Nyerereite
A valid IMA mineral species
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About Nyerereite
Julius K. Nyerere
Formula:
Na2Ca(CO3)2
Colour:
Colourless
Specific Gravity:
2.41
Crystal System:
Orthorhombic
Name:
Named by C. Milton in 1968 in honour of Julius Kambarage Nyerere (13 April 1922, Butiama, Tanganyika – 14 October 1999, London, United Kingdom), president of Tanganyika and then Tanzania 1964-1985. The original description contained only a name and composition. A later proposed name of natrofairchildite (in another paper that included data) was denied and nyerereite was given priority.
Dimorph of:
May be "a possible messenger from the deep Earth" (Zucchini et al., 2022).
May occur as fluid inclusions in chromite (Potapov et al., 2022).
May occur as fluid inclusions in chromite (Potapov et al., 2022).
Unique Identifiers
Mindat ID:
2945
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:1:2945:8
GUID
(UUID V4):
(UUID V4):
013caf4b-b8b0-4474-964b-beaf677e2f8f
IMA Classification of Nyerereite
Classification of Nyerereite
5.AC.10
5 : CARBONATES (NITRATES)
A : Carbonates without additional anions, without H2O
C : Alkali and alkali-earth carbonates
5 : CARBONATES (NITRATES)
A : Carbonates without additional anions, without H2O
C : Alkali and alkali-earth carbonates
14.3.4.1
14 : ANHYDROUS NORMAL CARBONATES
3 : A2B(XO3)2
14 : ANHYDROUS NORMAL CARBONATES
3 : A2B(XO3)2
11.1.10
11 : Carbonates
1 : Carbonates of the alkali metals and ammonium
11 : Carbonates
1 : Carbonates of the alkali metals and ammonium
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Nye | 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 Nyerereite
Transparency:
Transparent
Colour:
Colourless
Streak:
White
Density:
2.41 g/cm3 (Measured) 2.42 g/cm3 (Calculated)
Optical Data of Nyerereite
Type:
Biaxial (-)
RI values:
nα = 1.511 nβ = 1.533 nγ = 1.535
2V:
Measured: 29° , Calculated: 28°
Max Birefringence:
δ = 0.023
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:
Low
Dispersion:
strong
Optical Extinction:
X = c; Y = a; Z = b.
Chemistry of Nyerereite
Mindat Formula:
Na2Ca(CO3)2
Elements listed:
Crystallography of Nyerereite
Crystal System:
Orthorhombic
Class (H-M):
mmm (2/m 2/m 2/m) - Dipyramidal
Space Group:
Pbca
Setting:
Pbca
Cell Parameters:
a = 5.062(1) Å, b = 8.790(1) Å, c = 12.744(1) Å
Ratio:
a:b:c = 0.576 : 1 : 1.45
Unit Cell V:
567.04 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:
4
Morphology:
Platy crystals to 0.5 mm. Flat tabular with {001} faces well developed and no proper faces in the [001] zone. Sometimes displaying “swallow-tail” terminations.
Twinning:
Always twinned.
Comment:
Incommensurately modulated twin structure (Bolotina et al., 2017): Cmcm(α00)00s with modulation vector q = 0.383a*, with above unit-cell parameters. Originally assumed to have Cmc21. The structure of nyerereite was refined as a three-component twinned structure in the centrosymmetric Pbca space group with ratios of the three twinning components 0.221(3):0.287(3):0.492(3)
Crystal Structure
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2x2x2 | 3x3x3 | 4x4x4
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Data courtesy of the American Mineralogist Crystal Structure Database. Click on an AMCSD ID to view structure
| ID | Species | Reference | Link | Year | Locality | Pressure (GPa) | Temp (K) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0010790 | Nyerereite | McKie D, Frankis E J (1977) Nyerereite: A new volcanic carbonate mineral from Oldoinyo Lengai, Tanzania Zeitschrift fur Kristallographie 145 73-95 |  | 1977 | Oldoinyo Lengai, Tanzania | 0 | 293 |
| 0010791 | Nyerereite | McKie D, Frankis E J (1977) Nyerereite: A new volcanic carbonate mineral from Oldoinyo Lengai, Tanzania Zeitschrift fur Kristallographie 145 73-95 | | 1977 | Oldoinyo Lengai, Tanzania | 0 | 293 |
CIF Raw Data - click here to close
X-Ray Powder Diffraction
Powder Diffraction Data:
| d-spacing | Intensity |
|---|---|
| 3.046 Å | (very very strong) |
| 6.377 Å | (very strong) |
| 4.385 Å | (very strong) |
| 2.536 Å | (very strong) |
| 2.071 Å | (very strong) |
| 3.181 Å | (medium strong) |
| 2.161 Å | (medium strong) |
Geological Environment
Paragenetic Mode(s):
| Paragenetic Mode | Earliest Age (Ga) |
|---|---|
| Stage 3a: Earth’s earliest Hadean crust | >4.50 |
| 9 : Lava/xenolith minerals (hornfels, sanidinite facies) | |
| Stage 4b: Highly evolved igneous rocks | >3.0 |
| 36 : Carbonatites, kimberlites, and related igneous rocks |
Type Occurrence of Nyerereite
General Appearance of Type Material:
Invariably twinned crystals, embedded in rock.
Place of Conservation of Type Material:
National Museum of Natural History, Washington, D.C., USA, 113544, 162608.
Geological Setting of Type Material:
Carbonatite volcano.
Synonyms of Nyerereite
Other Language Names for Nyerereite
Common Associates
Associated Minerals Based on Photo Data:
| 5 photos of Nyerereite associated with Gregoryite | (Na2,K2,Ca)CO3 |
| 2 photos of Nyerereite associated with Anhydrite | CaSO4 |
Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat Grouping
| 5.AC.05 | Eitelite | Na2Mg(CO3)2 |
| 5.AC.10 | Zemkorite | Na2Ca(CO3)2 |
| 5.AC.15 | Bütschliite | K2Ca(CO3)2 |
| 5.AC.20 | Fairchildite | K2Ca(CO3)2 |
| 5.AC.25 | Shortite | Na2Ca2(CO3)3 |
| 5.AC.30 | Burbankite | (Na,Ca)3(Sr,Ba,Ce)3(CO3)5 |
| 5.AC.30 | Calcioburbankite | Na3(Ca,REE,Sr)3(CO3)5 |
| 5.AC.30 | Khanneshite | (Na,Ca)3(Ba,Sr,Ce,Ca)3(CO3)5 |
| 5.AC.30 | Sanrománite | Na2CaPb3[CO3]5 |
| 5.AC.30 | Lishiite | (Ca2◻)Sr3(CO3)5 |
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.
Nyerereite in petrology
An essential component of rock names highlighted in red, an accessory component in rock names highlighted in green.
Internet Links for Nyerereite
mindat.org URL:
https://www.mindat.org/min-2945.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 Nyerereite
Reference List:
Dawson, J.B. (1962) Sodium carbonate lavas from Oldoinyo Lengai, Tanganyika. Nature: 195: 1075–1076.
Fleischer, Michael, Cabri, Louis J. (1978) New mineral names. American Mineralogist, 63 (5-6) 598-600
Localities for Nyerereite
symbol to view information about a locality.
The 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).
All localities listed without proper references should be considered as questionable.
Angola | |
| Castellano Calvo A et al. (2014) |
| Castellano Calvo A et al. (2014) |
| Amores-Casals et al. (2019) |
Antarctica | |
| Wlotzka et al. (1989) |
Brazil | |
| Guarino (2010) |
| Kaminsky et al. (2015) |
Canada | |
| Kamenetsky et al. (2013) |
| Chen et al. (2013) |
| Chen et al. (2013) | |
Czech Republic | |
| Luetcke (n.d.) |
Germany | |
| 58 (in German) +1 other reference |
| Schnorrer-Köhler et al. (1991) | |
Italy | |
| Stoppa et al. (2009) |
| Stoppa et al. (2009) |
Kenya | |
| Deines et al. (1973) +4 other references |
| A. N. Zaitsev et al. (2013) |
Russia | |
| Golovin et al. (2023) |
| Andreeva et al. (2006, May) |
| Starikova et al. (2017) |
| Sharygin +11 other references |
| Henderson et al. (1999) +1 other reference |
| Henderson et al. (1999) | |
| Potter et al. (2017) |
| Mikhailova et al. (2015) +1 other reference |
| Mikhailova et al. (2015) | |
| Pekov (1998) |
| Sharygin et al. (2007, August) +2 other references |
| Sharygin et al. (2021, October) |
| Potapov et al. (2022) +1 other reference | |
| Sharygin et al. (2017) |
South Africa | |
| Giuliani et al. (2012) +1 other reference |
Tanzania | |
| Zaitsev A.N. et al. (2010) |
| Mineralogical Magazine 1997 61 : 779-789 +5 other references |
Quick NavTopAbout NyerereiteUnique IdentifiersIMA Classification Classification Mineral SymbolsPhysical Properties Optical Data Chemistry Crystallography Crystal StructureX-Ray Powder DiffractionGeological EnvironmentType Occurrence SynonymsOther LanguagesCommon AssociatesStrunz-MindatOther InformationNyerereite in petrologyInternet Links References Localities Locality List
Ol Doinyo Lengai, Ngorongoro District, Arusha region, Tanzania