Nine samples of carbonate-free sodalite-group minerals, including those with abnormally high contents of polysulfide groups, fluoride anion and carbon dioxide molecules as well as synthetic fluoraluminate sodalite-type compound Na8(Si7Al5O24)(AlF6)3–·5H2O, have been studied by means of electron microprobe analyses, infrared and Raman spectroscopy; the CO2 content was determined using the selective sorption of gaseous ignition products. This article describes a semi-quantitative method for estimating the content of carbon dioxide molecules in these minerals, based on IR spectroscopy data. The data obtained demonstrate the existence of a sulfide sodalite-group mineral with the idealized formula Na7(Si6Al6O24)(S3−)·H2O, which differs significantly from the formula Na6Ca2(Si6Al6O24)S2–2 accepted for lazurite. According to single-crystal X-ray structural analysis, in the F-rich sodalite-group mineral from the Eifel paleovolcanic region, Germany with the idealized formula Na7(Si6Al6O24)F−·nH2O fluorine occurs as an isolated F− anion, unlike synthetic F-rich sodalite-type compounds.

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Elpidite from the Lovozero alkaline complex, Kola Peninsula, Russia, and Ag-exchanged forms of elpidite from two different localities (Lovozero and Khan Bogdo, Mongolia) were studied by means of single-crystal X-ray diffraction, electron microprobe analysis, thermogravimetry and IR spectroscopy. All studied samples retain the heteropolyhedral framework consisting of double Si6O15 chains (ribbons) and isolated ZrO6 octahedra. Zeolitic cavities in the initial elpidite from Lovozero (space group Pbm2, a = 14.6127(7), b = 7.3383(4), c = 7.1148(3) Å, V = 762.94(6) Å3) are occupied by Na+ cations and H2O molecules. Both Ag-exchanged forms are characterized by evident distortions of the heteropolyhedral framework and a strongly disordered arrangement of extra-framework cations which results in the appearance of the 14-14-14 Å unit cell (a = 14.1755(7), b = 14.6306(9), c = 14.2896(7) Å, V = 2963.6(3) Å3 for the Ag-exchanged form of elpidite from Lovozero and a = 14.1411(5), b = 14.5948(4), c = 14.3035(5) Å, V = 2952.04(17) Å3 for the Ag-exchanged form of elpidite from Khan Bogdo) and space group Cmce. Elpidite from both localities demonstrates a high exchange capacity to Ag. Exchanged Ag+ cations preferably occupy the sites that are close to the Na sites in the initial elpidite. The paper also contains a review of crystal chemical data on elpidite and its laboratory-modified forms.

The new mineral fluorcalciobritholite, ideally Ca 3 Ce 2 (SiO 4) 2 (PO 4)F, has been found at Mount Kukisvumchorr, Khibiny alkaline complex, Kola Peninsula, Russia, in veinlets which contains aggregates of orthoclase, nepheline, sodalite and biotite in association with grains of fayalite, gadolinite-(Ce), zircon, monazite-(Ce), zirconolite ("polymignite"), fluorapatite, fluorite, molybdenite, löllingite and graphite. Fluorcalciobritholite forms long-prismatic hexagonal crystals up to 0.5 x 10 mm; the main crystal form is the hexagonal prism {10-10}. The mineral is transparent, with a pale pinkish to brown colour and a white streak. The hardness (Mohs) is 5.5, and the observed density is 4.2(1) g/cm 3. Optically, it is uniaxial (-) with K 1.735(5), 5 1.730(5). Electron microprobe gave the following empirical formula based on [Si+P+S] = 3 apfu: [Ca 2.80 (Ce 0.93 La 0.54 Nd 0.26 Y 0.18 Pr 0.08 Sm 0.03 Gd 0.03 Dy 0.02 Yb 0.02 Er 0.01) 7 2.12 Th 0.04 Mn 0.03 Sr 0.02 ] 7 4.99 [(Si 1.94 P 1.06) 7 3 O 12 ] [F 0.76 O 0.22 Cl 0.01 ] 7 0.99 (Z = 2). The IR spectrum of metamict fluorcalciobritholite from Siberia showed a marked similarity with those of hydroxylbritholite-(Ce) and hydroxylbritholite-(Y). The strongest lines of the X-ray powder pattern [d in Å (I) (hkl)] are: 3.51 (45) 002, 3.15 (70) 102, 2.85 (100) 211, 121, 2.78 (60) 300. The mineral is hexagonal, space group P6 3 /m, with a = 9.580(7), c = 6.985(4) Å, V = 555.2(7) Å 3. The crystal structure was refined from single-crystal X-ray diffraction data to R F = 0.029. Fluorcalciobritholite, whose simplified formula is (Ca,REE) 5 [(Si,P)O 4 ] 3 F, differs from fluorbritholite in having Ca 8 7 REE, and differs from fluorapatite in having Si 8 P. Its compositional field falls within the limits Ca 2.5 REE 2.5 (SiO 4) 2.5 (PO 4) 0.5 F (boundary with fluorbritholite) and Ca 3.5 REE 1.5 (SiO 4) 1.5 (PO 4) 1.5 F (boundary with fluorapatite). Both the mineral and its name have been approved by the IMA Commission on New Minerals and Mineral Names.

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