On the basis of extensive studies of synthetic perovskite-structured
compounds it is possible to derive a hierarchy of hettotype structures which
are derivatives of the arisotypic cubic perovskite structure
(ABX3), exemplified by SrTiO3 (tausonite) or
KMgF3 (parascandolaite) by: (1) tilting and distortion of the
BX6 octahedra; (2) ordering of A- and
B-site cations; (3) formation of A-,
B- or X-site vacancies. This
hierarchical scheme can be applied to some naturally-occurring oxides,
fluorides,hydroxides, chlorides, arsenides, intermetallic compounds and
silicates which adopt such derivative crystal structures. Application of
this hierarchical scheme to naturally-occurring minerals results in the
recognition of a perovskite supergroup which is divided into stoichiometric
and non-stoichiometricperovskite groups, with both groups further divided
into single ABX3 or double A2BB'X6 perovskites. Subgroups, and potential subgroups, of
stoichiometric perovskites include: (1) silicate single perovskites of the
bridgmanite subgroup;(2) oxide single perovskites of the perovskite subgroup
(tausonite, perovskite, loparite, lueshite, isolueshite, lakargiite,
megawite); (3) oxide single perovskites of the macedonite subgroup which
exhibit second order Jahn-Teller distortions (macedonite, barioperovskite);
(4) fluoride singleperovskites of the neighborite subgroup (neighborite,
parascandolaite); (5) chloride single perovskites of the chlorocalcite
subgroup; (6) B-site cation ordered double fluoride
perovskites of the cryolite subgroup (cryolite, elpasolite, simmonsite); (7)
B-site cation orderedoxide double perovskites of the
vapnikite subgroup [vapnikite, (?) latrappite]. Non-stoichiometric
perovskites include: (1) A-site vacant double hydroxides,
or hydroxide perovskites, belonging to the söhngeite, schoenfliesite and
stottite subgroups; (2) Anion-deficient perovskitesof the brownmillerite
subgroup (srebrodolskite, shulamitite); (3) A-site vacant
quadruple perovskites (skutterudite subgroup); (4) B-site
vacant single perovskites of the oskarssonite subgroup [oskarssonite]; (5)
B-site vacant inverse single perovskites of the
coheniteand auricupride subgroups; (6) B-site vacant double
perovskites of the diaboleite subgroup; (7) anion-deficient partly-inverse
B-site quadruple perovskites of the hematophanite
subgroup.