Rhönite
A valid IMA mineral species - grandfathered
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About Rhönite
Formula:
Ca4[Mg8Fe3+2Ti2]O4[Si6Al6O36]
Colour:
Brown-red, black to reddish black
Lustre:
Vitreous, Sub-Metallic
Hardness:
5 - 6
Specific Gravity:
3.4 - 3.76
Crystal System:
Triclinic
Member of:
Name:
Named for the type locality in the Rhön Mountains, near Fulda, Hesse, Germany.
Type Locality:
Rhönite Group.
A Ti3+-bearing member, one of three currently known phases with essential trivalent titanium by tistarite and grossmanite, is known from Allende meteorite ('UM1971-21-SiO:AlCaMgTi').
A Ti3+-bearing member, one of three currently known phases with essential trivalent titanium by tistarite and grossmanite, is known from Allende meteorite ('UM1971-21-SiO:AlCaMgTi').
Unique Identifiers
Mindat ID:
3402
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:1:3402:5
GUID
(UUID V4):
(UUID V4):
cacd1f12-1ccc-415b-88a9-6e7d495e87da
IMA Classification of Rhönite
Approved, 'Grandfathered' (first described prior to 1959)
First published:
1907
Classification of Rhönite
9.DH.40
9 : SILICATES (Germanates)
D : Inosilicates
H : Inosilicates with 4-periodic single chains, Si4O12
9 : SILICATES (Germanates)
D : Inosilicates
H : Inosilicates with 4-periodic single chains, Si4O12
69.2.1a.5
69 : INOSILICATES Chains with Side Branches or Loops
2 : Chains with Side Branches or Loops with P>2
69 : INOSILICATES Chains with Side Branches or Loops
2 : Chains with Side Branches or Loops with P>2
16.14.3
16 : Silicates Containing Aluminum and other Metals
14 : Aluminosilicates of Ti, Zr, Sn and Pb
16 : Silicates Containing Aluminum and other Metals
14 : Aluminosilicates of Ti, Zr, Sn and Pb
Mineral Symbols
As of 2021 there are now IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols (abbreviations) for each mineral species, useful for tables and diagrams.
Symbol | Source | Reference |
---|---|---|
Rhö | IMA–CNMNC | Warr, L.N. (2021). IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols. Mineralogical Magazine, 85(3), 291-320. doi:10.1180/mgm.2021.43 |
Physical Properties of Rhönite
Vitreous, Sub-Metallic
Transparency:
Translucent, Opaque
Colour:
Brown-red, black to reddish black
Streak:
reddish brown
Hardness:
5 - 6 on Mohs scale
Cleavage:
Distinct/Good
{010}, {001}
{010}, {001}
Density:
3.4 - 3.76 g/cm3 (Measured)
Optical Data of Rhönite
Type:
Biaxial (+)
RI values:
nα = 1.795 - 1.810 nβ = 1.806 - 1.825 nγ = 1.830 - 1.845
2V:
Measured: 50° to 90°, Calculated: 70° to 84°
Max Birefringence:
δ = 0.035
Image shows birefringence interference colour range (at 30µm thickness)
and does not take into account mineral colouration.
and does not take into account mineral colouration.
Surface Relief:
Very High
Dispersion:
r > v extreme
Pleochroism:
Strong
Comments:
X = dark greenish brown, red-brown; Y = dark reddish to greenish brown; Z = dark reddish brown to black
Chemistry of Rhönite
Mindat Formula:
Ca4[Mg8Fe3+2Ti2]O4[Si6Al6O36]
Crystallography of Rhönite
Polytype:
Formula:
Crystal System:
Class (H-M)
Space Group:
Space Group Setting:
Cell Parameters:
Ratio:
Unit Cell Volume (calc):
Z:
X-Ray Powder Diffraction
Powder Diffraction Data:
d-spacing | Intensity |
---|---|
2.947 Å | (100) |
2.783 Å | (31) |
2.691 Å | (65) |
2.550 Å | (69) |
2.092 Å | (56) |
1.991 Å | (25) |
1.498 Å | (38) |
Geological Environment
Paragenetic Mode(s):
Paragenetic Mode | Earliest Age (Ga) |
---|---|
Stage 1: Primary nebular phases | 4.567-4.561 |
3 : Solar nebular condensates (CAIs, AOAs, URIs) | >4.565 |
Stage 3a: Earth’s earliest Hadean crust | >4.50 |
8 : Mafic igneous rocks | |
9 : Lava/xenolith minerals (hornfels, sanidinite facies) | |
High-𝑇 alteration and/or metamorphism | |
31 : Thermally altered carbonate, phosphate, and iron formations | |
Stage 4b: Highly evolved igneous rocks | >3.0 |
35 : Ultra-alkali and agpaitic igneous rocks |
Geological Setting:
Silica undersaturated, alkalic, mafic to intermediate igneous rocks.
Type Occurrence of Rhönite
Geological Setting of Type Material:
nepheline basanite
Reference:
Soellner, J. (1907) Über Rhönit, ein neues änigmatitähnliches Mineral und über das Vorkommen desselben in basaltischen Gesteinen. Neues Jahrbuch für Mineralogie und Geologie, Beilage: 24: 1-57.
Synonyms of Rhönite
Other Language Names for Rhönite
Relationship of Rhönite to other Species
Member of:
Other Members of this group:
Dorrite | Ca4(Mg3Fe3+9)O4(Si3Al8Fe3+O36) | Tric. |
Høgtuvaite | Ca4[Fe2+6Fe3+6]O4[Si8Be2Al2O36] | Tric. 1 : P1 |
Leucorhönite | Ca2(Mg,Fe3+,Al)6(Si,Al)6O20 | Tric. |
Makarochkinite | (Ca,Na)4[Fe2+8Fe3+2Ti2]O4[Si8Be2Al2O36] | Tric. 1 : P1 |
Serendibite | Ca4[Mg6Al6]O4[Si6B3Al3O36] | Tric. 1 : P1 |
Welshite | Ca4Mg9Sb3O4[Si6Be3AlFe2O36] | Tric. 1 : P1 |
Common Associates
Associated Minerals Based on Photo Data:
21 photos of Rhönite associated with Hematite | Fe2O3 |
4 photos of Rhönite associated with Amphibole Supergroup | AB2C5((Si,Al,Ti)8O22)(OH,F,Cl,O)2 |
4 photos of Rhönite associated with Calcite | CaCO3 |
3 photos of Rhönite associated with Erionite Subgroup | M2[Al4Si14O36] · 15H2O |
2 photos of Rhönite associated with Ilmenite | Fe2+TiO3 |
2 photos of Rhönite associated with Pseudobrookite | Fe2TiO5 |
2 photos of Rhönite associated with Forsterite | Mg2SiO4 |
1 photo of Rhönite associated with Pyroxene Group | ADSi2O6 |
1 photo of Rhönite associated with Orthopyroxene Subgroup | |
1 photo of Rhönite associated with Cuspidine | Ca8(Si2O7)2F4 |
Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat Grouping
9.DH. | Gageite-2M | (Mn,Mg,Zn)42Si16O54(OH)40 |
9.DH. | Bavsiite | Ba2V2O2[Si4O12] |
9.DH. | Devilliersite | Ca4Ca2Fe3+10O4[(Fe3+10Si2)O36] |
9.DH. | Yuzuxiangite | Sr3Fe3+(Si2O6)2(OH) · 3H2O |
9.DH. | Louisfuchsite | Ca2(Mg4Ti2)(Al4Si2)O20 |
9.DH.05 | Leucophanite | NaCaBeSi2O6F |
9.DH.10 | Ohmilite | Sr3(Ti,Fe3+)(Si4O12)(O,OH) · 2-3H2O |
9.DH.15 | Haradaite | SrVSi2O7 |
9.DH.15 | Suzukiite | BaVSi2O7 |
9.DH.20 | Batisite | BaNaNaTi2(Si4O12)O2 |
9.DH.20 | Shcherbakovite | (K,Ba)KNa(Ti,Nb)2(Si4O12)O2 |
9.DH.20 | Noonkanbahite | BaKNaTi2(Si4O12)O2 |
9.DH.25 | Taikanite | Sr3BaMn2+2(Si4O12)O2 |
9.DH.30 | Krauskopfite | BaSi2O5 · 3H2O |
9.DH.35 | Balangeroite | (Mg,Fe2+,Fe3+,Mn2+)42Si16O54(OH)40 |
9.DH.35 | Gageite | Mn21(Si4O12)2O3(OH)20 |
9.DH.40 | Aenigmatite | Na4[Fe2+10Ti2]O4[Si12O36] |
9.DH.40 | Dorrite | Ca4(Mg3Fe3+9)O4(Si3Al8Fe3+O36) |
9.DH.40 | Høgtuvaite | Ca4[Fe2+6Fe3+6]O4[Si8Be2Al2O36] |
9.DH.40 | Krinovite | Na2Mg4Cr3+2(Si6O18)O2 |
9.DH.40 | Makarochkinite | (Ca,Na)4[Fe2+8Fe3+2Ti2]O4[Si8Be2Al2O36] |
9.DH.40 | Serendibite | Ca4[Mg6Al6]O4[Si6B3Al3O36] |
9.DH.40 | Welshite | Ca4Mg9Sb3O4[Si6Be3AlFe2O36] |
9.DH.40 | Wilkinsonite | Na2Fe2+4Fe3+2(Si6O18)O2 |
9.DH.40 | Leucorhönite | Ca2(Mg,Fe3+,Al)6(Si,Al)6O20 |
9.DH.40 | Kuratite | Ca2(Fe2+5Ti)O2[Si4Al2O18] |
9.DH.40 | Khesinite | Ca4(Mg3Fe3+9)O4(Fe3+9Si3)O36 |
9.DH.40 | UM1991-29-SiO:FeMgNa | Na4(Mg5Fe3+7)O4[Si9Fe3+3O36] |
9.DH.45 | Sapphirine | Mg4(Mg3Al9)O4[Si3Al9O36] |
9.DH.50 | Khmaralite | (Mg,Al,Fe)16[(Al,Si,Be)12O36]O4 |
9.DH.55 | Surinamite | (Mg,Fe)3Al4BeSi3O16 |
9.DH.55 | UM1988-26-SiO:AlMg | Mg4Al2O[Si3Al2O15] |
9.DH.60 | Deerite | (Fe,Mn)6(Fe,Al)3[Si6O17]O3(OH)5 |
9.DH.65 | Howieite | Na(Fe,Mn)10(Fe,Al)2Si12O31(OH)13 |
9.DH.65 | Taneyamalite | (Na,Ca)(Mn,Mg,Fe)12Si12(O,OH)44 |
9.DH.70 | Johninnesite | Na2Mn2+9Mg7(OH)8[AsO4]2[Si6O17]2 |
9.DH.75 | Agrellite | NaCa2Si4O10F |
Other Information
Health Risks:
No information on health risks for this material has been entered into the database. You should always treat mineral specimens with care.
Internet Links for Rhönite
mindat.org URL:
https://www.mindat.org/min-3402.html
Please feel free to link to this page.
Please feel free to link to this page.
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External Links:
Mineral Dealers:
References for Rhönite
Reference List:
Cameron, K. L., Carman, M. F., Butler, J. C. (1970) Rhönite from Big Bend National Park, Texas. American Mineralogist, 55 (5-6) 864-874
Kyle, Philip R. (1975) Occurrences of rhonite in alkalic lavas of the McMurdo Volcanic group, Antarctica, and Dunedin Volcano, New Zealand. American Mineralogist, 60 (7-8) 722-725
Johnston, A. Dana, Stout, James H. (1984) A highly oxidized ferrian salite-, kennedyite-, forsterite-, and rhönite-bearing alkali gabbro from Kauai, Hawaii and its mantle xenoliths. American Mineralogist, 69 (1-2) 57-68
Johnston, A. Dana, Stout, James H. (1985) Compositional variation of naturally occurring rhoenite. American Mineralogist, 70 (11-12) 1211-1216
Bonaccorsi, Elena, Merlino, Stefano, Pasero, Marco (1990) Rhönite: structural and microstructural features, crystal chemistry and polysomatic relationships. European Journal of Mineralogy, 2 (2) 203-218 doi:10.1127/ejm/2/2/0203
Jensen, B. B. (1996) Solid solution among members of the aenigmatite group. Mineralogical Magazine, 60 (403) 982-986 doi:10.1180/minmag.1996.060.403.14
Kunzmann, Thomas (1999) The aenigmatite-rhönite mineral group. European Journal of Mineralogy, 11 (4) 743-756 doi:10.1127/ejm/11/4/0743
Grapes, R. H., Wysoczanski, R. J., Hoskin, P. W. O. (2003) Rhönite paragenesis in pyroxenite xenoliths, Mount Sidley volcano, Marie Byrd Land, West Antarctica. Mineralogical Magazine, 67 (4) 639-651 doi:10.1180/0026461036740123
Grew, E. S., Hålenius, U., Pasero, M., Barbier, J. (2008) Recommended nomenclature for the sapphirine and surinamite groups (sapphirine supergroup) Mineralogical Magazine, 72 (4) 839-876 doi:10.1180/minmag.2008.072.4.839
Treiman, A. H. (2008) Rhönite in Luna 24 pyroxenes: First find from the Moon, and implications for volatiles in planetary magmas. American Mineralogist, 93 (2) 488-491 doi:10.2138/am.2008.2781
Peretyazhko, Igor S., Savina, Elena A., Khromova, Elena A. (2017) Minerals of the rhönite-kuratite series in paralavas from a new combustion metamorphic complex in the Choir–Nyalga basin (Central Mongolia): composition, mineral assemblages and formation conditions. Mineralogical Magazine, 81 (4) 949-974 doi:10.1180/minmag.2016.080.144
Localities for Rhönite
Locality List
- This locality has map coordinates listed.
- This locality has estimated coordinates.
ⓘ - Click for references and further information on this occurrence.
? - Indicates mineral may be doubtful at this locality.
- Good crystals or important locality for species.
- World class for species or very significant.
(TL) - Type Locality for a valid mineral species.
(FRL) - First Recorded Locality for everything else (eg varieties).
Struck out - Mineral was erroneously reported from this locality.
Faded * - Never found at this locality but inferred to have existed at some point in the past (e.g. from pseudomorphs).
All localities listed without proper references should be considered as questionable.
All localities listed without proper references should be considered as questionable.
Antarctica | |
| Kyle (1975) |
| Grapes et al. (2003) |
Argentina | |
| Jambon et al. (2011) |
Australia | |
| www.crocoite.com (2003) |
Austria | |
| Schebesta (1983) +3 other references |
| Taucher +6 other references |
Cape Verde | |
| De Ignacio et al. (2012) |
China | |
| Gupta +1 other reference |
| Kong et al. (2020) |
Czech Republic | |
| Ulrych +8 other references |
| Paulis et al. (2014) |
France | |
| Bull. Soc. Franç. Minéralo. ... |
| Bull. Soc. Franç. Minéralo. ... |
| Queneau (n.d.) |
Hède | |
Bailey +7 other references | |
Germany | |
| Walenta (1960) |
| Weiß (1990) |
| Hentschel (1975) |
Soellner (1907) | |
| Weiß (1990) |
Weiß (1990) | |
Lapis (1988) +1 other reference | |
| Hentschel (1975) |
| Hentschel (1975) |
Hentschel (1983) | |
| Blaß et al. (2015) |
| Hentschel +2 other references |
| Hentschel (1983) |
| Schüller et al. (1986) |
| Schüller |
| Soellner (1907) |
Greenland | |
| www.koeln.netsurf.de (1999) |
Hungary | |
| Mineral Species of Hungary |
| EGU / EGS - AGU - EUG Joint Assembly et al. (Bakony-Balaton Highland) |
| XVI ECROFI European Current Research On Fluid Inclusions et al. (Eds F. Noronha, A. Dória and A. Guedes) |
Italy | |
| perso.club-internet.fr (n.d.) |
| Alletti et al. (2005) |
Japan | |
| Monkawa et al. (2002) |
Kazakhstan | |
| |
Mexico | |
| American Mineralogist (1971) |
Mongolia | |
| Savina et al. (2020) |
| Peretyazhko et al. (2017) |
Morocco | |
| - (n.d.) +3 other references |
New Zealand | |
| Kyle (1975) |
North Africa | |
| Jambon et al. (2011) |
Northwest Africa Meteorites | |
Mikouchi et al. (2003) | |
Norway | |
| Bugge et al. (1980) +1 other reference |
Pacific Ocean | |
| Peretyazhko et al. (2022) |
Poland | |
| Lis et al. (1986) |
| Lis et al. (1986) |
| Ladenberger A. et al. (2006) |
Russia | |
| Anan’ev et al. (2011) |
| Anan’ev et al. (2011) |
6th orogenic lherzolite conference 2014 ... | |
Slovakia | |
| Koděra (1986) |
Huraiová M. et al. (2007) | |
Koděra (1986) | |
Mineralia Slovaca 39 +1 other reference | |
| Koděra (1986) |
South Korea | |
Lee (ed) +7 other references | |
Spain | |
| Analyzed by XRD by Dr. Joan Vinals (Barcelona) |
Sweden | |
| Printzlau et al. (1972) +7 other references |
USA | |
| Johnston et al. (1984) |
Macdonald et al. (1960) +1 other reference | |
| Cameron et al. (1970) |
Zimbabwe | |
| Kopylova et al. (1997) |
The Moon | |
| Treiman (2008) |
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Nickenicher Weinberg, Nickenich, Pellenz, Mayen-Koblenz, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany