摘要
<p id="p-1">Devitoite, [Ba6(PO4)2(CO3)] [Fep>2+p>7Fep>3+p>2(Si4O12)2O2(OH)4], is a new mineral species from the Esquire #8 claim along Big Creek in eastern Fresno County, California, U.S.A. It is also found at the nearby Esquire #7 claim and at Trumbull Peak in Mariposa County. The mineral is named for Alfred (Fred) DeVito (1937–2004). Devitoite crystallized very late in a sequence of minerals resulting from fluids interacting with a quartz–sanbornite vein along its margin with the country rock. The mineral occurs in subparallel intergrowths of very thin brown blades, flattened on {001} and elongate and striated parallel to [100]. The mineral has a cream to pale brown streak, a silky luster, a Mohs hardness of approximately 4, and two cleavages: {001} perfect and {010} good. The calculated density is 4.044 g/cmp>3p>. It is optically biaxial (+), α 1.730(3), β 1.735(6), γ 1.755(3); 2Vcalc = 53.6°; orientation: X ≈ b, Y ≈ c, Z ≈ a; pleochroism: brown, Y >>> X > Z. Normalized electron-microprobe analyses provided: BaO 38.83, CaO 0.50, MgO 0.75, FeO 22.02, Fe2O3 6.08, Al2O3 1.50, SiO2 20.97, TiO2 0.80, P2O5 4.84, H2O 1.67, CO2 2.04, total 100.00 wt%, with FeO and Fe2O3 assignments and H2O and CO2 based on the structure. The empirical formula is [(Ba5.45 Ca0.19)∑5.64(PO4)1.47O0.30(CO3)] [(Fep>2+p>6.60Mg0.40)∑7(Fep>3+p>1.64Tip>4+p>0.22Alp>3+p>0.14)∑2(Si7.51Al0.49)∑8O26(OH)4]. Devitoite is triclinic, P1̅, a 5.3437(7), b 11.6726(15), c 14.680(2) Å, α 91.337(4), β 96.757(4), γ 103.233(4)°, V 884.0(2) Åp>3p> and Z = 1. The crystal-structure determination (R1 = 9.56% for 1370 Fo > 4σF) shows the mineral to be a heterophyllosilicate with astrophyllite-type HOH layers in which five-coordinated Fep>3+p> takes the place of Tip>4+p>. The interlayer region contains Ba atoms, PO4 groups and CO3 groups. The configuration of the Ba and PO4 in the interlayer region is similar to that found in the structure of yoshimuraite. p>