Pezzottaite
A valid IMA mineral species
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About Pezzottaite
Formula:
Cs(Be2Li)Al2(Si6O18)
Colour:
Raspberry-red to pink
Lustre:
Vitreous
Hardness:
8
Specific Gravity:
2.97
Crystal System:
Trigonal
Member of:
Name:
Named by Brendan M. Laurs, et al. in 2003 in honor of Federico Pezzotta (28 October 1965, Bergamo, Italy - ), petrologist and curator at the Museo Civico, Milano, Italy, for his work on Madagascar's granitic pegmatites.
Related to beryl. Pezzottaite is trigonal while beryl is hexagonal.
Visit gemdat.org for gemological information about Pezzottaite.
Unique Identifiers
Mindat ID:
25652
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:1:25652:6
GUID
(UUID V4):
(UUID V4):
44789bb0-862d-4c7b-8365-7258c774ba75
IMA Classification of Pezzottaite
Classification of Pezzottaite
9.CJ.60
9 : SILICATES (Germanates)
C : Cyclosilicates
J : [Si6O18]12- 6-membered single rings (sechser-Einfachringe), without insular complex anions
9 : SILICATES (Germanates)
C : Cyclosilicates
J : [Si6O18]12- 6-membered single rings (sechser-Einfachringe), without insular complex anions
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 |
---|---|---|
Pez | 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 Pezzottaite
Vitreous
Transparency:
Transparent, Translucent
Colour:
Raspberry-red to pink
Streak:
White
Hardness:
8 on Mohs scale
Tenacity:
Brittle
Cleavage:
Imperfect/Fair
(001)
(001)
Parting:
None observed
Fracture:
Irregular/Uneven, Conchoidal
Density:
2.97 g/cm3 (Measured) 3.06 g/cm3 (Calculated)
Optical Data of Pezzottaite
Type:
Uniaxial (-)
RI values:
nω = 1.612 - 1.620 nε = 1.601 - 1.611
Max Birefringence:
δ = 0.011
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:
Moderate
Pleochroism:
Strong
Comments:
Orange-red to purple-violet.
Chemistry of Pezzottaite
Mindat Formula:
Cs(Be2Li)Al2(Si6O18)
Crystallography of Pezzottaite
Crystal System:
Trigonal
Class (H-M):
3 - Rhombohedral
Space Group:
R3
Cell Parameters:
a = 15.946 Å, c = 27.803 Å
Ratio:
a:c = 1 : 1.744
Unit Cell V:
6122 ų
Z:
18
Morphology:
Hexagonal tabular crystals, small flat to equant crystals. Forms are dominant {001} with minor {100} and {101}.
Twinning:
None observed.
Crystal Structure
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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) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
0020677 | Pezzottaite | Gatta D G, Adamo I, Meven M, Lambruschi E (2012) A single-crystal neutron and X-ray diffraction of pezzottaite Physics and Chemistry of Minerals 39 829-840 | 2012 | Sakavalana pegmatite, Ambatovita, Madagascar | 0 | 298 | |
0020678 | Pezzottaite | Gatta D G, Adamo I, Meven M, Lambruschi E (2012) A single-crystal neutron and X-ray diffraction of pezzottaite Physics and Chemistry of Minerals 39 829-840 | 2012 | Sakavalana pegmatite, Ambatovita, Madagascar | 0 | 2.3 | |
0012413 | Pezzottaite | Yakubivich O V, Pekov I V, Steele I M, Massa W, Chukanov N V (2009) Alkali metals in beryl and their role in the formation of derivative structural motifs: Comparative crystal chemistry of vorobyevite and pezzottaite Crystallography Reports 54 399-412 | 2009 | Sakavalana granitic pegmatite, Antsirabe, Fianarantsoa Province, Madagascar | 0 | 100 |
CIF Raw Data - click here to close
X-Ray Powder Diffraction
Powder Diffraction Data:
d-spacing | Intensity |
---|---|
3.271 Å | (100) |
2.871 Å | (52) |
3.027 Å | (41) |
3.019 Å | (29) |
2.215 Å | (14) |
1.636 Å | (14) |
2.229 Å | (12) |
1.749 Å | (12) |
Comments:
Sakavalana pegmatite, Madagascar.
Geological Environment
Paragenetic Mode(s):
Paragenetic Mode | Earliest Age (Ga) |
---|---|
Stage 4b: Highly evolved igneous rocks | >3.0 |
34 : Complex granite pegmatites |
Type Occurrence of Pezzottaite
General Appearance of Type Material:
Isolated crystals, as irregularly shaped flat masses filling cavities between cleavelandite, quartz and tourmaline, subhedral-to-euhedral hexagonal tabular crystals to 10 cm in diameter, and as small flat to equant to elongated crystals attached to faces of large tourmaline crystals.
Place of Conservation of Type Material:
National Museum of Natural History, Washington, D.C., USA.
Canadian Museum of Nature, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Natural History Museum, Bern, Switzerland, number NMBE-36990.
Canadian Museum of Nature, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Natural History Museum, Bern, Switzerland, number NMBE-36990.
Geological Setting of Type Material:
Pegmatite
Associated Minerals at Type Locality:
Synonyms of Pezzottaite
Other Language Names for Pezzottaite
Relationship of Pezzottaite to other Species
Member of:
Other Members of this group:
Avdeevite | NaAl4(Be5Li)(Si6O18)2(H2O)1-2 | Hex. 6/mmm (6/m 2/m 2/m) : P63/mmc |
Bazzite | Be3Sc2(Si6O18) | Hex. 6/mmm (6/m 2/m 2/m) : P6/mcc |
Beryl | Be3Al2(Si6O18) | Hex. 6/mmm (6/m 2/m 2/m) : P6/mcc |
Johnkoivulaite | Cs[Be2B]Mg2Si6O18 | Hex. 6/mmm (6/m 2/m 2/m) : P6/mcc |
Stoppaniite | Be3Fe3+2(Si6O18) · H2O | Hex. 6/mmm (6/m 2/m 2/m) : P6/mcc |
Common Associates
Associated Minerals Based on Photo Data:
26 photos of Pezzottaite associated with Schorl | NaFe2+3Al6(Si6O18)(BO3)3(OH)3(OH) |
20 photos of Pezzottaite associated with Albite | Na(AlSi3O8) |
12 photos of Pezzottaite associated with Elbaite | Na(Li1.5Al1.5)Al6(Si6O18)(BO3)3(OH)3(OH) |
8 photos of Pezzottaite associated with Tourmaline | AD3G6 (T6O18)(BO3)3X3Z |
6 photos of Pezzottaite associated with Quartz | SiO2 |
4 photos of Pezzottaite associated with Chiavennite | CaMnBe2Si5O13(OH)2 · 2H2O |
3 photos of Pezzottaite associated with Lepidolite | |
2 photos of Pezzottaite associated with Cleavelandite | Na(AlSi3O8) |
1 photo of Pezzottaite associated with Olenite | NaAl3Al6(Si6O18)(BO3)3O3(OH) |
1 photo of Pezzottaite associated with Alkali-beryl | Be3Al2(Si6O18) |
Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat Grouping
9.CJ. | Avdeevite | NaAl4(Be5Li)(Si6O18)2(H2O)1-2 |
9.CJ. | Nakkaalaaqite | K2[Na3Ca]LiCa2Ti2Be4Si12O38 |
9.CJ. | Zolotarevite | Na5Zr[Si6O15(OH)3] · 3H2O |
9.CJ. | Beryllocordierite-Na | NaMg4(Al5Be)(AlSi5O18)2 · 2H2O |
9.CJ. | Beryllosachanbińskiite-Na | NaMn4(Al5Be)(AlSi5O18)2 · 2H2O |
9.CJ.05 | Bazzite | Be3Sc2(Si6O18) |
9.CJ.05 | Beryl | Be3Al2(Si6O18) |
9.CJ.05 | Indialite | Mg2Al3(AlSi5O18) |
9.CJ.05 va | Vorobyevite | Be3Al2(Si6O18) |
9.CJ.05 | Stoppaniite | Be3Fe3+2(Si6O18) · H2O |
9.CJ.05 | Ferroindialite | (Fe2+,Mg)2Al4Si5O18 |
9.CJ.05 | Johnkoivulaite | Cs[Be2B]Mg2Si6O18 |
9.CJ.10 | Cordierite | (Mg,Fe)2Al3(AlSi5O18) |
9.CJ.10 | Sekaninaite | (Fe,Mg)2Al3(AlSi5O18) |
9.CJ.15a | Combeite | Na4.5Ca3.5Si6O17.5(OH)0.5 |
9.CJ.15b | Imandrite | Na12Ca3Fe3+2(Si6O18)2 |
9.CJ.15a | Kazakovite | Na6Mn2+Ti(Si6O18) |
9.CJ.15c | Koashvite | Na6(Ca,Mn)(Ti,Fe)Si6O18 · H2O |
9.CJ.15a | Lovozerite | Na2Ca(Zr,Ti)(Si6O12)[(OH)4O2] · H2O |
9.CJ.15a | Tisinalite | Na3H3(Mn,Ca,Fe)TiSi6(O,OH)18 · 2H2O |
9.CJ.15a | Zirsinalite | Na6(Ca,Mn2+,Fe2+)Zr(Si6O18) |
9.CJ.15a | Litvinskite | Na2(◻,Na,Mn)ZrSi6O12(OH,O)6 |
9.CJ.15a | Kapustinite | Na6ZrSi6O16(OH)2 |
9.CJ.15a | Townendite | Na8ZrSi6O18 |
9.CJ.25 | Baratovite | KCa7(Ti,Zr)2Li3Si12O36F2 |
9.CJ.25 | Katayamalite | KLi3Ca7Ti2(SiO3)12(OH)2 |
9.CJ.25 | Aleksandrovite | KCa7Sn2Li3Si12O36F2 |
9.CJ.30 | Dioptase | CuSiO3 · H2O |
9.CJ.35 | Kostylevite | K2Zr(Si3O9) · H2O |
9.CJ.40 | Petarasite | Na5Zr2(Si6O18)(Cl,OH) · 2H2O |
9.CJ.45 | Gerenite-(Y) | (Ca,Na)2(Y,REE)3Si6O18 · 2H2O |
9.CJ.50 | Odintsovite | K2Na4Ca3Ti2Be4Si12O38 |
9.CJ.55 | Mathewrogersite | Pb7FeAl3GeSi12O36(OH,H2O)6 |
Fluorescence of Pezzottaite
blue shortwave-excited luminescence excited by SW UV caused by titanate groups (TiO6)
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 Pezzottaite
mindat.org URL:
https://www.mindat.org/min-25652.html
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References for Pezzottaite
Reference List:
Laurs, Brendan M., Simmons, William B. (Skip), Rossman, George R., Quinn, Elizabeth P., McClure, Shane F., Peretti, Adi, Armbruster, Thomas, Hawthorne, Frank C., Falster, Alexander U., Günther, Detlef, Cooper, Mark A., Grobéty, Bernard (2003) Pezzottaite from Ambatovita, Madagascar: A New Gem Mineral. Gems & Gemology, 39 (4) 284-301 doi:10.5741/gems.39.4.284
Locock, Andrew J., Piilonen, Paula C., Ercit, T. Scott, Rowe, Ralph (2006) New Mineral Names. American Mineralogist, 91 (1) 216-224 doi:10.2138/am.2006.454
Localities for Pezzottaite
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.
Afghanistan | |
| Herb Obodda |
| - (2005) |
Austria | |
| Kolitsch et al. (2020) |
Czech Republic | |
| Přikryl et al. (2012) |
Madagascar (TL) | |
| Laurs et al. (Skip) +2 other references |
| Rob Lavinsky photo id 744080 ( Dr. Federico Pezzotta is cited in caption on the validity of the id) |
Myanmar | |
| Devouard et al. (2007) |
Poland | |
| A. Pieczka et al. (2016) +1 other reference |
Pieczka et al. (2012) | |
USA | |
| Falster et al. (2019) |
Quick NavTopAbout PezzottaiteUnique IdentifiersIMA Classification Classification Mineral SymbolsPhysical Properties Optical Data Chemistry Crystallography Crystal StructureX-Ray Powder DiffractionGeological EnvironmentType Occurrence SynonymsOther LanguagesRelationshipsCommon AssociatesStrunz-MindatFluorescence Other InformationInternet Links References Localities Locality List
Sakavalana mine, Ambatovita, Mandrosonoro, Ambatofinandrahana District, Amoron'i Mania, Madagascar