and better information about the specimens from these localities? Can you supply better geological or historical information on these localities?

Rossmanite: Trigonal, Vacancy-dominant member: Identification only possible with quantitative chemical analysis and/or crystal-structure refinement.
☐(LiAl₂)Al₆(Si₆O₁₈)(BO₃)₃(OH)₃(OH)


Rossmanite 2.2cm tall, Elba Italy	© Kohorst

The above picture above is a tourmaline containing rossmanite in its center grading down to elbaite and up to a cap of foitite

There are 30 localities listed on Mindat for rossmanite. The type locality for rossmanite is Rožná (Rozna; Roschna) pegmatite, Žďár nad Sázavou, Vysočina Region, Moravia (Mähren; Maehren), Czech Republic

Canada, Manitoba, Lac-du-Bonnet area, Bernic Lake, Tanco Mine (Bernic Lake Mine)


Rossmanite	©


Rossmanite	© JZL

The Tanco mine is a huge pegmatite and areas of the mine are able to produce hundreds of tons of this material which might be described as a rubellite granite. It would make attractive cutting rough if the mine management could be persuaded to mine some of it.

Italy, Tuscany, Livorno Province, Elba Island, Campo nell'Elba, San Piero in Campo, Grotta d'Oggi Quarry


Rossmanite 2.2cm tall	© Kohorst

UK, England, Cornwall, St Austell District, St Stephen-in-Brannel, Whitemoor, Dorothy China Clay Pit


Rossmanite	© Paul De Bondt

Re: Rutile

Harjo Neutkens — Thu, 04 Oct 2012 08:22:02 +0000

Very nice Rudolph!
Rock, I hope you don't mind, but I added an Austrian loc to the article (the Leffler source, Habach valley, where I found very good Rutile crystals up to 3cm ling) and two Belgian locs, one where I've found very good rutilated Quartz crystals and Sagenite, the other where I found very nice acicular Rutile.

Cheers,

Harjo

Re: Rutile

Rudolf Hasler — Thu, 04 Oct 2012 06:37:29 +0000

Rock,
I have put the the two images of H. Fink that you liked in your article.
I hope you don't mind.

Rudolf

Re: Rutile

Rock Currier — Fri, 15 Jun 2012 03:56:14 +0000

Those look really good. As soon as I can find the time, Ill put them in the article.

Re: Rutile

Rudolf Hasler — Thu, 14 Jun 2012 22:00:25 +0000

Rock,
In Hubert Fink's collection there are some excellent Austrian Rutile specimens.The 1st one is from Stockeralp, Untersulzbach valley: [www.mindat.org]
The 2nd sand the 3rd are from Grieswies, Rauris: [www.mindat.org]
[www.mindat.org]
Maybe you have use for them.

Rudolf

Re: Rutile

Rudolf Hasler — Fri, 18 May 2012 21:02:00 +0000

Rock,
The second and the third image you added are from the southwest face of Schwarzkopf mountain of the Ankogel area. In the Ankogel area Rutile is a quite common mineral with crystals sometimes measuring up to 7cm. Very often the Rutile variation Sagenite can be found there. The best specimens in my opinion were collected in the dangerous southwest face of Schwarzkopf by Rudi Purat and Lois Krenn.
The correct location name is: Schwarzkopf, Ankogel area, Ankogel Group, Mallnitz, Carinthia, Austria.

Rudolf

Re: Rutile

Rock Currier — Fri, 18 May 2012 20:18:43 +0000

Rudolph, I have added the Carinthia locality for Rutile to the article and three of the images. Thanks for the suggestion. Can you write some descriptive text for the locality and the rutile specimens it produces?

Re: Rutile

Rock Currier — Fri, 18 May 2012 19:50:20 +0000

Rudolph, You say one very good alpine rutile locality in Austria is missing. You say the name of the location is A???

Re: Rutile

Rudolf Hasler — Fri, 18 May 2012 15:40:07 +0000

Rock,
In your article about Rutile one very good alpine location in Carinthia, Austria is missing in my opinion: Ankogel area.
I have posted some images from there and a quite good one from Hocharn. I think you probably might like them.
Their IDs are: 45 87 37
45 65 49
46 48 58
45 33 76

Rudolf

Re: Rutile

Rudolf Hasler — Fri, 18 May 2012 15:26:24 +0000

Rock,
In your article about Rutile one very good alpine location in Carinthia, Austria is missing: A

Re: Riebeckite-series

Rock Currier — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 09:58:15 +0000

Yes, I understand, I hate it when that happens to me.

Re: Riebeckite-series

Olav Revheim — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 06:55:21 +0000

Oops, cut and paste error. Thanks for spotting

:-)

Olav

Re: Riebeckite-series

Rock Currier — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 00:34:35 +0000

Olav,
Image number 44803 is used to illustrate both Magnesioriebeckite-Riebeckite Series (Var: Crocidolite) from
Pomfret Mine, Vryburg, Northwest Province, South Africa as well as Magnesioriebeckite-Riebeckite Series
(Var: Crocidolite) from USA, Massachusetts , Norfolk Co , Quincy, Granite Rail Quarry (Granite Railway Quarry).

Riebeckite-series

Olav Revheim — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 19:31:59 +0000

FIRST DRAFT

Click here to view Best Minerals R , and here for Best Minerals A to Z and here for Fast Navigation for finished Best Minerals articles.

Can you help make this a better article? What good localities have we missed? Can you supply pictures of better specimens than those we show here? Can you give us more and better information about the specimens from these localities? Can you supply better geological or historical information on these localities?

The Riebeckite series minerals are minerals in the amphibole group, see Amphibole Group main article for an overview of the group. The series contains the following minerals:

Riebeckite
Na₂ (Fe2+₃ Fe3+₂ ) Si₈ O₂₂(OH)₂

Magnesioriebeckite
Na₂ (Mg3Fe3+₂ ) Si₈ O₂₂(OH)₂

The riebeckite-series minerals belongs to the Sodic-Amphibole subgroup, characterized by having Na₂ in the B position of the amphibole molecule. There is a continuous series between riebeckite and magnesio-ribeckite, and also between riebeckite and other amphiboles. The series formed involving a riebeckite component is largely dependant of the geological environment. Although riebeckite is a very common mineral ( riebeckite is listed from 314 localities in Mindat and magnesioriebeckite 70), also in large crystals, good specimens are few and far between.

Riebeckite ( with Fe/Mg>>1) is a common mineral in alkaline granites and syenites. It occurs as a rock forming mineral in these rocks, and large crystals ( up to and exceeding 75cm in maximum length) can be found embedded in pegmatites belonging to riebeckite containing granites. Riebeckite can also be found as free standing crystals in cavities in these granites, often then in the form of asbestiform fibres, crocidolite. This does not necessarily form attractive specimens.

In some of these granites, riebeckite can have a significant F content, and analysis of F dominant riebeckite has been published, thus justifying fluororiebeckite as a "named" amphibole species.

In alkaline granites and syenites, a continuous series exist between arfvedsonite and the riebeckite, and the general rule of thumb is that riebeckite is found in the more silica rich alkaline rocks, although this rule is not without exceptions. Riebeckite is also found in metamorphic rocks where it forms a continuous series towards glaucophane.

Riebeckite is stable in lower pressure and temperature environments than other amphiboles and the asbestiform variety crocidolite can be found in sedimentary banded iron formations (BIF's). The crocidolite can be found as in veins and bands in these rocks, although rarely exceeding 10 cm fibre length. In some of these environments, the rocks has undergone only low grade metamorphosis, and it has been suggested that riebeckite can form at temperatures down towards 100 deg C.

The riebeckite Fe/Mg ratio is normally lower in metamorphic rocks, and the rarer magnesioriebeckite can be found in some of these metamorphic environments.

For most of the 20th century, riebeckite asbestos ( ble asbestos, crocidolite) was mined in large mining operations in Australia, south Africa and other places, and the total production can be counted in millions of tons. This mining has been stopped due to the severe negative health effects of asbestos.

Riebeckite
Australia
Western Australia, Pilbara Region, Hamersley Ranges (Hammersley Ranges), Wittenoom (Wittenoom Gorge; "Wittenoon Gorge")


Riebeckite 30mm specimen	© Keith Compton

Wittenoom is a ghost town in the Hamersley Range in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. It’s growth and fall is largely linked to the production of riebeckite asbestos from the 1930-ties to 1966.During its heydays in the 1950-ties, Wittenoom was the largest town of Pilbara..

A total of 364 tons ( Wikipedia) asbestos was produced. Riebeckite was mined from thin asbestos bands in a banded iron formation (BIF). There are a total of 17 BIF horizons interbedded with shales in the 2,6Ga Dales Gorge Member of the Brockman Iron Formation of the Hamersley Group of metamorphic rocks. Riebeckite occurs in 0,2-15 cm thick bands formed as as fracture fillings essentially parallel with the sedimentary banding, in particular the lowermosts bands. The riebeckite fibers of the wide bands grow perpendicular to the bedding plane.

Riebeckite is often bounded by magnetite mesobands (1-5 mm thick), so called magnetite skins. Riebeckite is associated with magnetite, quartz, pyrite, and rarely ankerite and siderite. Riebeckite are still abundant at the mining sites and as roadfill (!), but it is not permitted to remove any material from the area, as it today is part of the Karijini National Park

Literature:

Miyano, Tikashi and Klein, Cornelius (1983): Conditions of riebeckite formation in the iron-formation of the Dales Gorge Member, Hamersley Group, Western Australia, American Mineralogist, Volume 68, pages 517-529,

Powell, C.McA. and Horwitz R.C.(1994): Late Archaean and early Proterozoic tectonics and basin formation of the Hamersly ranges, Geological Society of Australia, Excursion guidebook No 4

Wikipedia

Magnesioriebeckite
Bolivia
Cochabamba Department


Magnesioriebeckite 8 cm specimen	© 2009, JGW

Magnesioriebeckite
Bolivia
Cochabamba Department, Chapare Province, Alto Chapare District


Magnesioriebeckite 4,5 cm FOV	© AsbestosMinerals.com


Magnesioriebeckite 80mm tall specimen	© Joseph A. Freilich

Magnesioriebeckite in the upper part of the Alto Chapare District is found in Cambrian sediments of the Limbo formation. This formation consist of a sequence of compact anhydrite, magnesite, dark shales and calcareous siitstones. Metasomatic influx of Sodium and Magnesium is responsible for forming magnesioriebeckite as well as magnesite and talc. (The source of the Na and Mg was actually the underlying evaporites of the Locotal Breccia formation. - Alfredo Petrov)

The magnesioriebeckite was mined for asbestos in the 1930-ties and 1940-ties, and most of the research on this occurance originates from this period or at latest in the 1950-ties when asbestos still had a economic potential. This was before the general acceptance of the theory of plate tectonics, and the understanding of its significance for rock forming mechanisms was not as matured as today. Therefore the regional geological processes involved in the formation of an amphibole in an unusual environment are poorly described, but it has been proposed that ultrabasic magmatism in beginning of the Paleozoic may be the source of the Na and Mg required to form magnesioriebeckite. (The mineralogy of this district was poorly understood when these reports were written in the 1940s and 50s. In reality there was no igneous activity at all; the Na and Mg were derived from older evaporites, now represented by the slightly metamorphosed saltdome caprocks of the Locotal Breccia. Magnesioriebeckite can be found in small quantities within the meta-evaporites of the Locotal Breccia itself, for example together with magnesite or povondraite on the outer crust of altered clasts (xenoliths), and as parallel inclusions giving chatoyancy to the very rare blue "catseye" danburite gems. - Alfredo Petrov)

It has been estimated that overall reserves of 30,000 tons of magnesioriebeckite are present in these rocks, but not a lot has been produced. There are many open pits and small mines spread over an 8 km long belt. The most famous, and the one with the most extensive underground workings, was the San Francisco mine, now completely buried under the rainforest. Currently (1990s to 2012) the most active is the open pit Filadelfia mine.

The magnesioriebeckite ”are composed of crudely rectangular fibrous bundles up to 1 in. across, the bundles being oriented in all directions with respect to each other.” (Hodgson 1965). Fibres reached up to 1 metre long!

Literature:
Hodgson A.A. (1965), The thermal decomposition of miscellaneous crocidolites, Mineral. Mag.Vol 35,291-305.

Little, Arthur D. (1970): Surveys of opportunities for Bolivian industry, Volume III

Magnesioriebeckite
Bolivia
Cochabamba Department, Chapare Province, Alto Chapare District, Cristalmayu subdistrict, Cristalmayu, Cristalmayu valley, Filadelfia mine


Magnesioriebeckite	© 2008 Peter Cristofono

Riebeckite
Canada
Québec, Montérégie, Rouville RCM, Mont Saint-Hilaire, Poudrette quarry (Demix quarry; Uni-Mix quarry; Desourdy quarry; Carrière Mont Saint-Hilaire)


Riebeckite FOV 12mm


Riebeckite FOV 6,7mm


Riebeckite FOV 5,8mm


Riebeckite FOV 7,1mm

The Poudrette Quarry of Mont Saint-Hilaire is well known by mineralogists and collectors all over the world due to the large number of minerals identified there. Mindat lists (April 2012) list 391 minerals and 57 type minerals. 11 amphiboles are known from the quarry, riebeckite being one of them.

The Poudrette Quarry lies in the “East Hill Rock Suite” within the Mont Hilaire intrusiuon, which in turn is is a member of the Early Cretaceous Monteregian Hill, a group that includes ten separate alkaline intrusions arranged in a linear array extending approximately 235 km from Oka just west of Montrral to the Qurbec-Maine border in the east. The East Hill Suite consist predominantly of nepheline syenite and sodalite syenite, awide variety of rock types is found in the quarry and reflects complex conditionsunder which crystallization took place. This variety of rock types includes pegmatites, marble xenoliths, sodalite syenite, nepheline syenite, hornfels,igneous breccias and sodalite syenite xenoliths.

Riebeckite is not a common mineral at the Poudrette quarry, as it is found only in hornfels xenoliths, and most likely also in marble xenoliths, although I have not found any analysis confirming the occurance of riebeckites in the marble xenolithes. In these rocks, however, riebeckite can be quite abundant as star shaped, light blue fans and fibrous aggregates up to 6cm in diametre. This mode of occurance is supposedly diagnostic for riebeckite at the locality.

Literature:

Mandarino Joseph Anthony and Anderson Violet (1989), Monteregian Treasures: The Minerals of Mont Saint-Hilaire, Quebec

Lalonde A.E and Rancourt D.G and Chao G.Y.(1996), Fe-bearing trioctahedral micas from Mont Saint-Hilaire, Quebec, Canada, Mineralogical Magazine, Vol. 60, pp. 447~160

Marc Favre, Mont Saint Hilaire : Micro-Mineral Paradise, webpage

Riebeckite
Kenya
Machalcos District, Sultan Hamud, Masokani Hill,

The following quote deserves it’s place in this article:

” Fine specimens of striated, bladed prismatic and acieular riebeckite,sometimes radiating or platy, from the western flank of Masokani Hill, 9 miles NNW. of Sultan Hamud, Machakos District, Kenya, were acquired by the British Museum (Natural History) in 1944 (B.M. 1944,105-9, 111) by exchange with Dr. C. Stansfield Hitchen, then Senior Government Geologist in Kenya. The riebeckite crystals, which are up to 6 cm in length, appear to have grown in a small vug or pccket,associated with quartz and, to a lesser extent, platy ilmenite and goethite pseudomorphing chalybite. Crocidolite (asbestiform riebeckite) has also been found. In one specimen (B.M. 1944,107) the riebeckite and quartz grow out of a highly weathered granitic rock, largely consisting of microcline microperthite, with some quartz and riebeckite.

In 1946, a magnificent specimen of riebeckite prisms intergrown with and included in large quartz crystals, of total weight 97 lb (fig. 1), was presented to the Museum by Major H. W. J. Lambert, who relates how he found the specimen in 1940 at a locality some 10 miles south of Sultan Hamud railway station, had it carried on a pole and canvas
stretcher to the railway line, waved down the train, and conveyed it safely to Nairobi, where it was exhibited at the Coryndon Museum. The largest riebeckite crystals on this specimen are 18 cm long and 1-6 cm across; the acicular crystals included within the quartz are randomly oriented, in the futile habit. Dr. Hitchin saw the specimen and considered that it was almost certain to have originated at Masokani Hill and been taken to the second locality by the local inhabitants.”

Literature

W. CAMPBELL SMITH, M. H. HEY, D. R. C. KEMPE (1968): Riebeckite from near Sultan Hamud, Machalcos
District, Kenya

Riebeckite
Madagascar
Antsiranana Province, Diana (Northern) Region, Ambanja District, Ampasindava Peninsula, Ampasibitika


Riebeckite, up to 12cm crystals in situ	© Wolfgang Hampel

The Ampasindava peninsula contains several igneous intrusives of variable compositions, including syenites, gabbros and granites. The landscape is very steep and covered by dense rain forest, making petrologic and mineralogic mapping difficult. The prime source of information is (according to Woolley) still Lacroix’ (1922-23)three volume “Mineralogie de Madagascar”. The Ampasibitika ( Ambohimirahavavy) is a 18km long mixed intrusive and extrusive complex, where the intrusive rocks are predominantly riebeckite bearing granites grading to syenites. In pegmatites, riebeckite can form well-formed crystals up to 20cm long, embedded in feldspar. Due to the difficult access and the difficulty in retrieving good specimens from massive rocks, not many riebeckite specimens from here find its way into collections.

Literature:

Alan R. Woolley(2001): Alkaline Rocks and Carbonbatites of the World, Part III. Africa, The Geological Society of London

Riebeckite
Malawi
Zomba District, Mount Malosa


Riebeckite 7 cm specimen	©


Riebeckite 7 cm specimen	© Russell G. Rizzo


Riebeckite 8 cm specimen	© www.mineralienkluft.at


Riebeckite 4 cm specimen	©

The early Cretaceous Chilwa Alkaline Province has an exceptional range of lithologies from carbonatite to granite. It lies at the southern end of the East African rift and is unique for it’s essential intrusive character. The largest and most recent (ca 113Ma) intrusions are those that consist of syenite and peralkaline granite. The Chinduzi-Chikala (nepheline) syenites are older (up to 130Ma)

The well crystalized minerals from the area comes from the Zomba-Malosa intrusion and the Chinduzi-Chikala mountain range. Mount Zomba consists of a central plug of syenite, an inner ring of quartz microsyenite and an outer ring of peralkaline granite. Mount Malosa the consist of a heterogenous mix of quartz-syenites and granites. These two mountains are divided by a deep rift valley. Numerous amphiboles has been identified from the Zomba-Malosa intrusion, and the “amphiboles cover an exceptionally extensive range of species including calcic, sodic-calcic and alkali types. They define distinct Zomba and Malosa trends of Mg depletion and alkali enrichment and increase in Fe3+: Fe2 ratios”(Wolley and Jones, 1992).

The Chinduzi-Chikala mountain range consist predominantly of of syenite, which gradually becomes more silica undersaturated from east(syenite) to west (nepheline syenite)

The attractive mineral specimens originates from pegmatites related to these rocks, and two important types of pegmatites are present in the area:. “ In the Chinduzi-Chikala range of mountains, nepheline-syenite pegmatites occur. These contain large well developed aegirine crystals “….. up to 5 by 2.5 cm in size…..” as reported by Bloomfield (1965). In contrast, granitic pegmatites are found in the Zomba Mountain and Malosa Mountain. The northwestern fault scarp in particular has an abundance of these pegmatites and it is from these deposits that the best specimens have been collected. To the south, the Zomba section of the complex has far fewer pegmatites.” Cairncross(2004).

In most mineralogy litereature, the primary (and sometimes also the secondary) amphibole is named arfvedsonite. Arfvedsonite is without doubt a common mineral in many of the pegmatites, and well formed crystals exceeding 10 cm are known. Identification all the well formed pegmatitic amphiboles as arfvedsonite does not take into account the varying lithology and the wide variation of amphiboles present in these rocks. Typically, riebeckite will be the primary amphibole in silica saturated alkaline rocks such as the granites and quartz syenites of the Zomba-Malosa intrusive and arfvedsonite would be more typical for the silica underaturated rocks of the Chinduzi-Chikala range (although this is sometimes partly replaced by secondary riebeckite). However, as Wolley and Jones points out, the range of amphiboles present in these rocks are “exceptional”, and it is likely that a variety of amphibole species also will be available from the pegmatites.

Literature:

Peter E J Pitfield(2009): Mineral Potential of Malawi 1- Mineral deposits associated with alkaline magmatism (rare earth metals, coltan metals, nuclear metals, phosphate, etc.), Ministry of Energy and Mines, Republic of Malawi

Soman, Aneesh and Geisler, Thorsten and Tomaschek , Frank and Berndt, Jasperand Putnis, Andrew1(2008), Hydrothermal Alteration of an Alkali Pegmatite from Zomba-Malosa (Malawi)

Woolley A.R. and Jones G.C.(1992), The alkaline/peralkaline syenite-granite complex of Zomba-Malosa, Malawi: mafic mineralogy and genesis-abstract, Journal of African Earth Sciences (and the Middle East) Volume 14, Issue 1, Pages 1–12

Cairncross, Bruce (2004), Aegirine and Associated Minerals from Mount Malosa, Malawi, South African Lapidary Magazine Vol . 3 6 . 2

Riebeckite
Pakistan
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (North-West Frontier Province), Peshawar, Hameed Abad Kafoor Dheri, Zagi Mountain (Zegi Mountain; "Shinwaro")


Riebeckite 3,1 cm specimen	© Rob Lavinsky


Riebeckite 3,1 cm specimen	© Rob Lavinsky

Riebeckite is the dominant dark mineral in the Warsak alkaline granites, which is a part of the Peshawar plain alkaline igneous province (PAIP). Occationaly riebeckite included quartz crystals re flund in vugs in these granites.

Riebeckite
Portugal
Portalegre District, Alter do Chão, Alter Pedroso


Riebeckite 14 cm specimen	© Martins da Pedra


Riebeckite 10 cm specimen	© Rui Nunes 2009

Alto Pedroso is a small hill consisting of a metamorphosed alkaline syenite ( syenitic orthogneiss) surrounded by predominantly granitic gneiss and metagabbro. The alkaline rocks is contained within the hill itself, covering a surface area roughly 2x1 km. The syenitic orthogneiss carries riebeckite and aegerine as the dark minerals together with albite microcline and occasionally quartz and zircon. The rock itself is rather fine grained, and of more interest for petrologists than mineral collectors. Larger crystals can be found in alkaline pegmatites. Lacroix (1916) investigated samples in the collection of the Sociedade Geológica de Portugal, and he describes riebeckite crystals up to 40 cm. Also large zircones are known from these pegmatites.

At the turn of the 20th century, scientists considered the origin of this intrusion a bit mysterious, but recent papers see this intrusion in conjunction with other intrusions of similar age ( 482Ma).

Literature:

SERRALHEIRO, António(1957), Esboço geológico da região de Alter Pedroso: Boletim da Sociedade Geológica de Portugal, Vol. XII, fasc. III, p. 3-12.

M. A. Lacroix (1916): Les syenites a riebeckite d'Alter Pedroso {Portugal), leurs forms mesocrates (lusitanites)et leur transiformation en leptynites et en gneiss. DES SEANCES DE L'ACADEMIE DES SCIENCES, PARIS

UMBERTO G. CORDANI, ALLEN P. NUTMAN, ANTONIO S. ANDRADE,JOSÉ F. SANTOS, MARIA DO ROSÁRIO AZEVEDO, MARIA HELENA MENDES and MANUEL S. PINTO (2006):New U-Pb SHRIMP zircon ages for pre-variscan orthogneisses from Portugal and their bearing on the evolution of the Ossa-Morena Tectonic Zone, Anais da Academia Brasileira de Ciências 78(1): 133-149

Magnesioriebeckite-Riebeckite Series (Var: Crocidolite)
South Africa
Northern Cape Province


Crocidolite 80x70x50mm specimen	©

Magnesioriebeckite-Riebeckite Series (Var: Crocidolite)
South Africa
Northern Cape Province, Griqualand


Crocidolite is 5.2 x 3.2 x 2.9cm specimen	© Jasun McAvoy


Crocidolite is 5.2 x 3.2 x 2.9cm specimen	© Jasun McAvoy

All the South African localities are are described in one text entry, as the occurence of the mineral, the geology and the mining history is common for all localities. The first account of riebeckite asbestos (crocodolite) from South Africa dates back to 1803 when the German geologist H. Lichtenstein reported the occurrence of “Blau Eisenstein” near Prieska in the Orange river valley. Mining of asbestos did not commence until 1893. From the start, only primitive mining by “independent groups of contractors” took place. Asbestos was retrieved from the ground by pick and shovel before it was hand sorted and sold to a larger mining corporation. In 1914 the production using these methods reached 1000 tons/yr, in 1949, the production had increased 10000 tons/yr.

Industrial production started in the 1950-ties due a huge demand for asbestos from Europe and the USA and by 1962 the annual production exceed 100.000 tons. The production continued to increase until it peaked in 1977 at 379,000 tons, after which the demand decreased rapidly and by 1992, all mining for riebeckite asbestos was shut down. For a number of reasons, it is hard not to get a bit upset when reading contemporary accounts from the production.

Crocodolite was originally mined from countless small pits and outcrops over a large area, following a geologic horizon over 240 miles from south of Prieska to north of Tsenin in Kuruman. Hanekom(1966) lists 143 crocodolite occurrences, and also provides details of many of them. As the mining became more industrialized, the mining operations were consolidated, and in late 1970-ties, only 10 large mines were in operation. The mining operations had significant negative impact on both the environment and people’s health.

Dr. C. A. Sleggs describes his first visit to Kuruman in 1948 (prior to the onset of large scale industrial mining) like this: “When I first saw it, the land was blue for miles around the asbestos settlements. The mills indiscriminately spewed blue dust clouds over the countryside and whenever the wind rose, a blue haze hovered over the dumps”. Research has shown that crocodolite dust poses an even larger health risk than anthophyllite and serpentine asbestos. Despite the well documented negative health effects, the total impact on the population is poorly known until the 1980-ties when South Africa had the highest rate of asbestous related illness in the world. Still today remains from the mining industry causes environmental and health issues and there are hundreds of un-reclaimed mines in South Africa that have made large areas of the northern Cape permanently hazardous. A recent study by Kielkowski et al (2011) show that the mesothelioma mortality rates far lower than expected, and lower than large asbestos consuming nations like UK and the Netherlands. The conclusions drawn from this study are rather depressing though; the authors believe the reduction in mesothelioma deaths is largely due to AIDS killing people before mesothelioma can develop.

The crocodolite fibres, sought after and produced at so high human and environmental cost was found in Banded Iron Formations (BIF's) in what is termed the Cape Belt, consisting of an about 3000ft thick series of magnetic jaspers and siliceous ironstones with very subordinate sandstones, limestones and cherts. These beds form the lowest member of the Griquatown Series which in turn represents the uppermost of the three subdivisions of the Transvaal System in Griqualand West. The riebeckite bearing BIF’s of the Griquatown Series has a typical bulk chemistry compared to other large-scale iron-formations of the Precambrian, which all formed in chemically very similar environments by biochemical and hydrothermal processes.

The crocodolite itself occurs as a blue fibrous seams in the host rock. These seems may be mm-thick, but may also reach widths exceeding 10 cm, and seams wider than 3mm was considered exploitable. The fibers are normally perpendicular to the bedding of the rock, always with a magnetite rim, sometimes with a thin layer of chert between the crocodolite and the magnetite, and sometimes the crocodolite is interbedded with thin magnetite beds. When exposed in outcrops, the crocodolite seams is oxidized to a ochre color, eventually decomposing to a yellow crumbling powder ( "limonite").

These crocodolite seams constitutes a significant portion of up to 500ft thick horizons of the rocks in multiple sequenzes. Hanekom (1965) gives a detailed account on the rocks of the crocodolite bearing horizons in the Griqualand West sequence.

South African tiger's-eye (golden) and hawk's-eye(blue) come from an area near Griquatown and Niekerkshoop, Northern Cape Province. These are silicified crocodolites that is ( tiger’s eye), or is not (Hawk’s eye) altered to goethite. It has generally been believed that these lapidary stones are prime examples of pseudomorphs of quartz and goethite after riebeckite. Heaney and Fisher (2003) propose, based on crystallographic and optical investigations, an alternative theory. They consider the origin of tiger’s eye and hawk’s eye to becaused by a discontinuous crack-seal mechanisms: “Episodic cracking along the vein margins separated quartz-rich vein material from the host-rock walls, and crocidolite fibers grew by syntaxial crystallization on preexisting crocidolite grains in the host rock. These crocidolite overgrowths then were encapsulated by columnar quartz that grew antitaxially off the opposing vein wall. The vein quartz crystals and their crocidolite inclusions separated from the host-rock wall during a subsequent cracking event. Thus, after each
fracture episode, quartz encapsulation followed crocidolite overgrowth, and the cycle was repeated to create veins with dimensions of millimeters to typically a few centimeters in thickness.”

This theory has been disputed based on field observations, stating that tiger’s eye and hawk’s eye occur only where the BIF’s crosscut the Mesozoic African land surface, thus creating an altered 2–4-m-thick zone of massive silicification and goethitization, which is the only environment, although widespread in this region, where tiger’s eye and hawk’s eye can be found

Literature:
Uwe E. Horstmann,Ingo W. Hälbich(1995): Chemical composition of banded iron-formations of the Griqualand West Sequence, Northern Cape Province, South Africa, in comparison with other Precambrian iron formations, Precambrian Research, Volume 72, Issues 1–2, Pages 109–145

Harding, C.J., 2004. Origin of the Zeekoebaart and Nauga East high-grade iron ore deposits, Northern Cape Province, South Africa. Master’s thesis, University of Johannesburg,South Africa.

HANEKOM, H.J., 1966. The crocidolite deposits of the northern Cape Province: DSc. thesis, Univ. Pretoria (unpubl.).

G. K. Sluis-Cremer(1965), ASBESTOSIS IN SOUTH AFRICA - CERTAIN GEOGRAPHICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL
CONSIDERATIONS, Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences Volume 132, Issue 1

JOCK MCCULLOCH (2003), Asbestos Mining in Southern Africa, 1893–2002 International Journal of Occupational and Environmental Health, VOL 9/NO 3,

D Kielkowski,G Nelson, B Bello, S Kgalamono, J I Phillips (2011): Trends in mesothelioma mortality rates in South
Africa: 1995- 2007, Occupational and Environmental Medicine, vol 68 pages 547-549.

Peter J. Heaney and Donald M. Fisher (2003): New interpretation of the origin of tiger's-eye, Geology volume 31 pages 323-326

Jens Gutzmer,Nicolas J. Beukes, Bruce Cairncross(2004): New interpretation of the origin of tiger's-eye: Comment and Reply, Geology, vol. 32, no. 1,

Martin A. Peacock(1928), THE NATURE AND ORIGIN OF THE AMPHIBOLE ASBESTOS OF SOUTH AFRICA, The American Mineralogist Vol 13 no 7

J. GUTZMER, BENNY C. CHISONGA, NICOLAS J. BEUKES, JOYDIP MUKHOPADHYAY (2008), The Geochemistry of Banded Iron Formation-Hosted High-Grade Hematite-Martite Iron Ores, Society of Economic Geologists
SEG Reviews vol. 15, p. 157–183

Magnesioriebeckite-Riebeckite Series (Var: Crocidolite)
South Africa
Northern Cape Province, Kalahari manganese fields, Kuruman


Crocidolite 5,5 x 2,5 cm fibres	© Jorge M. Alves

Several asbestos mines operated near Kuruman. An asbestos mill was operational in the centre of the town for many years.

Magnesioriebeckite-Riebeckite Series (Var: Crocidolite)
South Africa
Northern Cape Province, Namaqualand, Prieska District


Riebeckite 9 cm specimen	© M Arliguie

The city of Koegas in the Prieska district has been a major producer of blue asbestos from 1893 to 1979.

Magnesioriebeckite-Riebeckite Series (Var: Crocidolite)
South Africa
Northwest Province, Vryburg, Pomfret Mine


Crocidolite 7,9 cm specimen	© Norman King

The Pomfret mine was one of the main producers of crocidolite asbestos from the 1926 to 1986/7

Riebeckite
USA
Colorado, El Paso Co., Cheyenne District (St. Peters Dome District) , St Peters Dome


Riebeckite 9 cm specimen	© Weinrich Minerals, Inc.


Riebeckite 9,7 cm specimen	© David J. Eicher

The earliest accounts of the area record the discovery of unusual minerals in pegmatites of the St. Peters Dome district, which attracted attention of mineralogists as early as earlv as 1877 (Koenig, 1877). Bastnaesite and fluocerite were among the earliest found (Allen and Comstock, 1880). Later the fluorides cryolite, pachnolite and prosopite were identified and analyzed from these pegmatites (Cross and Hillebrand 1883, 1885; Hillebrand, 1899 ( Crossa and Hillebrand).

Dikes of pegmatite are widely distributed throughout the area of granite, especially northeast of St. Peters Dome and along the valley of South Cheyenne Creek. Approximately 150 pegmatite dikes were examined in this period, dividing the pegmatites in two principal types, a calc-alkalic
Granitic (genetically related to the Pike Peak granite) and an alkalic granitic type (related to the Mount Rosa Granite). Most are of the latter variety, and it is this variety that carries riebeckite crystals. Gross and Heinrich(1965-66) divides the alkali pegmatites into three subcategories:
1 pegmatites that are well within the Mount Rosa granite sheet. These are small, lenticular segregations or small injected pegmatites, that range in thickness from one foot to 15 feet, and are exposed in outcrops from a few feet to 50 feet long. Riebeckite crystals, although several cm long, are smaller than those found in the other two groups

2 Pegmatites external to, but still in the vicinity of the Mount Rosa granite. These are injected bodies, which are larger than the interior type but are usuallv less than 6 feet thick and show surface exposures commonly less than 20 feet long. These exterior dikes have coarser grained textures than their interior relatives, and their contacts with the Pikes Peak granite are sharp.

3 Pegmatites found several miles from the Mount Rosa granite. These are the largest dikes of the area; however, they are few in number. Most are
6 to 8 feet thick and are irregular, Ienticular bodies with sharp contacts with the granites. They are poorly zoned, but mineralogically very complex. In these exterior pegmatites, riebeckite may form crystals up to 15 cm by 75 cm.

Literature:

George I. Finley (1916) Description of the Colorado Springs Triangle, US. Geol. Survey Geol. Atlas, Folio

Eugene. B. Gross and E. Wm. Heinrich (1966), PETROLOGY AND MINERALOGY OF THE MOUNT ROSA AREA, EL PASO AND TELLER COUNTIES, COLORADO.II. Pegmatites THE AMERICAN MINERALOGIST, VOL. 5 1

Eugene. B. Gross and E. Wm. Heinrich (1965), PETROLOGY AND MINERALOGY OF THE MOUNT ROSA AREA, EL PASO AND TELLER COUNTIES, COLORADO.II. The Granites THE AMERICAN MINERALOGIST, VOL. 5 0

Riebeckite
USA
Colorado, El Paso Co., Mount Rosa, Rosa No. 1 trench


Riebeckite 14 cm specimen	© D. Allum

The Mount Rosa granite is an alkalic riebeckite granite that can be found in small bodies in a
Four by one mile area. The largest body is two by one mile and between 12 to 150 ft thick. The 1040Ma granite is considered to belong to the same magmatic event as the larger Pike’s Peak granite, into which the Mont Rosa granite has intruded. The granite itself consists of microcline and quartz, containing up to 20% riebeckite as the dominant dark mineral. The main granite bodies are relatively fine grained, with the average size blue-black riebeckite blades no more than fractions of a mm thick. The grain size is however variable, and giant crystals can be found in pegmatites associated with the Mount Rosa granite.

George I. Finley (1916) Description of the Colorado Springs Triangle, US. Geol. Survey Geol. Atlas, Folio

Eugene. B. Gross and E. Wm. Heinrich (1966), PETROLOGY AND MINERALOGY OF THE MOUNT ROSA AREA, EL PASO AND TELLER COUNTIES, COLORADO.II. Pegmatites THE AMERICAN MINERALOGIST, VOL. 5 1

Eugene. B. Gross and E. Wm. Heinrich (1965), PETROLOGY AND MINERALOGY OF THE MOUNT ROSA AREA, EL PASO AND TELLER COUNTIES, COLORADO.II. The Granites THE AMERICAN MINERALOGIST, VOL. 5 0

Riebeckite
USA
Colorado, El Paso Co., Stove Mountain (Cookstove Mountain)


Riebeckite 5,1cm crystal	©

Riebeckite
USA
Massachusetts , Essex Co. , Gloucester, Blackburn Circle locality


Riebeckite 5mmFOV	© 2009 Peter Cristofono


Riebeckite 2,5mmFOV	© 2009 Peter Cristofono

The Blackburn circle locality was a temporary exposure of boulders and outcrops of the alkali Cape Ann granite. This granite is the largest of a series of late ordovician (+/- 450MA) alkaline intrusives belonging to the Avalone terrane. The granite consists predominantly of medium-grained perthitic alkali feldspar (60 to 65%), quartz (25 to 35%), and less than 10% of the mafic minerals ferrobiotite, ferrohastingsite, and riebeckite with traces of fayalitic olivine and aegirine.

The dominant amphibole in this granite is ferrohastingsite, but in parts of the granite, the amphibole is riebeckite. Thankfully, the two amphiboles can be distinguished based on the color, ribeckite being bluish black and ferrohastingsite greenish black. Riebeckite specimens can be found both as free-standing acicular crystals in miarolitic cavities, star formed groups embedded in the granite, and larger iundividual crystals in pegmatites related to this granite. I am uncertain whether riebeckite bearing pegmatites occured at this specific locality.

Literature:

Rudolph Hon, J. Christopher Hepburn,Jo Laird (2007) Siluro-Devonian igneous rocks of the easternmost three terranes in southeastern New England: examples from NE Massachusetts and SE New Hampshire: Field Trip F4, p. 23-43, in Thompson, P.J., editor, Guidebook to Field Trips in New Hampshire and Adjacent Maine and Massachusetts, Geological Society of America, Northeastern Section, field trip guidebook for the 42nd annual meeting, Durham, NH.

Paul C. Lyons (1972): SIGNIFICANCE OF RIEBECKITE AND FERROHASTINGSITE IN MICROPERTHITE GRANITES, American Mineralogist Vol. 57, pp. 1404-1412 (1972\

Riebeckite (Var: Crocidolite)
USA
Massachusetts , Norfolk Co , Quincy, Granite Rail Quarry (Granite Railway Quarry)


Crocidolite 2,5x3 cm specimen	© 2004 Peter Cristofono

The granite rail quarry is one of many granite quarries near Quincy. Starting in 1826, the Quincy granite has been extensively quarried for use as a building stone. It's popularity peaked in the late 19th century, and the combination of relatively inexpensive steel and concrete building materials, a growing awareness of the health impact of granite dust and higher wages caused a downturn in the Quincy granite industry in the early 20th century, with the last quarry to shut down in the 1960-ties.

The extensive quarrying provided good opportunities for mineralogists and collectors alike, and in particular Warren and Palache (1911) gives a detailed account of the occurence of riebeckite in these quarries, the following quote may serve as a good example:

" The riebeckite forms elongate crystals ranging in size from small grains up to large and very conspicuous crystals, 1 to 2 cm. in diameter and 5 to even 15 cm. in length. The larger crystals are more abundant towards the center and may extend out into the quartz center. Although indented by the feldspar and often including grains of it, the riebeckite, especially
in the larger crystals, shows a tendency to develop a crystal crosssection made up of the forms 110 and 010. Terminal planes are wholly wanting. Without exception the riebeckite is intergrown with aegirite. Commonly in parallel position, though again without definite orientation (c axis in common), the aegirite may occur quite at random in the body of the riebeckite, but it is most abundant about the outside, particularly on the ends, forming an almost or quite continuous shell about the riebeckite. Indeed the ends of the riebeckite crystals are usually continued as a solid mass of aegirite. "

In addition to crystals embedded in the granite and it's pegmatite, riebeckite in the form of crocidolite was common in pockets in the quarries. Warren and Palache gives a detailed account of the "central pocket" discovered in the Fallon quarry. The descriptions starts like this:

" The contents of the large central cavity were most unusual in character and consisted essentially of : quartz crystals
of all sizes from exceedingly minute individuals up to great crystals, 10 cm. thick and 30 cm. long ; rock fragments of all portions of the pegmatite except the dark marginal zone of sizes ranging from that of a walnut up to that of a man's head ; fluorite octahedra, sometimes of large size ; and a thickly felted mass of a delicate, grayish-blue crocidolite filled with minute hair-like crystals of riebeckite. The crocidolite embeds, more or less completely, the quartz and rock fragments."

Literature:

Charles H. Warren and Charles Palache(1911): The Pegmatites of the Riebeckite-Aegirite Granite of Quincy, Mass., U. S. A.; Their Structure, Minerals, and Origin, Proceedings of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Vol. 47, No. 4 pp. 125-168

Arthur Wellington Brayley(1913): History of the Granite Industry of New England, Volum 1, National Association of Granite Industries of the United States

BK Emerson (1917): The geology of Massachussetts and Rhode Island, USGS Bulletin 597

Paul C. Lyons (1972): Significance of riebeckite and ferrohastingsite in microperthite granites, Am. Min Vol. 57, pp.

Sayer, Susan (1974): An Integrated Study of the Blue Hills Porphyry and Related Units, Quincy and Milton, Massachusetts (MIT master's thesis)

Paul C. Lyons (1976): The chemistry of riebeckites of Massachusetts and Rhode Island, Min. Mag Vol 40, pp 473-479

Riebeckite
USA
New Jersey , Somerset Co., Warren Township, Stirling Brook ("Carnelian Creek")


Riebeckite 8cm specimen	© BDP


Riebeckite 4,5cm specimen	© BDP

Silicified crocodilite is found in a creek with carnelian and other minerals, see Mindat message board for further details.

Magnesioriebeckite
USA
New Jersey , Sussex Co, Franklin Mining District, Franklin


Magnesioriebeckite 10cm specimen	© 2007 Peter Cristofono

Magnesioriebeckite is a rare mineral at the Franklin mining district, but it is found in two different paragenesis; One in relation to the ore-body at Franklin hill where it was found as up to as 4-cm dark green prismatic crystals associated with rhodonite, calcite, and franklinite.

The other known occurance has been described by Palache (1928) when light blue fibrous masses was found on the Trotter Dump in 1906, where magnesioriebeckite was found with willemite, sphalerite and blue calcite. Some specimens have small corroded remants of aegirine, and some was found with serpentinite. Although the exact assemblage and in-situ relationship is not known it is apparent that magnesioriebeckite is a late stage mineral at Franklin

Literature:

Pete J. Dunn (1995): FRANKLIN AND STERLING HILL, NEW JERSEY: THE WORLD'S MOST MAGNIFICENT MINERAL DEPOSITS

Olav Revheim May 2012

Click here to view Best Minerals R , and here for Best Minerals A to Z and here for Fast Navigation for finished Best Minerals articles.

Re: Richterite series

Olav Revheim — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 18:54:54 +0000

Thank you very much Spencer and Mike. I really appreciate your input and comments.:)-D

The K in the fluorrichterite formula is a classic cut and paste error on my behalf. Thank you for spotting. I do that all the time, and I appreciate that you make me aware of them. Not at all picky.

Spencer,

From what I understand, Hanksite is an evaporite mineral that are formed at a "near surface" pressure and temperature. I am not sure that any Hanksite that may have been originally present in the Koksha evaporites would survive the amphibolite facies pressure and temperature required to form richterite: I doubt that richterite and hanksite can occur together because of this, but others will know more on the subject than I do :-)

Mike,

Potassicrichterite is a very rare mineral, and any light coloured hairlike amphibole is much more likely to be in the actinolite/tremolite series, varitey byssolite, see Byssolite gallery, especially if associated with quartz..

best regards

Olav

Re: Richterite series

D Mike Reinke — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 14:45:08 +0000

Thanks again, Olav. I too, found a ''something-in-quartz'' in the RR ballast that looks very much like the photo from Italy,the one sized 6cm. That will do for now,( and probably for a very long time!) as an approximate ID.
Also, not a critique, but should the formula for Fluororichterite have "Na" where the "K" is? Otherwise it is the same as one other formula. I'm looking at 'Fleischer's Glossary'...
I know, "Picky, picky!" lol

Mike

Re: Richterite series

Spencer Ivan Mather — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 13:47:41 +0000

Brilliant, Olav, I have often wondered what the white double ended crystal was with a specimen of hanksite that I have, it comes from Afghanistan, and the crystal is 4 cm long and completely clear.

Spencer.

Re: Richterite series

Rock Currier — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 10:10:52 +0000

Yes, more regular contributors would be nice. We may have a new one joining us soon. We will see if his trial articles work out.
Rock

Re: Richterite series

Olav Revheim — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 09:50:55 +0000

Thank you Rock.

As for upcoming projects, there is still a lot of work left on the amphiboles. My plan ahead is to:
1- continue with the Winchite series
2- the katophorite-series
3- update the amphibole group main article with the subgroup 3, sodic-calcic amphiboles
4- write articles on the varieous subgroup 4-sodic amphiboles.
and so on.

Inbetween there is still work left on the corundum articles, so I think that I will keep myself occupied for a while still. :-)

All in all I think the Best Minerals project is moving along nicely, although it would be nice with a few more regular contributors.

Olav

Re: Richterite series

Rock Currier — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 20:27:03 +0000

Okav,
Now that's a labor of love. Do you have anything planned for your next project?

Re: Rhodonite

Ralph Bottrill — Sat, 03 Mar 2012 07:59:20 +0000

Thanks Olav

Richterite series

Olav Revheim — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 14:26:59 +0000


Fluororichterite 2,5 cm crystal	© Maggie Wislon

The richterite series of minerals is part of the Sodic-Calcic Subgroup, having an intermediate composition between the calcic-subgroup and the sodic-subgroup. Being of an intermediate composition, this subgroup may at some stage be obsoleted, and many of it's minerals, including the richterite series may be discredited.

There are some debate on this, as the richterite-series can be considered and end-member series and it is a characteristic mineral in some alkaline rocks, such as lamproites, kimberlites and the like. It is in these rocks that richterites occurs most frequently, but most often as minute grains in the rock groundmass, and of very little interest for the average collector. These minerals also occur with arfvedsonite in carbonatites, but also here most frequently as small grains in the rock.

World-wide, there are only three ocurrences that produces display specimens, Ontario Canada, Koksha Afghanistan and the Kedrovyi alkaline Massif Russia. These three areas produce some of the most spectacular amphiboles that can be found, whether it is the up to 30cm long, doubly terminated black crystals from Ontario, the transparent golden richterites from Afghanistan or the blue jade-like material from Russia.

The richterite-series minerals form intermediate members both within the series and towards other amphiboles in the sodic-calcic subgroup (winchite series) and towards the calcic subgroup ( tremolite and edenite series) and the sodic (arfvedsonite-series). Many of the amphiboles found at the localities included in this text are such intermediate members, and some of the pictured specimens may not be the described richterite species.

In this article, I have tried to include all the richterite minerals and localities for each of them. Except the three best locations mentioned above, the included localities are typical rather than best.

Richterite
Fluororichterite
Afghanistan
Badakhshan Province (Badakshan Province; Badahsan Province), Khash & Kuran Wa Munjan Districts, Koksha Valley (Kokscha Valley; Kokcha Valley), Kiran


Richterite 35mm crystal	© Christian Bracke


Richterite 5cm crystal	© Christian Bracke


Richterite 7,2cm specimen	© Christian Bracke


Richterite 39mm crystal	© C.Mercer


Richterite 25mm crystal	© Joseph A. Freilich, LLC


Richterite 29mm crystal	© Russell G. Rizzo

The beautiful transparent amphiboles from the Koksha valley has been labeled both as winchite and richterite. It appears that these crystals are from a small find and that they are K and F -rich richterites, without haveing sufficient K and/or F to be named a more excotic richterite. seeMindat message board

The earliest description I have found of these crystals are from Dudley Blauwet (2004): "He later indicated that some fine single gem crystals of yellow potassian fluorian richterite, often associated with sodalite, were found at a place which was a day’s walk to the backside of the mountain housing the main lapis mine"- i.e near the Sar-e-Sang area. The association with sodalite (hackmanite) seems to be confirmed from photographed specimens at Mindat and other sites.

These crystals does not seem to be known by Shah Wali Faryad that publishes several papers on the petrology from the Sar-e-Sang area from 2002 and onwards. On the contrary he identifies (microprobe) several other amphiboles from the rocks associated with the lapis lazuli occurrences near Sar-e-Sang. These rocks originate from "primary carbonate and evaporite mixture that result (in) formation of variegated mineral assemblages. In addition, metasomatic reactions between granite/pegmatite band adjacent carbonate carbonate-evaporite" has formed various mineral assemblages. These papers are worthwhile reading as they describe a very special geological environment with rare rocks and mineral assemblages.

Sodalite (which is assosiated w/ the richterite amphiboles) can only be found in what Faryad terms the 3rd stage metamorphosis in some calc-silicate rocks and mostly in the Na-Ca (K)-rich rocks that carry lazulite, and it appears that these beautiful crystals was part all part of a relatively small find.

Literature:

Dudley Blauwet (2005): The Road Goes on Forever: Mineral Adventures in Southwest Asia Summer 2004, Axis, Volume 1, Number 7 www.MineralogicalRecord.com

Shah Wali Faryad (2002): Metamorphic conditions and fluid compositions of scapolite bearing rocks from the lapis lazuli deposit at Sare Sang, Afghanistan, Journal of Petrology, Volume 43, Number 4, pp 725-747.

Richterite
Australia
Victoria , Macedon Ranges Shire, Mount Macedon, Camels Hump


Richterite FOV 3mm	© Judy Rowe

This richterite is from the “Camels Hump” peak on Mount Macedon where it I found in trachyte lavas. The richterite seems to have crystallized from a peralkaline residual liquid rich in volatiles and can be found as micro-crystal in veins in the rock.

Literature:

A. K. Ferguson(1978): Abstract from A mineralogical investigation of some trachytic lavas and associated pegmatoids from camel's hump and turritable falls, central Victoria, Journal of the Geological Society of Australia Volume 25, Issue 3-4,

Fluoropotassicrichterite
Australia
Western Australia, Derby-West Kimberley Shire, Kimberley, Noonkanbah sheep station, Walgidee Hills lamproite


Fluoropotassicrichterite 2mm crystal fragment	©

Potassic richterite occurs as a rock forming mineral in 20Ma old lamproites in West Kimberly, Western Australia. The Walgidee Hills lamproite is relatively coarse grained and richterite grains up to a few mm can be found. The richterite from here are rich in K and Ti. I am not sure whether the K content is always sufficient to qualify the rictherite as a potassiumrichterite with K>0,5apfu. the F content is not always determined and it is consequently uncertain whether F>OH is always true.

The richterite from Walgidee hills was originally described as a new species, magnophorite, but the material was later found to be potassiumrichterite.

Literature:

Roger H. Mitchell,Steven C. Bergman (1991): Petrology of Lamproites,Springer Verlag
Rex. T. Prider (1940): New Mineral names, American Mineralogist Vol 25, no 2. pp155.

Richterite
Fluorrichterite
Canada
Ontario , Haliburton Co , Monmouth Township , South ½ lot 14, concession 11, Gibsons Road East occurrence


Richterite 8cm specimen	© Maggie Wilson


Fluororichterite 6,7cm crystal	© MJB, 2009


Fluororichterite 5,5m specimen	©

The Gibson Road occurrence was reportedly discovered by local collector, Steve Smith, around 1995. These richterites contains variable amounts of Fand K. It appears that they normally have KOH.

Since the original discovery, the mineralized zone has been exposed over a much larger area. It consists of large crystals contained in, or weathered out of calcite veins and pods in gneiss and amphibolite.All Canadian richterite loacilites included in this article are of this type, and has been refered to as calcite vein-dykes.

The origin of the richterite-bearing calcite veins-dyke complexes are much debated, as their mineralogy and trace element chemistry differs from what one can expect from the commonly occuring, in the area, contact zone between metamorphosed marbles and the surrounding gneisses and amphibolites. From their chemistry, it appears that they are metamorphosed carbonatite veins, and it is this origin that is responsible for the formation of richterite series amphiboles rather than tremolite-magnesiohornblende-pargasite amphiboles that are more common in marbles and contact rocks of a metasedimentary origin.

The mineralogy of metasedimentary and metacarbonatite calcite veins are not very different, but Moecher et. al (1997) lists the following characteristics for Ontario calcite vein-dykes of carbonatitic origin:
- The calcite is often of pinkish-orange color
- Green/blue/colorless fluorapatite communly constitutes a large (up to 20 modal%) portion of the rock
- Small apatite grains embedded in mica often contains sufficient U/Th to form halos.
- Zircon and allanite are common accessoy minerals

thus indicating an carbonatite origin for the calcite veins. For identifying the amphiboles found in these calcite veins, the origin of the rocks are imprortant. For metasedimentary marbles, the amphibole is likely to be a calcic amphibole ( tremolite/actinolite towards pargasite) whereas the amphiboles from metacarbonatites has a higher Na/Ca ratio and will normally be richterite-series minerals, edenite-series or in rare cases as katophorite-series. It should be noted that it is quite probable that for all the Ontario locations listed here that both richterite, fluororichterite and possiby potassic-fluorrichterite, edenite and fluoroedenite can be present, even within the same crystal/pocket/location, see Mindat message boad . In this text I have used the the richterite-series names listed in the mindat database and I have not used the term "hornblende" as this should be reserved for the calcic amphiboles, and by using hornblende for all these dark amphiboles from both metasedimentary and metacarbonatite origin one will loose, in my mind, significant information on the amphibole geological origin, chemistry and identification.

Literature:
David P. Moecher, Eric D. Anderson, Claudia A. Cook, and Klaus Mezger(1997): The petrogenesis of metamorphosed carbonatites in the Grenville Province, Ontario, Can. J. Earth Sei. Vol. 34

Maggie Wilson(2010): potassic-fluororichterite locality Ontario , Mindat Messageboard

MILLS, James G. Jr, ADANK, Kathryn M., and MYRVOLD, Christopher R(2003): CALCITE VEIN-DYKE COMPLEXES IN THE BANCROFT, ONTARIO REGION: EVIDENCE FOR A 930 MA CARBONATITIC INTRUSIVE EVENT IN THE GRENVILLE PROVINCE, ONTARIO (Abstract), Paper No. 222-7, Seattle Annual Meeting (November 2–5, 2003)

Fluorrichterite
Canada
Ontario , Haliburton Co , Monmouth Township, Tory Hill


Fluororichterite, 7,5cm specimen	© Dan Weinrich

There are several fluorrichterite locations in the general Tory Hill area.

Fluorrichterite
Canada
Ontario , Haliburton Co , Monmouth Township, Tory Hill, Hunter property


Fluororichterite 5cm specimen	© Maggie Wilson


Fluororichterite 5cm specimen	© David J. Eicher

The Hunter property is another locality for fluororichterite from calcite vein-dykes. This locality lies close to the Gibson Road locality and the Bear Lake diggings and are part of the same geological environment.

Literature:

Maggie Wilson(2010): potassic-fluororichterite locality Ontario , Mindat Messageboard

Fluorrichterite
Canada
Ontario , Haliburton Co , Monmouth Township, Wilberforce,


Fluororichterite 5,2 cm crystal	© Rob Lavinsky


Fluororichterite 3,5 cm crystal	© 2001 John H. Betts


Fluororichterite 4,4 cm specimen	© Rob Lavinsky

There are several fluororichterite bearing calcite dyke-veins in the Wilberforce area, and two is included in this text below. The fluororichterite vein-dykes are all found in the Central Metasedimentary Belt (CMSB) of the Grenville Orogeny. The sediments and volcanic rocks of the CMDB was originally deposited in an arc system outside the Laurentlia between 1280 and 1250mill years ago. During the Grenville orogeny these sediments was intruded by a multitude of igneous intrusions:
- 1280–1230 Ma gabbro and anorthosite,
- 1280–1250 Ma “Elzevir” tonalite,
- 1250–1240 Ma leucogranite,
- 1090–1065 Ma syenite and granite,
- 1070–1040 Ma carbonatite and fenite, and
- 1050–1030 Ma granitic pegmatite) and

the original rocks where metamorphosed to amphibolite/granulite facies. The calcite dyke-veins are younger than this, and it has been suggested that they are evidence of a younger (930Ma) carbonatite intrusion.

The fluororichterite bearing calcite dyke-veins have a different origin than the regular calc silicate rocks formed at the contact between marbles and surrounding gneisses.

Literature:

Ben A. van der Pluijm, Katherine A Carlson (1989): Extension in the Central Metasedimentary Belt of the Ontario Grenville: Timing anf tectonic significance, Geology Vol 17, p 161-164

S.D. Carr, R.M. Easton, R.A. Jamieson, and N.G. Culshaw(2000):Geologic transect across the Grenville orogen of Ontario and New York, Can. J. Earth Sci. 37: 193–216

P.C. Thurston, H.R. Williams,R.H. Sutcliffe and G.M. Stott (ed.)(1991): Geology of Ontario.Ontario Geological Survey, Special Volume 4, part 1 and 2.

Canada
Ontario , Haliburton Co , Monmouth Township, Wilberforce, Earle's Farm Fluororichterite occurrence


Fluororichterite 5,1 cm specimen	© Dan & Diana Weinrich Minerals


Fluororichterite 2,9 cm crystal


Fluororichterite 11,6 cm crystal	© David K. Joyce


Fluororichterite up to 2,0 cm crystal	© Maggie Wilson

A calcite vein-dyke in gneiss. This locality was removed during road-widening prior to 1986, but specimens labelled with Earle's Farm are still widely available. The fluorrichterite crystals was found embedded in calcite and well formed doubly terminated crystals exceeding 10cm was found.

Canada
Ontario , Haliburton Co , Monmouth Township, Wilberforce, Essonville Fluoro-Richterite occurrence (Essonville Roadcut),


Fluororichterite 4 cm crystal	© Filip Kopecky


Fluororichterite 2,8x2 cm specimen	© Jay Vonderhey


Fluororichterite 1,5 cm specimen	© Andrew Johns


Fluororichterite 3 cm crystal	©

The fluororichterite crystals are embedded in flesh colored massive calcite. The crystals can get quite large, up to 30 centimeters in length and are usually well formed and terminated. The Essonville fluororichterite location has been known by collectors since the 1970-ties, and has since been heavily worked by rockhounds, and it can be hard to free undamaged crystals from the rock.

The crystal terminations can be one of two types. One form is flat while the second is more complex with numerous faces creating shallow terminations. On a rare occasion the termination will give away the presence of twinning. Twin crystals will be quite obvious showing well defined reentrant angles on the prism faces and sometimes even on the terminations of the crystals. Found both in the solid calcite matrix or within the surrounding soils the crystals of fluororichterite are common. Because they have formed as floater crystal in the calcite they are almost always doubly terminated and if collected properly, almost always damage free.

The mineralization at Essonville extends into private land. There are no collecting allowed ( as pr.2012), but guided tours are arranged, allowing visitors to see fluororichterite and other minerals in situ.

Literature

Michal Adamowicz(2009): Collecting Rare Fluororichterite at the Essonville roadcut, Wilberforce, Mindat article

Michael Walter: The Fluororichterite Occurence, Wilberforce, Ontario, Canada, geologicdesires.com

John Etches: The Greenmantle Farm mineral occurence

Fluororichterite
Germany
Rhineland-Palatinate, Eifel, Ettringen, Mayen , Bellerberg volcano, Caspar quarry


Fluororichterite 3 mm FOV	© C.H.M.-Schäfer

The Caspar quarry is an active quarry (2012) near the Laacher See in the Eifel volcanic area. This is area is contains recent volcanic rocks of variuous compositions as well as a variety of xenoliths trapped in the lava. If the xenolith is large enough (about 1 cm or more), the result of the pneumatolytic alteration is a reaction rim surrounding the xenolith. The mineralization inside this reaction rim is quite different from that outside. Depending on the composition and other characteristics of the volcanic gas and depending on the type of xenolith (gneiss, sanidinite, Ca-rich xenoliths) different mineral associations occur.

Richterite occurs as honey-yellow acicular crystals in Na- and Mg-rich xenoliths deficient in Al with: roedderite/eifelite, obertiite dioside/aegirine, enstatite, tridymite and other minerals.

Literature:

FRANK C. HAWTHORNE,1,* MARK A. COOPER,1 JOEL D. GRICE,2 AND LUISA OTTOLINI3(2000):
A new anhydrous amphibole from the Eifel region, Germany: Description and crystal
structure of obertiite, NaNa2(Mg3Fe3+Ti4+)Si8O22O2 American Mineralogist, Volume 85, pages 236–241, 2000

Chrisotof Schaefer (2007) : Mindat message board

Richterite
Fluoropotassicrichterite '
Potassicrichterite
Italy
Aosta Valley , Saint-Marcel, Prabornaz Mine (ex Praborna Mine)


Richterite FOV 12mm	© luigi chiappino


Richterite 6cm specimen	©

The richterites of the Prabornaz mine is the result of a complex geological history. The original sea-bed basalts overlaid by manganese-reach and chert type sediments has undergone no less than 4 stages of metamorphosis ( eclogite facies peak metamorphosis) giving an interesting mineralogy thoroughly investigated by mineralogists.

The richterite-series minerals occurs in the braunite/quartz ore zone as fibrous yellow-brown bundles and fans or as elongated pink crystals in fracture zones formed during retrograde blueschist facies metamorphosis. It should be noted that other amphiboles in both the calcic- sodic-calcic and sodic subgroup ( tremolite-richterite/winchite-glaucophane) and Mn-rich cummingtonite is also occuring at this location. Care should be taken when identifying these amphiboles.

Literature:

Annibale Mottana, William L. Griffin (1986): Crystal chemistry of two coexisting K-richterites from St. Marcel (Val d'Aosta, Italy), American Mineralogist, Volume 71, pages 1426-1433, 1986

Elena-Adriana Perseil, Philippe Blanc, Daniel Ohnenstetter(2000), As-BEARING FLUORAPATITE IN MANGANIFEROUS DEPOSITS FROM ST. MARCEL – PRABORNA, VAL D’AOSTA, ITALY, The Canadian Mineralogist Vol. 38, pp. 101-117

TUMIATI, S. 1, 2, GODARD, G. 2 & MARTIN, S.(2005): A NEW THERMODYNAMICAL DATASET FOR Mn-RICH MINERALS:APPLICATION TO THE ECLOGITIZED OCEANIC Mn DEPOSIT OF PRABORNA,(WESTERN ALPS, ITALY), MITT.ÖSTERR.MINER.GES. 150

Fluoropotassicrichterite
Italy
Campania, Naples Province, Somma-Vesuvius Complex, Monte Somma, Sant'Anastasia, Lagno Amendolare


Fluoropotassicrichterite FOV 20mm	© C.H.M.-Schäfer

The Somma-Vesuvius is a composite central volcano composed of an ancient stratovolcano, Mount Somma, and more recently by a cone, the Vesuvius. The age of the oldest outcrop is about 25,000 years.The latest round of activity seems to have ended with the eruption of March 1944. This eruption was the beginning of a resting phase characterized by modest signs of seismic activity and fumarole (Arno et al., 1987).
More than 230 species has been found in this area, and is one of the most interesting mineral localities in Europe. There are in principle four different mineral forming environments, each with a different mineral assemblage;
I. Minerals that are found in the ejected limestone blocks of Monte Somma.2
II. Pneumatolytic minerals formed in cavities of leucotephrites and conglomeratic blocks ejected by Monte Somma and Vesuvius, or coating the walls of ancient lavas.
III. Fumarolic products.
IV. Minerals that occur as rock constituents of Vesuvius and Monte Somma.
Amphibole minerals can be found in all of these mineral forming environments.

Potassium-fluor-richterite occurs as small euhedral crystals, light-grey in colour, in a skarn ejectum from a pyroclastic deposit near S. Vito, Monte Somma, Naples. It is associated with diopside and calcite. The pictured specimen has a similar appearance as the type material.

Literature:

Russo, M., Punzo, I., (2004): I minerali del Somma-Vesuvio. AMI (Italian Micromineralogical Association), Ed., Cremona.

A. Pelloux, (1927): The minerals of Vesuvius. American Mineralogist Volume 12, pages 14-21.

A. Pecerillo, (2005): Plio-quaternary volcanism in Italy, Springer Verlag

G. Della Ventura, G.e. Parodi, A. Maras (1992) Potassium-fluor-richterite, a new amphibole from San Vito,Monte Somma, Compania, Italy. Rendiconti Lincei, Sci.Fis. Nat., Ser. 9, 3(3), 239-245.

Potassicrichterite
Italy
Campania, Naples Province, Somma-Vesuvius Complex, Monte Somma, Ercolano, San Vito, San Vito quarry


Potassicrichterite FOV 6mm	© Enrico Bonacina

Ferrorichterite
North Korea
Kangwon Province, Pyonggang-gun, Abdong (Aptong) Zr-Nb deposit


Ferrorichterite FOV 12mm	© Pavel M. Kartashov

The Apdong deposit is associated with upper Proterozoic sedimentary rocks, late Paleozoic to early Mesozoic alkali-syenites, Jurassic granites and Quaternary basalts. The ore deposit is formed by post-magmatic alkali metasomatism and occurs as irregular veins and lenses in the alkali-syenites.
Ferrorichterite segregations are found in the syenites, but not intimately associated with the ore mineralization. Associated minerals are white albite and submicroscopic lamellas of ferroferrikatophorite.

Literature:

Jae Ho Lee, In Joon Kim, You Dong Kim (2005): The Apdong Nb-Ta ore deposit, North Korea, Mineral Deposit Research: Meeting the Global Challenge, Chapter 9-29, pp 981-982

Potassicrichterite
Russia
Eastern-Siberian Region , Saha Republic (Sakha Republic; Yakutia), Aldan Shield, Chara and Tokko Rivers Confluence, Murunskii Massif, Kedrovyi alkaline Massif


Potassicrichterite 8,5 cm specimen	© Pavel M. Kartashov


Potassicrichterite 13cm specimen	© Weinrich Minerals, Inc.


Potassicrichterite 7,5 vm specimen	© Andrey Gorshkov

The blue potassicrichterite from the Kedrovyi alkaline Massif has been marketed as "blue jade" and also “Dianite” in honour of the late Princess of Wales. The potassicrichterite occurs as microfibrous light blue, bluish green to deep blue aggregates embedded in quartz and microcline with arfvedsonite. I have not found any accounts on how much are found or the maximum dimensions of the polished slabs, but it does not appear to be very common.

The Kedrovyi alkaline Massif is one of 4 intrusive bodies of the Murun Massif. The potassic richterite are found in Sr and Ba rich carbonatites associated with the alkaline rocks. It occurs as an accessory mineral in these carbonatites together with feldspar, pyroxenes and barytocalcite(!) as the main carbonate.

The master thesis listed as literature reference for this entry can be found on the net. It gives a good overview of an exciting geological province with very special mineralogy.

Literature:

Ekaterina Reguir(2001): Aspects of the mineralogy of the Murun alkaline complex,Yakutia, Russia., Master thesis, Department of Geology, Lakehead University, Ontario,Canada

Richterite
Russia
Eastern-Siberian Region , Saha Republic (Sakha Republic; Yakutia), Aldan Shield, Chara and Tokko Rivers Confluence, Murunskii Massif, Kedrovyi alkaline Massif


Richterite? 8mm dia. sprays	© Weinrich Minerals, Inc.

According to Reguir(2001), richterite is a relatively common rock forming mineral (up to 30%) in the groundmass lamprophyres associated with the Murun Massif. In these rocks, richterite is descibed as up to 3mm large phenocrysts.

Literature:

Ekaterina Reguir(2001): Aspects of the mineralogy of the Murun alkaline complex,Yakutia, Russia., Master thesis, Department of Geology, Lakehead University, Ontario,Canada

Richterite
Spain
Murcia, Jumilla , La Celia , Nuestra Señora del Carmen Mines


Fluororichterite, 0,2mm crystal	©

The Nuestra Señora del Carmen Mines is one of many mines worked for apatite in the La Celia area. The formation of apatite are linked to the intrution of ultrapotassic volcanic rocks (lamproites) 6.76 ± 0.04 million years ago. There are several such intrucions in Murcia, and richterite can be found in many of these rocks. The richtererite is often K-rich and can form small well formed crystal like one pictured here.

Literature:

Bellido Mulas, F. Brändle Matesanz, J.L. ULTRAPOTASSIC NEOGENE VOLCANISM, chapter 13, pp 139-145

Richterite
Sweden
Värmland , Filipstad, Långban


Richterite FOV 10mm	© C.H.M.-Schäfer


Richterite to 9mm individual fibres	© Jorge M. Alves


Richterite 1mm crystal	©

Långban is one of the most famous mineral localities of the world, being the type locality of no less than 71 different minerals, richterite being one of them. Needless to say, the Mn oxide ores hosted by dolomitic marble and skarn have been extensively researched, and sedimentary, metasomatic reaction and exhalative sedimentary origins have all been suggested.

The oreminerals are hausmannite and braunite, which are irregularily distributed but, locally, arranged in layers giving the deposit a banded appearance. Associated skarn minerals are Mn-rich and occur along the contacts between marble and the Mn oxide mineralisation. These include manganiferous diopside, rhodonite, bustamite, manganiferous olivine and spessartine garnet, as well as manganiferous varieties of phlogopite and richterite.

Richterite is a relatively common mineral associated with rhodonite and normally found as yellowiish to brownish fibrous aggregates and small crystals as pictured. It should be noted that Sjögren(1894) describes a blue richterite, occurring as short columnar aggregates of a bluish violet/grey to a beautiful azure blue color associated with rhodonite. He publishes several analysis’ of this material, and it qualifies as richterite even today.

Literature:

HJ.Sjögren(1894): On the Richterite of Breihaupt and on Soda Richterite, Contributions to Swedish mineralogy part II, Bulletine of the Geological Institute of Upsala, No 3, Vol II, 1894

Andrew G. Christy(2000): Långban- a short geological and mineralogical description, Skarn – www.k1q.net/skarn

Rodney Allen, Magnus Ripa, Nils Jansson (2008): Palaeoproterozoic volcanic- and limestone hosted Zn-Pb-Ag-(Cu-Au) massive sulphide deposits and Fe oxide deposits in Bergslagen, Sweden, 33 IGC excursion No 12, August 14 – 20, 2008

Olav Revheim March 2012

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Re: Rhodonite

Olav Revheim — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 08:44:40 +0000

Ralph,

You might find some useful information on the Harstigen rhodonites from the following links:

Article on Långban
general geology
Rhodonite Harstigen

Olav

Re: Rutile

William C. van Laer — Sat, 23 Apr 2011 15:37:43 +0000

While not common in the Boulder Batholith, several pockets of rutilated quartz have been found here in recent years: [www.mindat.org]

Chris

Re: Rutile

Trevor Dart — Sat, 23 Apr 2011 11:29:31 +0000

Hi Rock
I have uploaded an article about the rutiles found in the Broken Hill region, with some photos of the big rutiles from a small pit on a quartz reef in the Thackaringa Hills. I thought you might like to add them to your Australian section as they are pretty impressive for rutiles from this part of the world. I'm actually curious as to what are the biggest rutiles to come out of Australia? There is not much info out there on rutile from Australia...
Trevor

Re: Rhodochrosite

David Von Bargen — Sat, 05 Mar 2011 16:19:03 +0000

"Before finding this chain, I posted the image to my home page" - That was the place we need to use it for here.

"If image is used, am hoping you will credit me" - To have it show up on the photo, you need to have your name in at least the Short Copyright notice field. The only place this wouldn't work automatically is when you have put the photo in the public domain. I have gone in and edited your photo so this will work OK.

Thanks for uploading the photo.