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Berdesinskiite

Formula:
V
3+
2
TiO
 
5
System:MonoclinicColour:Black
Hardness:6 - 6½
Name:For Professor Waldemar Berdesinski (1911-1990), crystallographer, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
This page provides mineralogical data about Berdesinskiite.

Classification of Berdesinskiite

IMA status:Approved 1980
Strunz 8th edition ID:4/C.26-10
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:4.CB.30

4 : OXIDES (Hydroxides, V[5,6] vanadates, arsenites, antimonites, bismuthites, sulfites, selenites, tellurites, iodates)
C : Metal: Oxygen = 2: 3,3: 5, and similar
B : With medium-sized cations
Dana 8th edition ID:7.7.2.1

7 : MULTIPLE OXIDES
7 : AB2X5
Hey's CIM Ref.:7.12.15

7 : Oxides and Hydroxides
12 : Oxides of V, Nb and Ta
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Type Occurrence of Berdesinskiite

Type Locality:Lasamba Hill, Kwale District, Coast Province, Kenya
General Appearance of Type Material:As grains, rarely up to 70 µm, and as rims arouns schreyerite
Place of Conservation of Type Material:Universities of Bochum, Hamburg and Heidelberg, Germany;
National Museum of Natural History, Washington, D.C., USA (No. 147362)
Year of Discovery:1981
Geological Setting of type material:In strongly weathered gneiss with quartzite in a gem kornerupine deposit of Precambrian age
Associated Minerals at type locality:
TourmalineSchreyeriteRutileQuartzKornerupine
GraphiteEpidoteDiopsideBiotite

Physical Properties of Berdesinskiite

Lustre:Metallic
Diaphaneity (Transparency):Opaque
Colour:Black
Hardness (Mohs):6 - 6½
Density (calculated):4.536 g/cm3

Crystallography of Berdesinskiite

Crystal System:Monoclinic
Cell Parameters:a = 10.11Å, b = 5.084Å, c = 7.03Å
β = 111.46°
Ratio:a:b:c = 1.989 : 1 : 1.383
Unit Cell Volume:V 336.29 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:4
X-Ray Powder Diffraction:
d-spacingIntensity
4.721(
4.492(
3.316(
2.895(
2.676(
2.543(
Comments:Recorded on type material; line intensities not given

Optical Data of Berdesinskiite

Type:Biaxial
Bireflectance:Weak
Reflectivity:
400 nmR1=16.6%R2= 17.1%
420 nmR1=17.1%R2= 17.5%
440 nmR1=17.4%R2= 18.0%
460 nmR1=17.9%R2= 18.4%
480 nmR1=18.3%R2= 18.9%
500 nmR1=18.8%R2= 19.4%
520 nmR1=19.2%R2= 19.8%
540 nmR1=19.5%R2= 20.3%
560 nmR1=19.8%R2= 20.8%
580 nmR1=20.0%R2= 21.1%
600 nmR1=20.3%R2= 21.3%
620 nmR1=20.4%R2= 21.4%
640 nmR1=20.5%R2= 21.5%
660 nmR1=20.6%R2= 21.6%
680 nmR1=20.4%R2= 21.6%
700 nmR1=20.2%R2= 21.5%


Graph shows reflectance levels at different wavelengths (in nm). Peak reflectance is 21.6%.
R1 shown in black, R2 shown in red
Colour in reflected light:Reddish brown

Chemical Properties of Berdesinskiite

Formula:
V
3+
2
TiO
 
5
Essential elements:O, Ti, V
All elements listed in formula:O, Ti, V
Analytical Data:Averages of five electron microprobe analyses of type material
TiO2  (34.13)
Al2O3  (0.76)
V2O3  (64.35)
Cr2O3  (1.39)
MnO    (0.01)

sum   100.64 wt.-%
Empirical Formula:
(V
 
1.96
Cr
 
0.05
Al
 
0.03
)
 
=2.04
Ti
 
0.98
O
 
5
Common Impurities:Al,Cr

Relationship of Berdesinskiite to other Species

Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):

- +
4.CB.05Brizziite
NaSb
5+
 
O
 
3
4.CB.05Corundum
Al
 
2
O
 
3
4.CB.05Ecandrewsite
(Zn,Fe
2+
 
,Mn
2+
 
)TiO
 
3
4.CB.05Eskolaite
Cr
 
2
O
 
3
4.CB.05Geikielite
MgTiO
 
3
4.CB.05Hematite
Fe
 
2
O
 
3
4.CB.05Ilmenite
Fe
2+
 
TiO
 
3
4.CB.05Karelianite
V
 
2
O
 
3
4.CB.05Melanostibite
Mn
2+
 
(Sb
5+
 
,Fe
3+
 
)O
 
3
4.CB.05Pyrophanite
Mn
2+
 
TiO
 
3
4.CB.05Auroantimonate
AuSbO
 
3
4.CB.05Romanite
([],Pb,Ca)UFe
2+
2
(Ti,Fe
3+
 
)
 
6
Ti
 
12
O
 
38
4.CB.05UM1998-11-O-AuHSb
Au
 
2
SbO
 
2
(OH)
4.CB.10Avicennite
Tl
 
2
O
 
3
4.CB.10Bixbyite
(Mn
3+
 
,Fe
3+
 
)
 
2
O
 
3
4.CB.15Armalcolite
(Mg,Fe
2+
 
)Ti
 
2
O
 
5
4.CB.15Pseudobrookite
Fe
 
2
TiO
 
5
4.CB.15Mongshanite
(Mg,Cr,Fe
2+
 
)
 
2
(Ti,Zr)
 
5
O
 
12
4.CB.20Zincohögbomite-2N2S
Ti(Zn,Mg,Fe)
 
2
Al
 
8
O
 
15
(OH)
4.CB.20Zincohögbomite-2N6S
Ti(Zn,Mg,Fe)
 
6
Al
 
16
O
 
31
(OH)
4.CB.20Magnesiohögbomite-6N6S
Ti(Mg,Fe)
 
2
Al
 
8
O
 
15
(OH)
4.CB.20Magnesiohögbomite-2N3S
Ti(Mg,Fe)
 
3
Al
 
10
O
 
19
(OH)
4.CB.20Magnesiohögbomite-2N2S
Ti(Mg,Fe)
 
2
Al
 
8
O
 
15
(OH)
4.CB.20Ferrohögbomite-6N12S
Ti(Fe,Mg)
 
4
Al
 
12
O
 
23
(OH)
4.CB.25Pseudorutile
Fe
 
2
Ti
 
3
O
 
9
4.CB.35Olkhonskite
(Cr,V)
 
2
Ti
 
3
O
 
9
4.CB.35Schreyerite
V
 
2
Ti
 
3
O
 
9
4.CB.40Kamiokite
Fe
 
2
Mo
 
3
O
 
8
4.CB.40Nolanite
(V,Fe,Fe,Ti)
 
10
O
 
14
(OH)
 
2
4.CB.40Rinmanite
Zn
 
2
Sb
 
2
Mg
 
2
Fe
 
4
O
 
14
(OH)
 
2
4.CB.45Claudetite
As
 
2
O
 
3
4.CB.45Stibioclaudetite
AsSbO
 
3
4.CB.50Arsenolite
As
 
2
O
 
3
4.CB.50Sénarmontite
Sb
 
2
O
 
3
4.CB.55Valentinite
Sb
 
2
O
 
3
4.CB.60Bismite
Bi
 
2
O
 
3
4.CB.65Sphaerobismoite
Bi
 
2
O
 
3
4.CB.70Sillénite
Bi
 
12
SiO
 
20
4.CB.75Kyzylkumite
V
 
2
Ti
 
3
O
 
9
4.CB.80Tietaiyangite
Fe
3+
4
Fe
2+
 
TiO
 
9
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:

- +
7.12.1Montroseite
(V,Fe)O(OH)
7.12.2 Scherbinaite
7.12.3Paramontroseite
VO
 
2
7.12.4Häggite
V
 
2
O
 
2
(OH)
 
3
7.12.5Duttonite
VO(OH)
 
2
7.12.6Doloresite
3V
 
2
O
 
4
·4H
 
2
O
7.12.7Lenoblite
V
 
2
O
 
4
·2H
 
2
O
7.12.8Navajoite
V
 
2
O
 
5
 · 3H
 
2
O
7.12.9Vanoxite
V
 
6
O
 
13
·8H
 
2
O
7.12.10Bariandite
Al
 
3
[(V
5+
 
,V
4+
 
)
 
4
O
 
10
]
 
10
 · 45H
 
2
O
7.12.11Corvusite
V
 
7
O
 
20
·nH
 
2
O
7.12.12Simplotite
CaV
 
4
O
 
9
·5H
 
2
O
7.12.13Kyzylkumite
V
 
2
Ti
 
3
O
 
9
7.12.14Schreyerite
V
 
2
Ti
 
3
O
 
9
7.12.16Tivanite
VTiO
 
3
(OH)
7.12.17Mannardite
Ba
 
x
Ti
 
8-2x
V
 
2x
O
 
16
·2-xH
 
2
O
7.12.18Karelianite
V
 
2
O
 
3
7.12.19Coulsonite
FeV
 
2
O
 
4
7.12.20Nolanite
(V,Fe,Fe,Ti)
 
10
O
 
14
(OH)
 
2
7.12.21Vuorelainenite
(Mn,Fe)(V,Cr)
 
2
O
 
4
7.12.22Tantite
Ta
 
2
O
 
5
7.12.23Kimrobinsonite
(Ta,Nb)(OH)
 
5-2x
(O,CO
 
3
)
 
x
 x near 1.2

Other Names for Berdesinskiite

Synonyms:
IMA1980-036
Other Languages:
German:Berdesinskiit
Spanish:Berdesinskiita

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 Berdesinskiite

Reference List:American Mineralogist (1982), 67, 1074.

Bernhardt, H.-J. , Schmetzer, K. and Medenbach, O. (1983): Berdesinskiite, V2TiO5, a new mineral from Kenya and additional data for schreyerite, V2Ti3O9. Neues Jahrbuch für Mineralogie, Monatshefte, 3, 110-118. - American Mineralogist (1983), 68, 1038 (abstract).

Zeitschrift der Deutschen Gemmologischen Gesellschaft 30, 143-145.

Anthony, J. W. et al. (1997): Handbook of Mineralogy, Vol. 3, 52.

Kolitsch, U. and Tillmanns, E. (2004): Does metastable monoclinic Sc2TiO5 exist? Insights from the crystal structures of berdesinskiite (V2TiO5) and unnamed natural monoclinic Fe2TiO5. 32nd International Geological Congress, Florence, Italy, August 20-28, 2004; Abstracts Vol., Pt. 1, abs. 42-3, 215.

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    Localities for Berdesinskiite

    (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.
    Kenya
     
    • Coast Province
      • Kwale District
    		JJ Bernhardt, K Schmetzer, O Medenbach: N. Jb. Miner. Mh. 3, 110-118 (1983)
    Russia
     
    • Eastern-Siberian Region
      • Prebaikalia (Pribaikal'e)
        • Irkutskaya Oblast'
          • Lake Baikal area
      • Transbaikalia (Zabaykalye)
        • Buriatia (Buryatia) Republic
          • Baikal area
            • Sludyanka (Slyudyanka)
    		Proceedings of the Russian Mineralogical Society 136(5), 65-75.
    Spain
     
    • Catalonia
      • Tarragona
        • Conca de Barberà
          • Vimbodí
            • Poblet Monastery
    		C.. Canet et al. , The Canadian Mineralogist, 2003, V41, pp. 581-595
    C.. Canet et al. , The Canadian Mineralogist, 2003, V41, pp. 581-595
    C.. Canet et al. , The Canadian Mineralogist, 2003, V41, pp. 581-595
    Mineral and/or Locality
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