Amphibole Supergroup
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Formula:
AX2Z5((Si,Al,Ti)8O22)(OH,F,Cl,O)2
A = ☐, Na, K, Ca, Pb2+
X = Li, Na, Mg, Fe2+, Mn2+, Ca
Z = Li, Na, Mg, Fe2+, Mn2+, Zn, Co, Ni, Al, Fe3+, Cr3+, Mn3+, V3+, Ti, Zr
The IMA nomenclature report (Hawthorne et al., 2012) uses the general formula AB2C5T8W2. On mindat.org we avoid using variables with the same symbol as elements and we use X rather than B, Z rather than C and (OH,F,Cl,O) rather than W.
X = Li, Na, Mg, Fe2+, Mn2+, Ca
Z = Li, Na, Mg, Fe2+, Mn2+, Zn, Co, Ni, Al, Fe3+, Cr3+, Mn3+, V3+, Ti, Zr
The IMA nomenclature report (Hawthorne et al., 2012) uses the general formula AB2C5T8W2. On mindat.org we avoid using variables with the same symbol as elements and we use X rather than B, Z rather than C and (OH,F,Cl,O) rather than W.
Name:
The name amphibole (Greek αμφιβολος - amphibolos meaning 'ambiguous') was used by René Just Haüy to include tremolite, actinolite, tourmaline and hornblende. The group was so named by Haüy in allusion to the protean variety, in composition and appearance, assumed by its minerals. This term has since been applied to the whole group. (Wikipedia).
An extensive and complex group of minerals presently divided into a group/subgroup/root-name hierarchy (see group/subgroup/root-name files for the individual species). The amphibole group remains under study with the most recent, IMA-approved nomenclature being published in 2012 (Hawthorne et al., 2012, superseding Hawthorne & Oberti, 2006).
Individual members can often only be correctly identified by a combination of chemical-analytical, X-ray diffraction and spectroscopic methods.
The crystal symmetry is either monoclinic (more common) or orthorhombic.
Individual members can often only be correctly identified by a combination of chemical-analytical, X-ray diffraction and spectroscopic methods.
The crystal symmetry is either monoclinic (more common) or orthorhombic.
Classification of Amphibole Supergroup
Approved
Notes:
Group Name
Chemical Properties of Amphibole Supergroup
Formula:
AX2Z5((Si,Al,Ti)8O22)(OH,F,Cl,O)2
A = ☐, Na, K, Ca, Pb2+
X = Li, Na, Mg, Fe2+, Mn2+, Ca
Z = Li, Na, Mg, Fe2+, Mn2+, Zn, Co, Ni, Al, Fe3+, Cr3+, Mn3+, V3+, Ti, Zr
The IMA nomenclature report (Hawthorne et al., 2012) uses the general formula AB2C5T8W2. On mindat.org we avoid using variables with the same symbol as elements and we use X rather than B, Z rather than C and (OH,F,Cl,O) rather than W.
A = ☐, Na, K, Ca, Pb2+
X = Li, Na, Mg, Fe2+, Mn2+, Ca
Z = Li, Na, Mg, Fe2+, Mn2+, Zn, Co, Ni, Al, Fe3+, Cr3+, Mn3+, V3+, Ti, Zr
The IMA nomenclature report (Hawthorne et al., 2012) uses the general formula AB2C5T8W2. On mindat.org we avoid using variables with the same symbol as elements and we use X rather than B, Z rather than C and (OH,F,Cl,O) rather than W.
Crystallographic forms of Amphibole Supergroup
Crystal Atlas:
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Amphibole no.7 - Goldschmidt (1913-1926)
Amphibole no.39 - Goldschmidt (1913-1926)
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Synonyms of Amphibole Supergroup
Other Language Names for Amphibole Supergroup
Croatian:Amfiboli
Dutch:Amfibool
Esperanto:Amfibolo
Estonian:Amfiboolid
Finnish:Amfiboli
French:Amphibole
German:Amphibolgruppe
Amphibol
Amphibol
Hebrew:אמפיבול
Italian:Anfibolo
Japanese:角閃石
Korean:각섬석
Norwegian (Bokmål):Amfibol
Polish:Amfibole
Portuguese:Anfíbola
Romanian:Amfiboli
Russian:Амфиболы
Simplified Chinese:角闪石
Slovak:Skupina amfibolu
Spanish:Anfíbol
Swedish:Amfibol
Ukrainian:Амфіболи
Varieties of Amphibole Supergroup
| Byssolite | A fibrous to hair-like crystal or mass of fibers frequently in the actinolite-ferroactinolite-tremolite series, but may be any amphibole species. |
| Uralite | Pseudomorphs of hornblende group minerals, mainly actinolite, after a pyroxene group mineral, mainly augite. |
Relationship of Amphibole Supergroup to other Species
Group Members:
| Clino-suenoite | □Mn2+2 Mg5Si8O22(OH)2 |
| Unnamed (F-dominant analogue of Ferri-kaersutite) | (Na,K)Ca2[Mg3(Fe3+,Fe2+)Ti](Si6Al2O22)(F,O)2 |
| w(O)-dominant Amphibole Group | {A0-1}{X2}{Z5}(T8O22)O2 |
| Kaersutite Root Name | {A}{Ca2}{Z2+3Z3+Ti}(Al2Si6O22)O2 |
| Ferri-kaersutite | NaCa2(Mg3Fe3+Ti)(Al2Si6O22)O2 |
| Ferro-kaersutite | {Na}{Ca2}{Fe2+3AlTi}(Al2Si6O22)O2 |
| Kaersutite | {Na}{Ca2}{Mg3AlTi}(Al2Si6O22)O2 |
| Mangani-dellaventuraite | {Na}{Na2}{MgMn3+2LiTi4+}Si8O22O2 |
| Mangano-mangani-ungarettiite | NaNa2(Mn2+2Mn3+3)(Si8O22)O2 |
| Obertiite Root Name | {A}{Na2}{Z2+3Z3+Ti}{Si8O22}O2 |
| Ferri-obertiite | Na(Na2)(Mg3Fe3+Ti)(Si8O22)O2 |
| Ferro-ferri-obertiite | NaNa2(Fe2+3Fe3+Ti)Si8O22O2 |
| Mangani-obertiite | Na(Na2)(Mg3Mn3+Ti)(Si8O22)O2 |
| Unnamed (possible K-analogue of Ferri-obertiite) | KNa2[(Mg,Fe,Na)3Fe3+(Ti,Fe)]Si8O22(O,F)2 |
| Oxo-magnesio-hastingsite | NaCa2(Mg2Fe3+3)(Al2Si6)O22O2 |
| Oxo-pargasite | NaCa2(Mg2Al3)(Al2Si6)O22O2 |
Other Information
Health Risks:
Amphiboles with an asbestiform morphology present a health risk if finely divided fibrous particles are inhaled.
Amphibole Supergroup in petrology
An essential component of (items highlighted in red)
- Igneous rock
- Normal crystalline igneous rock
- Exotic crystalline igneous rock
- Metamorphic rock
Common component of (items highlighted in red)
- Igneous rock
- Normal crystalline igneous rock
- Exotic crystalline igneous rock
- Sedimentary rock and sediment
- Metamorphic rock
Accessory component of (items highlighted in red)
References for Amphibole Supergroup
Reference List:
Sort by Year (asc) | by Year (desc) | by Author (A-Z) | by Author (Z-A)
Burns, R.G., Strens, R.G.J. (1966) Infrared study of the hydroxyl band in clinoamphiboles. Science: 153: 890-892.
Strens, R.G.J. (1966) Infrared study of clustering and ordering in some (Fe,Mg) amphibole solid solutions. Chemical Communications: 519-520.
Leake, B.E. (1968) A catalog of analyzed calciferous and sub-calciferous amphiboles together with their nomenclature and associated minerals. Geological Society of America Special Paper 98.
Himmelberg, G.R., Papike, J.J. (1969) Coexisting amphiboles from blueschist facies metamorphic rock: Journal of Petrology: 10: 102-114.
Papike, J.J., Ross, M., Clark, J.R. (1969) Crystal chemical characterization of clinoamphiboles based on five new structure refinements. Mineralogical Society of America Special Paper 2: 117-136.
Saxena, S.K., Ekstrom, T.K. (1970) Statistical chemistry of calcic amphiboles. Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology: 26: 276-284.
Strens, R.G.J. (1974) The common chain, ribbon, and ring silicates. In V.C. Farmer, Ed., The infrared spectra of minerals: 305-330. Mineralogical Society, London.
Law, A.D. (1976) A model for the investigation of hydroxyl spectra of amphiboles. In: The Physics and Chemistry of Minerals and Rocks (R.G.J. Strens, ed.). J. Wiley & Sons, London, U.K.
Boettcher, A.L., O'Neil, J.R. (1980) Stable isotope, chemical and petrographic studies of high-pressure amphiboles and micas: evidence for metasomatism in the mantle source regions of alkali basalts and kimberlites. American Journal of Science: 280A: 594-621.
Ungaretti, L. (1980) Recent developments in X-ray single crystal diffractometry applied to the crystal-chemical study of amphiboles. Godisnjak Jugoslavenskog centra za Kristalografiju: 15: 29-65.
Hawthorne, F.C.H. (1983) The crystal chemistry of the amphiboles. The Canadian Mineralogist: 21: 173-480.
Rock, N.M.S., Leake, B.E. (1984) The International Mineralogical Association amphibole nomenclature scheme: computerization and its consequences. Mineralogical magazine: 48: 211-227.
Phillips, M.W., Popp, R.K., Clowe, C.A. (1988) Structural adjustments accompanying oxidation-dehydrogenation n amphiboles. American Mineralogist: 73: 500-506.
Hogarth, D.D. (1989) Pyrochlore, apatite and amphibole: distinctive minerals in carbonatite. In K. Bell, Ed., Carbonatites: Genesis and Evolution: 105-148. Unwin Hyman Ltd., London.
Deloule, E., Albarède, F., Sheppard, S.M.F. (1991) Hydrogen isotope heterogeneities in the mantle from ion probe analysis of amphiboles from ultramafic rocks. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett.: 105: 543-553.
Skogby, H., Rossman, G.R. (1991) The intensity of amphibole OH bands in the infrared absorption spectrum. Physics and Chemistry of Minerals: 18: 64-68.
Oberti, R., Ungaretti, L., Cannillo, E., Hawthorne, F.C. (1992) The behaviour of Ti in amphiboles. I. Four- and six-coordinate Ti in richterite. European Journal of Mineralogy: 4: 425-439.
Hawthorne, F.C., Ungaretti, L., Oberti, R., Bottazzi, P., Czamanske, G.K. (1993) Li: an important component in igneous alkali amphiboles. American Mineralogist: 78: 733-745.
Oberti, R., Ungaretti, L., Cannillo, E., Hawthorne, F.C. (1993) The mechanism of Cl incorporation in amphibole. American Mineralogist: 78: 746-752.
Hawthorne, F.C., Ungaretti, L., Oberti, Cannillo, E., Smelik, E.A. (1994) The mechanism of [6]Li incorporation in amphiboles. American Mineralogist: 79: 443-451.
Oberti, R., Hawthorne, F.C., Ungaretti, L., Cannillo, E. (1995) [6]Al disorder in amphiboles from mantle peridotite: The Canadian Mineralogist: 33: 867-878.
Oberti, R., Ungaretti, L., Cannillo, E., Hawthorne, F.C., Memmi, I. (1995) Temperature-dependent Al order-disorder in the tetrahedral double chain of C2/m amphiboles. European Journal of Mineralogy: 7: 1049-1063.
Hawthorne, F.C., Della Ventura, G., Robert, J.-L. (1996) Short-range order and long-range order in amphiboles: a model for the interpretation of infrared spectra in the principal OH-stretching region. In: Mineral Spectroscopy: a Tribute to Roger G. Burns (M.D. Dyar, C. McCammon & M.W. Schaefer, eds.). Geochemical Society, Special Publication 5: 49-54.
Hawthorne, F.C. (1997) Short-range order in amphiboles: a bond-valence approach. The Canadian Mineralogist: 35: 203-218.
Leake, B.E., Woolley, A.R., Arps, C.E.S., Birch, W.D., Gilbert, M.C., Grice, J.D., Hawthorne, F.C., Kato, A., J.Kisch, H.J.., G. Krivovichev, V.G., Linthout, K., Laird, J., Mandarino, J.A., Maresch, W.V., Nickel, E.H., Rock, N.M.S., Schumacher, J.C., Smith, D.C., Stephenson, N.C.N., Ungaretti, L., Whittaker, E.J.W., Guo, Y. (1997) Nomenclature of amphiboles of the International Mineralogical Association, Commission on New Minerals and Mineral Names. American Mineralogist: 82: 1019-1037.
Hawthorne, F.C., Oberti, R., Zanetti, A., Czamanske, G.K. (1998) The role of Ti in hydrogen-deficient amphiboles: sodic-calcic and sodic amphiboles from Coyote Peak, California. The Canadian Mineralogist: 36: 1253-1265.
Welch, M.D., Lu, S., Klinowski, J. (1998) 29Si MAS NMR systematics of calcic and sodic-calcic amphiboles. American Mineralogist: 83: 85-96.
Robert, J.-L., Della Ventura, G., Hawthorne, F.C. (1999) Near-infrared study of short-range disorder of OH and F in monoclinic amphiboles. American Mineralogist: 84: 86-91.
Melzer, S., Gottschalk, M., Andrut, M., Heinrich, W. (2000) Crystal chemistry of K-richterite-richterite-tremolite solid solutions: a SEM, EMP, XRD, HRTEM and IR study. European Journal of Mineralogy: 12: 273-291.
Reece, J.J., Redfern, S.A.T., Welch, M.D., Henderson, C.M.B., McCammon, C.A. (2002) Temperature-dependent Fe2+ - Mn2+ order-disorder behaviour in amphiboles. Physics and Chemistry of Minerals: 29: 562-570.
Najorka, J., Gottschalk, M. (2003) Crystal chemistry of tremolite-tschermakite solid solutions. Physics and Chemistry of Minerals: 30: 108-124.
Oberti, R., F. Cámara, L. Ottolini, J.M. Caballero (2003) Lithium in amphiboles: detection, quantification, and incorporation mechanisms in the compositional space bridging sodic and [B} Li amphiboles. European Journal of Mineralogy: 15: 309-319.
Leake, B.E., Woolley, A.R., W.D. Birch, W.D., E.A.J. Burke, E.A.J., G. Ferraris, G., J.D. Grice, J.D., F.C. Hawthorne, F.C., H.J. Kisch, H.J., V.G. Krivovichev, V.G., J.C. Schumacher, J.C., N.C.N. Stephenson, N.C.N., Whittaker, E.J.W. (2004) Nomenclature of amphiboles: additions and revisions to the International Mineralogical Association's amphibole nomenclature. American Mineralogist: 88: 883-887.
Burke, E.A.J., Leake, B.E. (2005) “Named amphiboles”: a new category of amphiboles recognized by the International Mineralogical Association (IMA), and the proper order of prefixes to be used in amphibole names. American Mineralogist: 90: 516-517.
Hawthorne, F.C.H., Della Ventura, G., Oberti, R., Robert, J.-L., Iezzi, G. (2005) Short-range order in minerals: amphiboles. The Canadian Mineralogist: 43: 1895-1920.
Hawthorne, F.C., Oberti, R. (2006) On the classification of amphiboles. The Canadian Mineralogist: 44: 1-21.
Ishida, K., Hawthorne, F.C. (2006) Assignment of infrared OH-stretching bands in calcic amphiboles through deuteration and heat treatment. American Mineralogist: 91: 871-879.
Hawthorne, F. C. & Oberti, R. (2007): Amphiboles: Crystal Chemistry. Reviews in Mineralogy and Geochemistry 67, 1-54. [https://www.researchgate.net/publication/250130737_Amphiboles_Crystal_Chemistry]
Esawi, E.K. (2011) Calculations of amphibole chemical parameters and implementation of the 2004 recommendations of the IMA classification and nomenclature of amphiboles. Journal of Mineralogical and Petrological Sciences: 106: 123-129.
Hawthorne, F.C., Oberti, R., Harlow, G.E., Maresch, W.V., Martin, R.F., Schumacher, J.C., Welch, M.D. (2012) Nomenclature of the amphibole supergroup. American Mineralogist: 97: 2031-2048.
Hawthorne, F.C. (2016): Short-range atomic arrangements in minerals. I: The minerals of the amphibole, tourmaline and pyroxene supergroups. Eur. J. Mineral. 28, 513-536.
Internet Links for Amphibole Supergroup
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https://www.mindat.org/min-207.html
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Selva dei Molini Valley, Aurina valley, Bolzano Province, Trentino-Alto Adige, Italy