Vibrational spectroscopy of the borate mineral olshanskyite Ca3[B(OH)4]4(OH)2

The mineral olshanskyite is one of many calcium borate minerals which has never been studied using vibrational spectroscopy. The mineral is unstable and decomposes upon exposure to an electron beam. This makes the elemental analysis using EDX techniques difficult. Both the Raman and infrared spectra show complexity due to the complexity of the structure. Intense Raman bands are found at 989, 1,003, 1,025 and 1,069 cm −1 with a shoulder at 961 cm −1 and are assigned to trigonal borate units. The Raman bands at 1,141, 1,206 and 1,365 cm −1 are assigned to OH in-plane bending of BOH units. A series of Raman bands are observed in the 2,900–3,621 cm −1 spectral range and are assigned to the stretching vibrations of OH and water. This complexity is also reflected in the infrared spectra. Vibrational spectroscopy enables aspects of the structure of olshanskyite to be elucidated.