Barringtonite—A new hydrous magnesium carbonate from Barrington Tops, New South Wales, Australia

Summary

Barringtonite, a new hydrous magnesium carbonate of composition MgCO₃,2H₂O, is recorded from Sempill Creek, Barrington Tops, New South Wales, where it occurs as nodular encrustations on the surface of olivine basalt. The mineral is triclinic, biaxial positive, has refractive indices α = 1·458, β = 1·473, γ = 1·501, 2V_γ = 73° 44′, and using Ito's method (1949) cell dimensions α = 9·155 Å, b = 6·202 Å, c = 6·092Å, α = 94· 00′, β = 95· 32′, and γ = 108° 72′. The three strongest lines on an X-ray powder photograph give d values of 8·682, 3·093, and 2·936 Å.