Magnesioneptunite, KNa2Li(Mg,Fe)2Ti2Si8O24, a new mineral species of the neptunite group

Abstract

A new mineral of the neptunite group, magnesioneptunite KNa2Li(Mg,Fe)2Ti2Si8O24, a Mg-dominant analogue of neptunite and manganoneptunite, has been found in the Upper Chegem caldera near Mount Lakargi, Kabardino-Balkaria, the North Caucasus, Russia in a xenolith of altered sandstone located between skarnified carbonate xenoliths and ignimbrite. Magnesioneptunite occurs as nearly isometric grains and aggregates up to 0.1 mm in size in the cores of some grains of a Mg-rich variety of neptunite with Mg/(Fe + Mn) = 0.7−1.0. The chemical composition of magnesioneptunite with a maximum Mg content is as follows, wt %: 3.63 K2O, 8.21 Na2O, 1.73 Li2O, 6.47 MgO, 0.04 MnO, 5.87 FeO, 0.07 Al2O3, 18.73 TiO2, 56.88 SiO2, 99.62 in total. The empirical formula is (K0.67Na0.32Ca0.01)Σ1.00Na2.06Li1.00 · (Mg1.39Fe 0.71 2+ )Σ2.10(Si7.90Al0.01)Σ7.91O24. Grains of magnesioneptunite are dark brown to red-brown, translucent, with vitreous luster. D calc = 3.15 g/cm3, and the Mohs hardness is 5–6. Cleavage parallel to the (110) is perfect. The new mineral is optically biaxial, positive, α = 1.697(2), β = 1.708 (3), γ = 1.725(3), 2V meas = 45(15)°. The mineral is associated with quartz, alkali feldspar, rutile, aegirine, and neptunite. Magnesioneptunite and the Mg-rich variety of neptunite were formed as products of ilmenite alteration. Magnesioneptunite is monoclinic, C2/c; unit-cell parameters: a = 16.327(7), b = 12.4788(4), c = 9.9666(4) A, β = 115.6519(5)°, V = 1830.5(1) A3, Z = 4. The type specimen is deposited at the Fersman Mineralogical Museum of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow.