Fogoite-(Y), Na3Ca2Y2Ti(Si2O7)2OF3, a Group I TS-block mineral from the Lagoa do Fogo, the Fogo Volcano, Sao Miguel Island, the Azores; description and crystal structure

Fogoite-(Y), Na3Ca2Y2Ti(Si2O7)2OF3, is a new mineral from the Lagoa do Fogo, Sao Miguel Island, the Azores. It occurs in cavities as highly elongated (on [001]) prisms, up to 2000 µm long and 50 µm × 50 µm in cross-section, associated with sanidine, astrophyllite, fluornatropyrochlore, ferrokentbrooksite, quartz and ferro-katophorite. Crystals are generally transparent and colourless, with vitreous lustre, occasionally creamy white. Fogoite-(Y) has a white streak, splintery fracture and very good {100} cleavage. Mohs hardness is ∼5. Dcalc. = 3.523 g/cm3 It is biaxial (+) with refractive indices (λ = 590 nm) α = 1.686(2), β = 1.690(2), γ = 1.702(5); 2Vmeas.= 57(1)° and 2Vcalc. = 60°. It is nonpleochroic. Fogoite-(Y) is triclinic, space group P1, a = 9.575(6), b = 5.685(4), c = 7.279(5) A, α = 89.985(6), β = 100.933(4), γ = 101.300(5)°, V = 381.2 (7) A3 The six strongest reflections in the powder X-ray diffraction data [d (A), I, (hkl)] are: 2.954, 100, (112, 310); 3.069, 42, (300, 012); 2.486, 24, (310, 212); 3.960, 23, (111, 210); 2.626, 21, (220); 1.820, 20, (104). Electron microprobe analysis gave the following empirical formula calculated on 18 (O + F) (Na2.74Mn0.15)Σ2.89Ca2[Y1.21(La0.01Ce0.03 Nd0.03Sm0.02Gd0.08Dy0.08Er0.05Yb0.04Lu0.01)Σ0.35 Mn0.16Zr0.11Na0.09Fe2+ 0.07Ca0.01]Σ2(Ti0.76Nb0.23Ta0.01)Σ1(Si4.03 O14)O1.12F2.88, Z = 1. The crystal structure was refined on a twinned crystal to R1 = 2.81% on the basis of 2157 unique reflections (Fo > 4σFo) and is a framework of TS (Titanium Silicate) blocks, which consist of HOH sheets (H - heteropolyhedral, O - octahedral) parallel to (100). In the O sheet, the the [6] MO(1) site is occupied mainly by Ti, = 1.980 A, and the [6] MO(2) and [6] MO(3) sites are occupied by Na and Na plus minor Mn, = 2.490 A and = 2.378 A. In the H sheet, the two [4] Si sites are occupied by Si, with = 1.623 A; the [6] MH site is occupied by Y and rare-earth elements (Y > REE), with minor Mn, Zr, Na, Fe2+ and Ca, = 2.271 A and the [6] AP site is occupied by Ca, = 2.416 A. The MH and AP octahedra and Si2O7 groups constitute the H sheet. The ideal compositions of the O and two H sheets are Na3Ti(OF)F2 and Y2Ca2(Si2O7)2 apfu. Fogoite-(Y) is isostructural with gotzenite and hainite. The mineral is named after the type locality, the Fogo volcano in the Azores.