(Befanamo, Distrikan'i Anjozorobe, Pegmatitan' i Ankazobe, Faritra Analamanga, Faritra Analamanga, Faritanin'i Antananarivo, Madagasikara)
A granite NYF pegmatite, Monazite-Thortveitite subtype that is hosted in an amphibolite-gneis. This scandium-rich pegmatite has produced more than 40 kg of "befanamite" (Y-Free variety of thortveitite) since its discovery in 1908 (especially in the early 1950s). It is situated 2 km W of the village Ambalabako, about 20 NE of Ambatomanoina, and about 80 km N of the capitol Antananarivo.
"Befanamite" was first described from this locality. It was discovered in the eluvials of the pegmatite in 1918 by J. B. Rasamoel.
References:
- Guigues, J. (1955): Etude des gisements de pegmatite de Madagascar (Deuxième partie). Travaux du Bureau Géologiques de Madagascar 67, Service Geologique, Tananarive, p 6-8
- Behier, J. (1960): Contribution á la mineralogie de Madagascar. Annales Géologiques de Madagascar XXIX, Tananarive, 19-20 [on befanamite]
- Pezzotta, F. (1999): Madagaskar. Das Paradies der Mineralien und Edelsteine. ExtraLapis nr 17, 44-46 [german version, a short notice]
Mineral List:26 entries listed. 17 valid minerals.
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