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GeneralMetal-Organic crystals of Siberia

9th Aug 2016 05:54 UTCDean Allum Expert

I saw a recent announcement regarding a class of chemicals which were not previously know to occur naturally discovered under the Siberian Tundra. Does anyone have insight into this?

Article Link

9th Aug 2016 06:03 UTCAlfredo Petrov Manager

Zhemchuzhnikovite and stepanovite: oxalates from a lignite mine. I'm not sure why they caused such a fuss. :-S

9th Aug 2016 14:05 UTCAlfred L. Ostrander

Dean,

Stepanovite and zhemchuzkovite were discovered in the 1940's. New research into synthetic metal organic framework structures (MOFS) recently found out about the naturally occouring minerals. It appears that MOFS have a structure that can absorb gasses. They may prove to be good materials to absorb unwanted gasses. That's more or less the short story.

Best Regards,

Al O

10th Aug 2016 08:19 UTCUwe Kolitsch Manager

Both were well known as synthetic compounds.

The crystal structures were recently (re-)determined and some previous inconsistencies clarified:

Piro, O.E., Echeverría, G.A., González-Baró, A.C., Baran, E.J. (2016): Crystal and molecular structure and spectroscopic behavior of isotypic synthetic analogs of the oxalate minerals stepanovite and zhemchuzhnikovite. Physics and Chemistry of Minerals, 43, 287-300.

12th Aug 2016 05:04 UTCDean Allum Expert

Thanks Alfredo, Alfred, and Uwe,

What I am getting from this is that recent research into metal oxalates as a potential sink for carbon-dioxide sequestration prompted someone to realize that the chemicals existed in nature and discuss these minerals with geologists. Geologists then built upon the chemistry work to publish a correct crystallographic model in a geochemical journal. Some science magazine editor noticed the geology paper and wrote a sensational article which was copied by several other pop magazines.

I wonder if the chemists realize that the minerals would already be acting in the sequestration role which they desired and looked inside them for their contents and long term stability.

12th Aug 2016 06:10 UTCAlfredo Petrov Manager

Dean, Saguaro cacti sequester carbon as insoluble oxalates, to the tune of 100Kg or more per cactus, or a few tons per hectare. I think the amount of carbon sequestration as oxalate minerals in mines is negligible in comparison, otherwise oxalates wouldn't be so rare in mineral collections.

12th Aug 2016 11:03 UTCUwe Kolitsch Manager

See also

Baran, E.J. (2016): Natural iron oxalates and their analogous synthetic counterparts: A review. Chemie der Erde - Geochemistry, 76, (in press).

Four iron-containing natural oxalates, usually classified as organic minerals, are known (humboldtine, minguzzite, stepanovite and zhemchuzhnikovite). Their occurrences and general properties are presented and briefly discussed. The subsequent part of the review is devoted to the discussion of synthetic oxalato-complexes, analogous to these natural species, including usual synthetic procedures and a thorough analysis of their crystallographic and structural peculiarities. The thermal, spectroscopic and magnetic properties of these complexes are also analyzed in detail and comparisons with other closely related complexes are also included in the discussions.

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