Priceite from the Fuka mine, Okayama Prefecture, Japan

Abstract

Priceite was found as a mass or a veinlet in crystalline limestone associated with gehlenite-spurrite skarns at the Fuka mine, Okayama Prefecture, Japan. Priceite occurs as grayish white or pale green aggregates of anhedral or prismatic crystals up to 0.5 mm in length in association with shimazakiite, sibirskite, uralborite and calcite. An electron microprobe analysis of priceite gave an empirical formula (Ca O based on O = 13. The unit cell parameters are a = 11.633(7), b = 6.977(3), c = 12.342(5) Å, β = 110.648(7)°. The calculated density is 2.486 g cm −3 . It is likely that priceite from the Fuka mine was formed as a secondary mineral by a late-hydrothermal alteration of shimazakiite at temperature between 100 and 190°C or less.

Vimsite from the Fuka mine, Okayama Prefecture, Japan

“…On the other hand, as mentioned above, vimsite is formed in the aggregate of sibirskite as well as uralborite and priceite. Therefore, vimsite is presumed to be formed by the subsequent hydrothermal alteration, as with uralbolite (Kusachi et al, 2000) and priceite (Kobayashi et al, 2017), from sibirskite produced by the hydrothermal alteration of shimazakiite. Kobayashi et al (2017) concluded that priceite from the Fuka mine formed by a late-hydrothermal alteration of shimazakiite.…”

“…2). In the either case, vimsite occurs closed association with uralborite (Kusachi et al, 2000), priceite (Kobayashi et al, 2017), and sibirskite (Kusachi et al, 1997) in the zone between the block consisting mainly shimazakiite and surrounding limestone. Vimsite occurs with uralborite and priceite in the aggregate of sibirskite, but it is not in direct contact with uralborite in a polymorphic relationship.…”

Boron in Prebiological Evolution

“…Colemanite and ulexite have been used as borate sources (both minerals contain calcium) in previous experiments, to mimic prebiological reactions [44] . The number of calcium borate minerals is vast and, typically, they contain a very limited number of ions [100–112] . New calcium borate compounds have been obtained under synthetic conditions, relatable to prebiotic environments [113–115] .…”