X-ray powder, optical, infrared, and chemical data suggest that kirwanite is an amphibole of composition (Na,K)0.10Ca1.80(Fe2+,Mn)3.10Mg0.79Fe1.143+Al0.78Si7.18O22(OH)2 and thus corresponds to ferri-ferro-hornblende (Leake, 1978). The type locality, originally given as the NE coast of Ireland, is most likely Dunmore Head, Co. Down. Kirwanite occurs in the groundmass and the vesicles of variolitic andesite dykes of the Mourne dyke swarm. Thomson's original analysis of kirwanite was probably made on a mixture and the name should not be used for an amphibole species.

Analysis of stable isotopes in coexisting minerals has found wide application in the study of hydrothermal mineral deposits, particularly for elucidating the temperature and source of the fluid phase involved in mineralisation. For these purposes the temperature dependence of isotopic fractionation in several mineral-water systems has already been established (e.g. Friedman and O'Neil, 1977; O'Neil, 1986). Unfortunately, the oxygen isotope fractionation between cassiterite (SnO2) and water has not been adequately characterized, and this has hindered a full utilization of oxygen isotope data derived from studies of tin deposits (e.g. Harzer, 1970; Patterson et al., 1981; Kelly and Rye, 1979). Because of this situation, an attempt is made here to derive a relationship between temperature and the fractionation of oxygen isotopes (Δ) between quartz and cassiterite, based on the fractionations observed in naturally-occurring assemblages and independent temperature estimates.

In the Gåsborn area, West Bergslagen, central Sweden, Mn-silicate-magnetite-jacobsite skarns were formed as the result of three successive processes. (1) Deposition of exhalative-sedimentary manganiferous iron-ore-bearing sediments together with cherts and volcanics. (2) Intrusion of a synvolcanic anorogenic granite and some slightly younger gabbros and tonalites: under influence of these intrusives the manganiferous iron-ore-bearing sediments were metamorphosed into (a) rhodonite(I)-magnetite-pyrophanite-garnet assemblages; (b) (manganiferous) hedenbergite(I)-allanite-titanite-garnet-magnetite assemblages; (c) tephroite-jacobsite-pyrophanite-garnet assemblages and (d) magnetite-bearing quartzites. (3) Release of hydrothermal fluids from the granite and subsequent alteration of the above assemblages into metasomatic infiltration skarns, consisting of rhodonite(II), garnet, hedenbergite(II), biotite, actinolite or edenite (with up to 20.11 wt.% MnO), chlorite, bementite, fluorite, helvite, rhodochrosite, hematite, rutile and accessory galena, sphalerite, wittichenite, aikinite, pyrrhotite, chalcopyrite and pyrite.

The maximum temperature (T) and pressure (P) during contact metamorphism are estimated at 550°C and 1.0 kbar respectively. The fluid under influence of which the metasomatic infiltration skarns were formed was relatively rich in Fe, Cl and F and carried little or no Mg and Mn.

During early diagenesis (beginning of stage 2) fo2 was between the hematite/magnetite (hm/mt) and the hausmannite + hematite = jacobsite buffers (h + m = j). During stage 2, with increasing T, fo2 changed from above to below hm/mt. Magnetite and jacobsite at some distance from the hydrothermal veins from which the metasomatic skarn-forming fluids were released, were altered during stage 3 into hematite. Magnetite in, and close to the hydrothermal veins was not altered to hematite, implying an increase in fo2 to above hm/mt with increasing distance from these veins.

The Llandovery Folly Sandstone near Presteigne, Powys, contains disseminated thorium mineralization. The thorium occurs as inclusions of thorite and thorianite within sub-millimetre-scale bitumen nodules throughout the sandstone. The nodules grew replacively in situ. The two square kilometres outcrop/subcrop of the sandstone may contain over 500 tonnes thorium.

The crystal structure of a Mn-bearing kilchoanite, Ca2.33Mn0.67Si2O7, orthorhombic, I2cm, a = 11.356(2), b = 5.007(1), c = 21.817(1)Å, Z = 8, was refined using single-crystal X-ray data to an R value of 3.1% for 1725 unique reflections. It is isostructural with kilchoanite, Ca3Si2O7, and shows a partial disorder of Mn and Ca over the four octahedral sites. On a basis of occupancy refinement, the M3 site (〈M3-O〉 = 2.307 Å) contains 0.508Ca and 0.492Mn, and the M4 site (〈M4-O〉 = 2.346 Å) contains 0.822Ca and 0.178Mn, whereas the M1 and M2 sites (〈M1-O〉 = 2.538 Å, (〈M2-O〉 = 2.380 Å) are occupied only by Ca. Substitution of Mn cations for Ca can be interpreted as taking place on the following sites in preferential order: (1) the smaller Ca site; (2) the less distorted Ca site; (3) the Ca site showing a loss in neutrality of formal electrostatic valence. A statistical survey of Si-O-Si angles observed in silicates containing [Si2O7] groups confirms that these angles become smaller with an increase in the coordination number of the bridging oxygen. Oversaturation of electrostatic bond-strength to the bridging oxygen in some groups of the crystal structures with two tetrahedra sharing a vertex (pyro-anion, ), which is caused by increase in the coordination number of the bridging oxygen and/or by T cations with larger charge than 4+, results in longer T-Obr bonds length and in smaller T-Obr-T angles.

Högbomite, a complex oxide of A1, Fe, Mg, and Ti, is an important constitutent of some iron ores and emery deposits as well as an infrequent accessory in aluminous high-grade rocks (e.g. Grew et al., 1987). The recent increase in reports of new localities (e.g. Rammlmair et al.,1988) suggests that högbomite may be more widespread than is generally perceived. We report here högbomite from the Aldan Shield, Eastern Siberia. This högbomite is remarkable for the wide variation in composition measured in a single thin section. Our report is only the second from the USSR of högbomite for which chemical data are given.

The atomic structure of chkalovite, Na2BeSi2O6, has been determined and refined by Simonov et al. (1976). It is orthorhombic, space group Fdd2, with cell parameters: a = 21.129 (5), b = 6.881 (2), and c = 21.188 (5)/Å. The structure is very similar to that of alpha-cristobalite (Dollase, 1965), comprising a framework of ordered BeO4 and SiO4 tetrahedra with the sodium atoms occupying sites within the cavities of the beryllosilicate framework. Taylor (1972) developed a tilting model for the cristobalite structure assuming regular tetrahedra. In addition to the single tilt system deduced for cristobalite (Taylor, 1972, 1984a) chkalovite has secondary tilt systems involving a slight adjustment of the structure by a small cooperative tilt or twist of some tetrahedra about one or more of their three-fold axes (see fig. 1 of Simonov et al., 1976).

A thin (100 m) cover of flat-lying, Recent, calcite-rich tuff at Ndale near Fort Portal, Uganda, unconformably overlies steeply dipping Precambrian metamorphic rocks. It is locally radioactive owing to uranium-rich pyrochlore minerals and lesser amounts of zircon, monazite, titanite, and an unidentified thorium phosphate. In one concentrate, four grains of uranpyrochlore and one grain of uranoan pyrochlore showed a positive linear correlation of Ti with U, and negative linear correlations of Ti with Na, F and Sr. Ta remained high and relatively constant [11 anal., ave. 14.5 (0.6)% Ta2O5]. In the same concentrate the composition of a separate grain of uranoan pyrochlore did not plot on these lines and Ta was comparatively low [2 anal., ave. 4.5 (0.3)% Ta2O5]. The data suggest two separate paths of differentiation. However, zoned grains were not observed. Unit cells were cubic with a = 10.351 ± 0.002 Å for a grain with 12.9% UO2tot and 10.333 ± 0.002 Å for a grain with 26.6% UO2tot. On heating in air the cell size decreased, possibly due to oxidation of U4+. The crystalline nature of these minerals can be attributed to a very young (4000–5000 yr) geological age.

Li8(Al6Si6O24)Cl2, a synthetic member of the sodalite family (Henderson and Taylor, 1977), was prepared by heating natural sodalite, Na8(Al- 6Si6O24)Cl2 (from Låven, Norway), in molten LiC1 at 800 °C for 2h, washing uncombined LiC1 from the product and drying at 110 °C Chemical analyses of the natural sodalite and the Li-sodalite are given in Table 1. The cell edge of the Lisodalite was 8.4476(9) Å (Si as internal standard: a = 5.43065/Å at 25 °C in good agreement with literature values (Henderson and Taylor, 1977).

Zincian högbomite (ZnO 3.5–10.5wt.%) occurs as an accessory phase in garnet quartzite that is intimately associated with the Broken Hill and Black Mountain Cu-Pb-Zn-Ag deposits, Aggeneys, South Africa. Högbomite coexists with a number of minerals including quartz, gahnite, sillimanite, sphalerite, pyrrhotine, pyrite, magnetite, and ilmenite, suggesting that högbomite may have formed by sulphidation and oxidation reactions. Such reactions may account for the high Zn content of högbomite. Where associated with metamorphosed massive sulphide deposits högbomite is enriched in Zn relative to that found in ultramafics, Fe-Ti deposits, Fe ores, aluminous metasediments, and skarns. This enrichment in högbomite constitutes a potential exploration guide for metamorphosed massive sulphide deposits.

The synthesis of monazite was first reported by Radominsky (1875). Since then various methods have been used to synthesize various end members of the monazite solid solution series, mainly CePO4 and LaPO4 (e.g. Anthony, 1957, 1965). As part of an experimental study dealing with the solubility of monazite in granitic melts (Montel, 1986, 1987, and in prep.), the synthesis of some of the end members, as well as solid solutions, was achieved.

Within a reyerite-tobermorite (11 Å) amygdale assemblage in olivine basalt blocks, near Drynock, Skye, is a porcellaneous material which either lines or completely fills the amygdales (Livingstone, 1988). Electron-probe microanalysis combined with back-scattered electron imaging identifies individual components of the porcellaneous material as calcian analcime and bytownite, (An74-79). Back-scattered electron imaging reveals a second generation analcime pervading the calcian analcime-bytownite intergrowth and forming patches and discrete veinlets (Fig. 1A).

Phosphatic limestones and a related soil were described from collections made by the first Royal Society coral-reef-boring expedition to Funafuti in 1896 (Cooksey, 1896; David and Sweet, 1904, Judd, 1904; Sollas, 1904; cf. Cullis, 1904). Although there is some geographic uncertainty about the source of some of Judd's samples, the specimens came from three localities on Funafuti, the largest being on Amatuku.