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Sugilite

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Wessels Mine (Wessel's Mine), Hotazel, Kalahari manganese fields, Northern Cape Province, South Africa
© Robert O. Meyer

Show Sugilite Photos (47)
Formula:
KNa
 
2
(Fe,Mn,Al)
 
2
Li
 
3
Si
 
12
O
 
30
System:HexagonalColour:light brownish-yellow, ...
Lustre:VitreousHardness:6 - 6½
Name:Named after Ken-ichi Sugi (1901-1948), Japanese petrologist. (This name is commonly mispronounced with a soft G, as in "gene", whereas the correct pronunciation is a hard G, as in "geese".)


Osumilite Group .

Classification of Sugilite

IMA status:Approved 1974
Strunz 8th edition ID:8/E.22-110
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:9.CM.05

9 : SILICATES (Germanates)
C : Cyclosilicates
M : [Si6O18]12- 6-membered double rings (sechser-Doppelringe)
Dana 8th edition ID:63.2.1a.9

63 : CYCLOSILICATES Condensed Rings
2 : Condensed Rings (Milarite - Osumilite group)
Hey's CIM Ref.:16.1.17

16 : Silicates Containing Aluminum and other Metals
1 : Aluminosilicates of Li
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Type Occurrence of Sugilite

Type Locality:Iwagi Island, Inland Sea (Setonaikai), Ehime Prefecture, Japan
Year of Discovery:1976

Physical Properties of Sugilite

Lustre:Vitreous
Colour:light brownish-yellow, purple, colourless (transmitted light)
Hardness (Mohs):6 - 6½

Crystallography of Sugilite

Crystal System:Hexagonal
Cell Parameters:a = 10Å, c = 14Å
Ratio:a:c = 1 : 1.4
Unit Cell Volume:V 1,212.44 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
X-Ray Powder Diffraction:
d-spacingIntensity
8.65 (7)
6.98 (13)
4.78 (7b)
4.32 (100)
4.06 (55)
3.68 (13)
3.50 (25)
3.27 (7)
3.25 (8)
3.19 (80)
2.876 (50b)
2.725 (13)
2.678 (11b)
2.499 (18)
2.401 (7b)
2.273 (6b)
2.231 (8b)
2.159 (13)
1.983 (13b)
1.890 (8)
1.874 (11)
1.827 (8b)
1.820 (7b)
1.757 (7b)
1.711 (8b)
1.666 (10b)
1.627 (6b)
1.551 (7b)
1.508 (8b)
1.439 (7)
1.420 (5b)
1.391 (10)
1.385 (5)
1.364 (5)
1.311 (5)
Comments:JCPDS 29-824

Optical Data of Sugilite

Type:Uniaxial (-)
RI values: nω = 1.610 nε = 1.607
Maximum Birefringence:δ = 0.003

Chart shows birefringence interference colour range (at 30µm thickness) and does not take into account mineral colouration.
Surface Relief:Moderate

Chemical Properties of Sugilite

Formula:
KNa
 
2
(Fe,Mn,Al)
 
2
Li
 
3
Si
 
12
O
 
30
Essential elements:Fe, K, Li, Na, O, Si
All elements listed in formula:Al, Fe, K, Li, Mn, Na, O, Si
Common Impurities:Ti,H2O

Relationship of Sugilite to other Species

Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):

- +
9.CM.05Armenite
BaCa
 
2
Al
 
6
Si
 
9
O
 
30
·2H
 
2
O
9.CM.05Brannockite
(K,Na)Li
 
3
Sn
 
2
Si
 
12
O
 
30
9.CM.05Chayesite
K(Mg,Fe)
 
4
FeSi
 
12
O
 
30
9.CM.05Darapiosite
KNa
 
2
Li(Mn,Zn)
 
2
ZrSi
 
12
O
 
30
9.CM.05Eifelite
KNa
 
3
Mg
 
4
Si
 
12
O
 
30
9.CM.05Merrihueite
(K,Na)
 
2
(Fe,Mg)
 
5
Si
 
12
O
 
30
9.CM.05Milarite
K
 
2
Ca
 
4
Al
 
2
Be
 
4
Si
 
24
O
 
60
·H
 
2
O
9.CM.05Osumilite-(Mg)
(K,Na)(Mg,Fe)
 
2
(Al,Fe)
 
3
(Si,Al)
 
12
O
 
30
·H
 
2
O
9.CM.05Osumilite
(K,Na)(Fe
2+
 
,Mg)
 
2
(Al,Fe
3+
 
)
 
3
(Si,Al)
 
12
O
 
30
9.CM.05Poudretteite
KNa
 
2
B
 
3
Si
 
12
O
 
30
9.CM.05Roedderite
(Na,K)
 
2
(Mg,Fe)
 
5
Si
 
12
O
 
30
9.CM.05Sogdianite
(K,Na)
 
2
(Li,Fe)
 
3
(Zr,Ti,Fe)Si
 
12
O
 
30
9.CM.05Yagiite
(Na,K)
 
3
Mg
 
4
(Al,Mg)
 
6
(Si,Al)
 
24
O
 
60
9.CM.05Berezanskite
KLi
 
3
Ti
 
2
Si
 
12
O
 
30
9.CM.05Dusmatovite
K(K,Na,[ ])(Mn
2+
 
,Y,Zr)
 
2
(Zn,Li)
 
3
Si
 
12
O
 
30
9.CM.05Shibkovite
K(Ca,Mn,Na)
 
2
(K
 
2-x
,□
 
x
)
 
2
Zn
 
3
Si
 
12
O
 
30
9.CM.05Almarudite
K([],Na)
 
2
(Mn
2+
 
,Fe
2+
 
,Mg)
 
2
(Be,Al)
 
3
[Si
 
12
O
 
30
]
9.CM.05Trattnerite
([],K)(Mg, Fe
2+
 
)
 
3
Fe
3+
2
[Si
 
12
O
 
30
]
9.CM.05Oftedalite
(Sc,Ca,Mn
2+
 
)
 
2
K[(Be,Al)
 
3
Si
 
12
O
 
30
]
9.CM.10Faizievite
K
 
2
Na(Ca
 
6
Na)Ti
 
4
Li
 
6
[F
 
2
|Si
 
24
O
 
66
]
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:

- +
16.1.1Petalite
LiAlSi
 
4
O
 
10
16.1.2Spodumene
LiAl[Si
 
2
O
 
6
]
16.1.3Eucryptite
LiAl[SiO
 
4
]
16.1.4Virgilite
LiAlSi
 
2
O
 
6
16.1.5Cookeite
LiAl
 
4
(Si
 
3
Al)O
 
10
(OH)
 
8
16.1.6Bikitaite
LiAlSi
 
2
O
 
6
·H
 
2
O
16.1.7Lunijianlaite
Li
 
0.7
Al
 
6.2
(Si
 
7
AlO
 
20
)(OH,O)
 
10
16.1.8Swinefordite
Li(Al,Li,Mg)
 
4
(Si,Al)
 
8
O
 
20
,(OH,F)
 
4
·xH
 
2
O
16.1.9Holmquistite
☐[Li
 
2
][Mg
 
3
Al
 
2
][(OH)
 
2
|Si
 
8
O
 
22
]
16.1.13Clinoferroholmquistite
[ ][Li
 
2
][Fe
2+
3
Al
 
2
][(OH)
 
2
|Si
 
8
O
 
22
]
16.1.14Magnesioholmquistite
16.1.15Bityite
CaLiAl
 
2
[(OH)
 
2
|BeAlSi
 
2
O
 
10
]
16.1.16Sogdianite
(K,Na)
 
2
(Li,Fe)
 
3
(Zr,Ti,Fe)Si
 
12
O
 
30

Other Names for Sugilite

Synonyms:
IMA1974-060LavuliteLuvuliteRoyal AzelRoyal Lavulite
Royal Lazelle
Other Languages:
German:Lavulit
Sugilit
Japanese:杉石
Russian:Сугилит
Spanish:Lavulita
Sugilita

Other Information

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 Sugilite

Reference List:Murakami N., Kato T., Miura Y., Hirowatari F. (1976), Sugilite, a new silicate mineral from Iwagi Islet, southwest Japan. Mineralogical Journal: 8: 110-121.

Kato T., Miura Y., Murakami N. (1976), Crystal structure of sugilite. Mineralogical Journal: 8: 184-192.

American Mineralogist (1977): 596.

Armbruster T., Oberhansli R. (1988), Crystal chemistry of double-ring silicates: Structures of sugilite and brannockite. American Mineralogist: 73: 595-600.

Internet Links for Sugilite

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  • Raman and XRD data at RRUFF project
  • American Mineralogist Crystal Structure Database
  • Search for Sugilite in the Natural History Museum (London) online catalogue
  • Sugilite details from Handbook of Mineralogy (PDF)
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    Localities for Sugilite

    Hide Locality List
    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.
    (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.
    Australia
     
    • New South Wales
      • Darling Co.
        • Tamworth
    		Kawachi Y., Ashley P. M., Vince D., Goodwin M., 1994. Sugilite in manganese silicate rocks from the Hoskins mine and Woods mine, New South Wales, Australia. Miner. Mag., 58: 671-677
      • Forbes Co.
        • Grenfell
    		Kawachi Y., Ashley P. M., Vince D., Goodwin M., 1994. Sugilite in manganese silicate rocks from the Hoskins mine and Woods mine, New South Wales, Australia. Miner. Mag., 58: 671-677
    Canada
     
    • Québec
      • Montérégie
        • Rouville RCM
          • Mont Saint-Hilaire
    		No reference listed
    Italy
     
    • Liguria
      • La Spezia Province
        • Vara Valley
          • Borghetto Vara
    		Palenzona A. (1990) - La Sugilite di Cerchiara (SP) - Rivista Mineralogica Italiana, fasc. 3, pp. 153-154; Cabella R., Lucchetti G., Palenzona A., 1990. Al-rich, Fe-poor manganoan sugilite in a pectolite-bearing assemblage from Cerchiara Mine (Northern Appennines, Italy). N. Jb. Miner. Mh., 10: 443-448.
    • Tuscany
      • Lucca Province
        • Apuan Alps
          • Vagli di Sotto
    		Biagioni C., 2004. Le mineralizzazioni manganesifere dei Diaspri Auctt. di Vagli (Alpi Apuane, Lucca). Tesina di Laurea inedita, Università di Pisa.
    Japan
     
    • Ehime Prefecture
      • Inland Sea (Setonaikai)
    		NJMM (1990), 443; Am Min 84 (1999), 764; Mineralogical Journal Vol. 8 (1975) , No. 1 pp110-121
    • Shikoku Island
      • Ehime Prefecture
    		Dr. Yohachiro Okamoto collection (curated at Geological Survey museum, Japan)
    South Africa
     
    • Northern Cape Province
      • Kalahari manganese fields
        • Hotazel
    		Minerals of South Africa
        • Kuruman
          • N'Chwaning Mines
    		[Von Bezing, K. L. et al. (1991) - The Kalahari (Afrique du Sud) manganese field : an update, Mineralogical Record, 22 (3), 279-302.]
    Minerals of South Africa
    Tajikistan
     
    • Region of Republican Subordination
      • Tien Shan Mts
        • Alai (Alayskiy) Range
    		CanMin 42:107-119 (2004)
    Mineral and/or Locality
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