Jeppeite, a new K-Ba-Fe titanate from Walgidee Hills, Western Australia

Abstract

AbstractJeppeite, a new mineral, similar in composition to and overgrown on priderite, has been found in the lamproite plug of Walgidee Hills (18° 19′ S, 124° 51′ E), Western Australia. The mineral is named for the discoverer, Dr J. Jeppe. It is monoclinic, C2/m, a 15.453 b 3.8368 c 9.123 Å β 99.25°, strongest powder lines 4.50(002) (4), 3.07(310) (10), 2.99(003,31) (10), 2.961(20) (4), 2.812(311,112) (10), 2.091 (6), 2.074 (6), 1.919 (8) similar to artificial K2Ti6O13. The sparse eluvial crystals are black, elongated along b, bounded by {100}, {20} faces (Λ 45°) and {010}; perfect 100 and good 20 cleavages or partings, submetallic lustre, pale-brown streak, brittle, and cleave into (100) flakes. Dobs 3.94, Dcalc 3.98. Colour values for illuminant C from reflectance spectra for Rp, Rb, and Rθ are: Y% 13.3, 14.4, 16.6; λd 474, 473, 475; and Pe% 5.1, 4.5, 4.3. Refractive indices from reflectances at 590 nm in air are 2.13, 2.21 and 2.35. In thin section, αΛα10° blue, β = b dark greenish brown almost to black, γ = c brown. Bireflectance and birefringence positive. H 5–6, VHN100 orientation dependent; for indentations normal to b 664–773.Jeppeite is common in the lamproite as prismatic to acicular aggregates associated with priderite, richterite, shcherbakovite, wadeite, perovskite, and apatite in a green and white celadonite and chlorite matrix, with a little calcite and sphene, after olivine, pyroxene, and leucite.Electron probe analysis, using Fe, Ti, nepheline, and benitoite standards, gave K2O 8.47, BaO 17.35, TiO2 69.29, Fe2O3 (total Fe) 4.74, sum 99.85%; (Mg, Na, Zr detected). This analysis calculates to (K1.15,Ba0.73)Σ1.88 (Ti5.56, Fe3+0.38)Σ5.94O13, or ideally, (K,Ba)2(Ti,Fe)6O13.