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Pezzottaite

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Big Photo

Sakavalana mine, Ambatovita, Mandrosonoro area, Ambatofinandrahana District, Amoron'i Mania Region, Fianarantsoa Province, Madagascar
© Chinellato Matteo

Show Pezzottaite Photos (98)



Formula:
Cs(Be
 
2
Li)Al
 
2
(Si
 
6
O
 
18
)
System:TrigonalColour:raspberry red to pink
Hardness:8
Member of:Beryl Group
Name:For Dr. Federico Pezzotta of the Museo Civico, Milano, Italy.


The cesium analogue of Beryl.

Visit gemdat.org for gemological information about Pezzottaite. Currently in public beta-test.

Classification of Pezzottaite

IMA status:Approved 2003
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:9.CJ.60

9 : SILICATES (Germanates)
C : Cyclosilicates
J : [Si6O18]12- 6-membered single rings (sechser-Einfachringe), without insular complex anions
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Type Occurrence of Pezzottaite

Type Locality:Sakavalana mine, Ambatovita, Mandrosonoro area, Ambatofinandrahana District, Amoron'i Mania Region, Fianarantsoa Province, Madagascar
Place of Conservation of Type Material:Smithsonian, Canadian Museum of Nature, Ottawa, ontario Canada, Natural History Museum of Bern, Switzerland
Year of Discovery:2002
Geological Setting of type material:Pegmatite

Physical Properties of Pezzottaite

Lustre:Vitreous
Diaphaneity (Transparency):Transparent, Translucent
Colour:raspberry red to pink
Streak:colorless to white
Hardness (Mohs):8
Tenacity:Brittle
Cleavage:Imperfect/Fair
(001)
Parting:none observed
Fracture:Irregular/Uneven, Conchoidal
Density (measured):2.97 g/cm3
Density (calculated):3.06 g/cm3

Crystallography of Pezzottaite

Crystal System:Trigonal
Class (H-M):3 - Rhombohedral
Space Group:R3
Cell Parameters:a = 15.946Å, c = 27.803Å
Ratio:a:c = 1 : 1.744
Unit Cell Volume:V 6122 ų
Z:18
Morphology:hexagonal tabular crystals, small flat to equant crystals

Optical Data of Pezzottaite

Type:Uniaxial (-)
RI values: nω = 1.612 - 1.620 nε = 1.601 - 1.611
Maximum Birefringence:δ = 0.011

Chart shows birefringence interference colour range (at 30µm thickness) and does not take into account mineral colouration.
Surface Relief:Moderate
Pleochroism:Strong
Comments:orange-red to purple-violet

Chemical Properties of Pezzottaite

Formula:
Cs(Be
 
2
Li)Al
 
2
(Si
 
6
O
 
18
)
Essential elements:Al, Be, Cs, Li, O, Si
All elements listed in formula:Al, Be, Cs, Li, O, Si

Relationship of Pezzottaite to other Species

Member of:Beryl Group
Other Members of Group:

- +
Bazzite
Be
 
3
Sc
 
2
(Si
 
6
O
 
18
)
Beryl
Be
 
3
Al
 
2
(Si
 
6
O
 
18
)
Stoppaniite
Be
 
3
Fe
3+
2
(Si
 
6
O
 
18
) · H
 
2
O
Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):

- +
9.CJ.05Bazzite
Be
 
3
Sc
 
2
(Si
 
6
O
 
18
)
9.CJ.05Beryl
Be
 
3
Al
 
2
(Si
 
6
O
 
18
)
9.CJ.05Indialite
Mg
 
2
Al
 
3
(AlSi
 
5
O
 
18
)
9.CJ.05Stoppaniite
Be
 
3
Fe
3+
2
(Si
 
6
O
 
18
) · H
 
2
O
9.CJ.10Cordierite
(Mg,Fe)
 
2
Al
 
3
(AlSi
 
5
O
 
18
)
9.CJ.10Sekaninaite
(Fe,Mg)
 
2
Al
 
3
(AlSi
 
5
O
 
18
)
9.CJ.15aCombeite
Na
 
2
Ca
 
2
(Si
 
6
O
 
18
)
 
0.5
9.CJ.15bImandrite
Na
 
12
Ca
 
3
Fe
3+
2
(Si
 
6
O
 
18
)
 
2
9.CJ.15aKazakovite
Na
 
6
Mn
2+
 
Ti(Si
 
6
O
 
18
)
9.CJ.15cKoashvite
Na
 
6
(Ca,Mn)(Ti,Fe)Si
 
6
O
 
18
 · H
 
2
O
9.CJ.15aLovozerite
Na
 
2
CaZr(H
 
4
Si
 
6
O
 
18
) · H
 
2
O
9.CJ.15aTisinalite
Na
 
3
H
 
3
(Mn,Ca,Fe)TiSi
 
6
(O,OH)
 
18
 · 2H
 
2
O
9.CJ.15aZirsinalite
Na
 
6
(Ca,Mn
2+
 
,Fe
2+
 
)Zr(Si
 
6
O
 
18
)
9.CJ.15aLitvinskite
Na
 
2
(◻,Na,Mn)ZrSi
 
6
O
 
12
(OH,O)
 
6
9.CJ.15aKapustinite
Na
 
5
(Na,Mn
2+
 
)
 
<1
Zr(H
 
2
Si
 
6
O
 
18
)
9.CJ.25Baratovite
KCa
 
7
(Ti,Zr)
 
2
Li
 
3
Si
 
12
O
 
36
F
 
2
9.CJ.25Katayamalite
KCa
 
7
Ti
 
2
Li
 
3
Si
 
12
O
 
36
(OH)
 
2
9.CJ.25Aleksandrovite
KCa
 
7
Sn
 
2
Li
 
3
Si
 
12
O
 
36
F
 
2
9.CJ.30Dioptase
CuSiO
 
3
 · H
 
2
O
9.CJ.35Kostylevite
K
 
2
Zr(Si
 
3
O
 
9
) · H
 
2
O
9.CJ.40Petarasite
Na
 
5
Zr
 
2
(Si
 
6
O
 
18
)(Cl,OH) · 2H
 
2
O
9.CJ.45Gerenite-(Y)
(Ca,Na)
 
2
(Y,REE)
 
3
Si
 
6
O
 
18
 · 2H
 
2
O
9.CJ.50Odintsovite
K
 
2
Na
 
4
Ca
 
3
Ti
 
2
Be
 
4
Si
 
12
O
 
38
9.CJ.55Mathewrogersite
Pb
 
7
FeAl
 
3
GeSi
 
12
O
 
36
(OH,H
 
2
O)
 
6

Other Names for Pezzottaite

Synonyms:
IMA2003-022
Other Languages:
German:Pezzottait

Other Information

Fluorescence in UV light:none
Health Warning:No information on health risks for this material has been entered into the database. You should always treat mineral specimens with care.

References for Pezzottaite

Reference List:

- +
Laurs, Brendan M., William B. (Skip) Simmons, George R. Rossman, Elizabeth P. Quinn, Shane F. McClure, Adolf Peretti, Thomas Armbruster, Frank C. Hawthorne, Alexander U. Falster, Detlef Günther, Mark A. Cooper, and Bernard Grobéty (2003): Pezzottaite from Ambatovita, Madagascar: A New Gem Mineral. Gems & Gemology: 39(4): 284-301.

Hawthorne, F.C., Cooper, M.A., Simmons, W.B., Falster, A.U., Laurs, B.M., Armbruster, T., Rossman, G.R., Peretti, A., Günter, D., and Grobéty, B. (2004) Pezzottaite Cs(Be2Li)Al2Si6O18 A spectacular new beryl-group mineral from the Sakavalana pegmatite, Fianarantsoa province, Madagascar. Mineralogical Record: 35(5): 369-378.

Beryl and its Color Varieties (2005) Extra Lapis English No. 7.

Pezzotta, F., Guastoni, A., Forner, H., Demartin, F., Kristiansen, R. (2005): Découverte exceptionnelle de chiavennite associée à pezzottaite dans la pegmatite de Sakavalana, Mandrosonoro, Madagascar. Le Règne Minéral, 61, ???-???.

Piilonen, P.C., Grew, E.S., Ercit, T.S. (2005) New mineral names, American Mineralogist, 90, 1227-1233.

Locock A J, Piilonen P C, Ercit T S, Rowe R (2006) New mineral names, American Mineralogist, 91, 216-224.

Yakubovich, O.V., I.V. Pekov, I.M.Steele, W.Massa, & N.V.Chukanov (2009), Alkali metals in beryl and their role in the formation of derivative structural motifs: comparative crystal chemistry of vorobyevite and pezzottaite, Crystallography Reports 54,399-412. [Kristallografiya 54,432-445 (2009)]

G. Diego Gatta, Ilaria Adamo, Martin Meven, Erica Lambruschi (2012): A single-crystal neutron and X-ray diffraction study of pezzottaite, Cs(Be2Li)Al2Si6O18. Physics and Chemistry of Minerals 39, 829-840.

Internet Links for Pezzottaite

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    • Localities for Pezzottaite

    The map shows a selection of localities that have latitude and longitude coordinates recorded. Click on the symbol to view information about a locality. The symbol next to localities in the list can be used to jump to that position on the map.
    Hide Locality List
    (TL) indicates type locality. ? indicates mineral may be doubtful at this locality. All other localities listed without reference should be considered as uncertain and unproven until references can be found.
    Afghanistan
     
    • Konar Province (Kunar Province; Konarh Province; Konarha Province; Nuristan)
      • Chapa Dara District
    		Herb Obodda
    • Nuristan Province (Nurestan Province; Nooristan Province; Nuristan)
      • Wama District (Vama District)
        • Parun (Paroon; Parown) pegmatite field
    		Lapis Extra (English) No. 7 (2005) p12
    Madagascar
     
    • Fianarantsoa Province
      • Amoron'i Mania Region
        • Ambatofinandrahana District
          • Mandrosonoro area
            • Ambatovita
    		Laurs, B. L. et al. (2003): Pezzottaite from Ambatovita, Madagaascar: A new Gem mineral. Gems & Gemology 39 (4): 284-301; Hawthorne, F.C., Cooper, M.A., Simmons, W.B., Falster, A.U., Laurs, B.M., Armbruster, T., Rossman, G.R., Peretti, A., Günter, D., and Grobéty, B. (2004) Pezzottaite Cs(Be2Li)Al2Si6O18 A spectacular new beryl-group mineral from the Sakavalana pegmatite, Fianarantsoa province, Madagascar. Mineralogical Record: 35(5): 369-378; G. Diego Gatta, Ilaria Adamo, Martin Meven, Erica Lambruschi (2012): A single-crystal neutron and X-ray diffraction study of pezzottaite, Cs(Be2Li)Al2Si6O18. Physics and Chemistry of Minerals 39, 829-840.
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