Jasonsmithite, a new phosphate mineral with a complex microporous framework, from the Foote mine, North Carolina, U.S.A

Abstract

Jasonsmithite (IMA2019-121), Mn 2+ 4ZnAl(PO4)4(OH)(H2O)7•3.5H2O, is a pegmatitephosphate mineral from the Foote Lithium Company mine, Kings Mountain district, Cleveland County, North Carolina, USA. It is is interpreted as having formed by late-stage, lowtemperature hydrothermal alteration. Crystals are colorless to light brown, slightly flattened prisms to about 1 mm in length with wedge-shaped terminations. The mineral is transparent with vitreous luster, white streak, Mohs hardness 2, brittle tenacity, irregular fracture, and perfect {001} cleavage. The density is 2.63(2) g/cm 3. Jasonsmithite is biaxial (-), with α = 1.561(2), β = 1.580(2), γ = 1.581(2), measured in white light. The 2V is 25(5)° and dispersion is r < v

Ferraioloite from the Sítio do Castelo mine, Folgosinho (Guarda, Portugal), description and Raman spectroscopy

“…3 agree well with the data published for this mineral from the original locality (Mills et al 2016) and with the X-ray pattern calculated from the structure of ferraioloite; experimental intensities are partly affected by the preferred orientation as well as by the small amount material available for the study. The experimental pattern is distinctly different from the data published for chemically similar falsterite (Kampf et al 2012) and jasonsmithite (Kampf et al 2021). The refined unit-cell parameters of the studied sample (Tab.…”

“…Bands of H-O-H ν 2 (δ) bending vibrations of water molecules, occasionally observed in related phosphate minerals in the range 1700-1600 cm -1 , were not detected. A similar lack of these manifestations in the Raman spectrum of jasonsmithite is explained as being related to the existence of many different H 2 O sites resulting in many overlapping, broad low-intensity peaks not exceeding the background (Kampf et al 2021).…”

“…Less distinct bands at 1052 and 1035 cm -1 , as well as at 1163, 1140 and 1110 cm -1 , are attributed to ν 3 PO 4 triply degenerate antisymmetric stretching vibrations. With PO 4 vibrations, ZnO 4 vibrations may overlap in this region (Kampf et al 2021).…”

Whiteite-(MnMnMn), a new jahnsite-group mineral species from the Foote mine, North Carolina, USA, and chemical pressure effects in jahnsite-group minerals.

“…Four co-type specimens from the Foote mine are housed in the mineralogical collections of the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, catalogue numbers 74374, 76149, 76150 and 76151. The specimen number 74374 is also the holotype for jasonsmithite (Kampf et al, 2021).…”

“…Its common presence as orthogonally oriented laths on whiteite-(CaMnMn), suggests a dissolution/epitaxial recrystallisation paragenesis. The Foote Lithium Company mine is the type locality for 15 other minerals, including jasonsmithite, which was found in the same boulder as whiteite-(MnMnMn) (Kampf et al, 2021).…”