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Tsilaisite

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Big Photo

Kasekelesa (Kasekelua) deposit, Lulua, Katanga (Shaba), Democratic Republic of Congo (Zaïre)
© 1995-2001 Trinity Mineral Co.

Show Tsilaisite Photos (3)



Formula:
Na(Mn
2+
 
)
 
3
Al
 
6
(Si
 
6
O
 
18
)(BO
 
3
)
 
3
(OH)
 
3
(OH)
System:Trigonal
Member of:Tourmaline Group
Name:Named after the originally reported locality, Tsilaisina (Madagascar).


Originally described as tsilaisite, but then recognised as only a manganese-rich variety of elbaite, and therefore discredited in 2006. In 2001, a Mn-dominant material from Elba, Italy, was finally approved as tsilaisite.
Almost all localities listed below probably contain only Mn-bearing or -rich elbaite, not tsilaisite.

Originally reported from Tsilaizina (Tsilaisina), Sahatany Valley, Sahatany Pegmatite Field (Mt Bity (Ibity) area), Vakinankaratra Region (Betafo - Antsirabé region), Antananarivo Province, Madagascar.

Classification of Tsilaisite

IMA status:Approved 2011
mindat.org URL:http://www.mindat.org/min-8016.html
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Type Occurrence of Tsilaisite

Type Locality:Grotta d'Oggi Quarry, San Piero in Campo, Campo nell'Elba, Elba Island, Livorno Province, Tuscany, Italy

Crystallography of Tsilaisite

Crystal System:Trigonal
Class (H-M):3m - Ditrigonal Pyramidal
Space Group:R3m
Cell Parameters:a = 15.9461(5) Å, c = 7.1380(3) Å
Ratio:a:c = 1 : 0.448
Unit Cell Volume:V 1,571.87 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:3
X-Ray Powder Diffraction:
d-spacingIntensity
6.329 (22)
4.205 (41)
3.974 (100)
3.452 (71)
2.942 (94)
2.570 (79)
2.377 (21)
2.034 (49)

Chemical Properties of Tsilaisite

Formula:
Na(Mn
2+
 
)
 
3
Al
 
6
(Si
 
6
O
 
18
)(BO
 
3
)
 
3
(OH)
 
3
(OH)
Essential elements:Al, B, H, Mn, Na, O, Si
All elements listed in formula:Al, B, H, Mn, Na, O, Si

Relationship of Tsilaisite to other Species

Member of:Tourmaline Group
Other Members of Group:

- +
Buergerite
Na(Fe
3+
3
)Al
 
6
(Si
 
6
O
 
18
)(BO
 
3
)
 
3
O
 
3
F
Chromdravite
Na(Mg
 
3
)Cr
3+
6
(Si
 
6
O
 
18
)(BO
 
3
)
 
3
(OH)
 
3
(OH)
Chromo-aluminopovondraite
Na(Cr
 
3
)Mg
 
2
Al
 
4
(Si
 
6
O
 
18
)(BO
 
3
)
 
3
(OH)
 
3
O
Dravite
Na(Mg
 
3
)Al
 
6
(Si
 
6
O
 
18
)(BO
 
3
)
 
3
(OH)
 
3
(OH)
Elbaite
Na(Li
 
1.5
Al
 
1.5
)Al
 
6
(Si
 
6
O
 
18
)(BO
 
3
)
 
3
(OH)
 
3
(OH)
Feruvite
Ca(Fe
2+
 
)
 
3
MgAl
 
5
(Si
 
6
O
 
18
)(BO
 
3
)
 
3
(OH)
 
3
(OH)
Fluor-dravite
Na(Mg
 
3
)Al
 
6
(Si
 
6
O
 
18
)(BO
 
3
)
 
3
(OH)
 
3
F
Fluor-elbaite
Na(Li
 
1.5
Al
 
1.5
)Al
 
6
(Si
 
6
O
 
18
)(BO
 
3
)
 
3
(OH)
 
3
F
Fluor-feruvite
Ca(Fe
2+
 
)
 
3
MgAl
 
5
(Si
 
6
O
 
18
)(BO
 
3
)
 
3
(OH)
 
3
F
Fluor-liddicoatite
Ca(Li
 
2
Al)Al
 
6
(Si
 
6
O
 
18
)(BO
 
3
)
 
3
(OH)
 
3
(OH)F
Fluor-schorl
Na(Fe
2+
3
)Al
 
6
(Si
 
6
O
 
18
)(BO
 
3
)
 
3
(OH)
 
3
F
Foitite
(□,Na)(Fe
2+
2
Al)Al
 
6
(Si
 
6
O
 
18
)(BO
 
3
)
 
3
(OH)
 
3
OH
Liddicoatite
Ca(Li
 
2
Al)Al
 
6
(Si
 
6
O
 
18
)(BO
 
3
)
 
3
(OH)
 
3
(OH)
Luinaite-(OH)
Na(Fe
2+
 
)
 
3
Al
 
6
(Si
 
6
O
 
18
)(BO
 
3
)
 
3
(OH)
 
3
(OH)
Magnesiofoitite
(□,Na)(Mg
 
2
Al)Al
 
6
(Si
 
6
O
 
18
)(BO
 
3
)
 
3
(OH)
 
3
(OH)
Olenite
Na(Al
 
3
)Al
 
6
(Si
 
6
O
 
18
)(BO
 
3
)
 
3
O
 
3
(OH)
Oxy-dravite
Na(MgAl
 
2
)MgAl
 
5
(Si
 
6
O
 
18
)(BO
 
3
)
 
3
(OH)
 
3
O
Oxy-rossmanite
☐(LiAl
 
2
)Al
 
6
(Si
 
6
O
 
18
)(BO
 
3
)
 
3
(OH)
 
3
O
Oxy-schorl
Na(Fe
2+
 
,Al)
 
3
Al
 
6
(Si
 
6
O
 
18
)(BO
 
3
)
 
3
(OH)
 
3
(O,OH,F)
Povondraite
Na(Fe
3+
3
)Mg
 
2
Fe
3+
4
(Si
 
6
O
 
18
)(BO
 
3
)
 
3
(OH)
 
3
O
Rossmanite
☐(LiAl
 
2
)Al
 
6
(Si
 
6
O
 
18
)(BO
 
3
)
 
3
(OH)
 
3
(OH)
Schorl
Na(Fe
2+
3
)Al
 
6
(Si
 
6
O
 
18
)(BO
 
3
)
 
3
(OH)
 
3
(OH)
Unnamed (Pb-dominant tourmaline)
(Pb,Na)(Li,Al)
 
3
Al
 
6
(Si
 
6
O
 
18
)(BO
 
3
)
 
3
(OH)
 
3
(F,OH)
Uvite
Ca(Mg
 
3
)MgAl
 
5
(Si
 
6
O
 
18
)(BO
 
3
)
 
3
(OH)
 
3
(OH)
Vanadiumdravite
Na(Mg,Fe
2+
 
)
 
3
(V
3+
 
,Cr
3+
 
,Al)
 
6
(Si
 
6
O
 
18
)(BO
 
3
)
 
3
(OH)
 
3
(OH)

Other Names for Tsilaisite

Synonyms:
IMA2011-047Unnamed (Mn-dominant tourmaline)
Other Languages:
German:Tsilaisit
Spanish:Tsilaisita

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 Tsilaisite

Reference List:

- +
Nuber, B. and K. Schmetzer (1984), Structural refinement of tsilaisite (manganese tourmaline). Neues Jahrbuch für Mineralogie, Monatshefte, 1984: 301-304.

Am. Min. 70, 877 (1985)

Am. Min. 71, 1214-1216 (1986)

Strunz-Nickel (2001): 611-612.

Can. Min. 44, 1557-1560 (2006)


http://www.geoitalia.org/index.php?action=folder_list〈=it&folder_id=310

Bosi, F., Skogby, H., Scandale, E. and Agros, G. (2011): Tsilaisite, IMA 2011-047. CNMNC Newsletter No. 10, October 2011, page 2559.

Internet Links for Tsilaisite

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    • Localities for Tsilaisite

    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.
    Democratic Republic of Congo (Zaïre)
     
    • Katanga (Shaba)
      • Lulua
    		No reference listed
    Italy
     
    • Tuscany
      • Livorno Province
        • Elba Island
          • Campo nell'Elba
            • San Piero in Campo
    		http://www.geoitalia.org/index.php?action=folder_list〈=it&folder_id=310; Bosi, F., Skogby, H., Scandale, E. and Agros, G. (2011): Tsilaisite, IMA 2011-047. CNMNC Newsletter No. 10, October 2011, page 2559.
    Madagascar
     
    • Antananarivo Province
      • Vakinankaratra Region
        • Sahatany Pegmatite Field (Mt Ibity area)
          • Sahatany Valley
    		Ranorosoa, N. (1986): Etude mineralogique des pegmatites du champ de la Sahatany, Madagascar. These de Doctorat de l`Universite Paul Sabatier, Toulouse
    Russia
     
    • Eastern-Siberian Region
      • Transbaikalia (Zabaykalye)
        • Chitinskaya Oblast'
    		AmMin 88:1369-1376 (2003)
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