Betzite, Na6Ca2(Al6Si6O24)Cl4, a New Cancrinite-Group Mineral from the Eifel Paleovolcanic Region, Germany

Abstract

AbstractBetzite, ideally Na6Ca2(Al6Si6O24)Cl4, a new cancrinite-group mineral, was discovered in a metasomatically altered (pyrometamorphosed) calcic xenolith, hosted by alkaline basalt at the Bellerberg paleovolcano in the Eastern Eifel region, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. The associated minerals are anorthite, phlogopite, diopside, grossular, fluorite, calcite, a tobermorite-like mineral, and vanadoallanite-(Ce). Betzite occurs as colorless hexagonal prismatic crystals up to 2 mm long and up to 0.5 mm thick. The new mineral is brittle, with a Mohs' hardness of 5½. Distinct cleavage on {100} and parting on {0001} are observed. The Dmeas = 2.38(2) g/cm3 and Dcalc = 2.363 g/cm3. Betzite is optically uniaxial (+) with ω = 1.528(2) and ε = 1.545(3). The IR spectrum is given. The chemical composition of betzite is (wt.%; electron microprobe, H2O determined by the modified Penfield method): Na2O 11.88, K2O 4.82, CaO 10.74, MgO 0.21, Al2O3 27.32, Fe2O3 0.68, SiO2 32.84, SO3 1.89, Cl 10.48, H2O 1.10, −O≡Cl −2.37, total 99.59. The empirical formula is Na4.22K1.13Ca2.11Mg0.06(Si6.01Al5.90Fe3+0.09O24)Cl3.25(SO4)0.26(H1.34O0.64). The crystal structure was determined using single-crystal X-ray diffraction data. It is hexagonal, space group P63, a = 12.8166(9) Å, c = 5.3562(3) Å, V = 761.95(12) Å3 (at a temperature of 100 K) and Z = 3. Betzite is a dimorph of quadridavyne, with a disordered distribution of extra-framework components occupying channels. The strongest lines of the powder X-ray diffraction pattern [d, Å (I, %) (hkl)] are: 11.14 (31) (100), 4.833 (93) (101), 3.715 (95) (300), 3.313 (100) (211), 2.787 (37) (400), 2.681 (56) (002, 131), 2.474 (35) (112, 401), 2.146 (24) (330). The mineral is named in honor of the German amateur mineralogist Volker Betz (b. 1947).